Men's Basketball
ESPN Commentator Says Kentucky Basketball Has “Become Irrelevant”, Calipari’s Clock Is “Ticking Loudly”
Published
2 years agoon

The Kentucky Wildcats got the monkey off their back by winning one NCAA Tournament game, beating Providence. However, after being eliminated in a heartbreaking loss to Kansas State, that makes three straight seasons where Kentucky has failed to make the second weekend of the tournament.
The lack of recent success has been disappointing for Kentucky fans, a fanbase known for their high expectations. That frustration has been felt by the media, leading many of them to give their “bold” takes on the state of the Kentucky program.
One media personality, Paul Finebaum of ESPN/SEC Network, gave his opinion on Kentucky in a radio appearance earlier this week.
“Kentucky has become irrelevant,” Finebaum said. “We get all excited about them every year, because they’ve got the No. 1 recruiting class coming in, which they do again. In November, they were the No. 4 team in the country. They had to fight to get into the tournament in February, which they did. Then they laid another egg. To the elite college basketball world, getting knocked out in the Round of 32 is a failure.”
The argument of failure to succeed with top recruiting classes is one that has been made by many. However, most of these people have not paid attention to Kentucky’s roster construction of late, as the lack of elite, NBA-level talent has been a real issue.
From Calipari’s first season (2009) to his last Final Four (2015), Kentucky had sixteen top-10 recruits, with 10 of those being in the top-5. Whereas since then, Kentucky has had just eight top-10 recruits, and just one top-5 recruit (excluding Shaedon Sharpe who did not play).
This isn’t to say Kentucky still hasn’t underperformed with the talent they have had, but Calipari has been most successful with elite players, and the recruiting hasn’t been at the same level.
That will change next season, as Calipari and a renovated staff are bringing in five, five-star prospects, including four ranked in the top-10, and three in the top-5.
Not to mention, the Southeastern conference has become much more difficult to win in. While Kentucky has always been at the top, other programs are finally investing into basketball. As a result, the conference now has some of the best coaches in the country and is now bringing in the top players, from high school and the transfer portal.
Finebaum went on to note that even by “moving the goalposts,” UK had to reach the Sweet 16 because of the last few seasons of having a losing season, and last year losing to Saint Peter’s to open the NCAA Tournament.
“Just to wash away the stench of the last couple years,” Finebaum said. “… There’s no way you can look this season as anything other than a failure. And there’s no way you can look at John Calipari’s career as saying nothing but the clock is ticking loudly.”
If you look at Calipari’s career as a whole, he has seven Elite Eights, four Final Fours, and a National Championship. Unfortunately, the bulk of that success came in the first half of his tenure, going on a tear of winning that few have done. If you spread that success out over his entire tenure, things are likely to be looked at much differently.
As mentioned, Calipari will have a team of NBA talent next season, will he make a run and reverse the trajectory?
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Men's Basketball
Amari Williams Picked 46th by the Boston Celtics in the 2025 NBA Draft
Amari Williams is the second Kentucky player selected in the 2025 NBA Draft, as Boston takes the big man with their second round pick.
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Published
16 hours agoon
June 26, 2025
Fan-favorite big man (and official Weetabix sponsor) Amari Williams has officially made it to the big leagues, taken by the Boston Celtics with the 46th pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, via a trade with the Orlando Magic.
The selection makes Williams the second Wildcat to be scooped up from this year’s pool, following Koby Brea being picked by the Phoenix Suns just five picks earlier at the 41st spot. From Mark Pope’s first Kentucky team, two transfer athletes (thus far) in their last year of eligibility have achieved next-level dreams by way of the blue and white.
Williams, who averaged 11 points, nine rebounds, and three assists per game during his lone season in Lexington, will look to aid Boston in filling their recently vacant five-spot, left by the recently traded Kristaps Porzingis.
As Wildcat fans surely know, not only can Williams battle with the best of them in the paint, but he can run the floor as efficiently as just about any guard, too. His versatility and sizable frame ensure a high ceiling in the NBA and, despite not every draft board seeing him selected, the league champions two years removed made the call when it mattered.
Hailing overseas from Nottingham, England, and spending his first four years of college basketball at the University of Drexel, Williams’ success is a testament not only to Kentucky Basketball’s immaculate tradition, but to his own incredible work ethic and intangible ability.
Cats fans will be sure to follow and support their point-center to the next level, as they always do. Go be great, Amari – all of BBN has your back.
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Men's Basketball
Koby Brea Selected to the Phoenix Suns With the No. 41 Overall Pick in the 2025 NBA Draft
Published
17 hours agoon
June 26, 2025
Koby Brea arrived at Kentucky last season as one of the nation’s deadliest shooters, lived up to the billing, and reaped his rewards on Thursday night at the NBA Draft. The former Kentucky star is heading to the Phoenix Suns with the No. 41 overall pick
As a 6-foot-7 wing, Brea entered the 2025 NBA Draft as one of the most experienced prospects after spending four years at Dayton and a fifth at Kentucky during Mark Pope’s successful first season as head coach, where he became one of the best three-point shooters in all of college basketball.
Last season at Kentucky, the Bronx native averaged 11.6 points and 3.2 rebounds per game while shooting 43.5% from beyond the arc on nearly six attempts per game in 36 games, 16 of which were starts, showcasing his scoring ability in transition, off the catch, and via handoffs and screens.
Not only did Brea achieve his own dreams of playing at the next level, but becomes a piece of history for Pope, becoming the first player drafted out of Kentucky during the Pope era.
Brea joins a rebuilding franchise with a notorious background for drafting Kentucky guards. Eric Bledsoe rings the bell, Tyler Ulis of course, and the Suns’ all-time leading scorer, Devin Booker obviously leads the pack.
Go be great Fuego!
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Men's Basketball
How a Call with Mark Pope Led Denzel Aberdeen to Kentucky
After winning a national title at Florida, Denzel Aberdeen committed to Kentucky without ever visiting campus—thanks to a revealing three-hour call with head coach Mark Pope.
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Published
2 days agoon
June 25, 2025
As a junior, Denzel Aberdeen was a key part of Florida’s national title run. But a certain phone conversation convinced him to leave his home state and head north to Lexington in hopes of experiencing that feeling once again.
He had never set foot in Lexington before deciding to become a Kentucky Wildcat — and he didn’t need to. All it took was one phone call — three hours long, on Easter Sunday — with head coach Mark Pope to convince him that he belonged in blue and white.
“Our phone call lasted about three hours, to be honest,” Aberdeen said, meeting with the media in Lexington for the first time earlier this week. “A lot of it was just getting to know me and getting to know the school, the university, getting to know him (Pope), how their style was, a lot of film. Once I saw that, I was like this looks like a great guy to play for.”
The two went on to discuss Aberdeen’s role at Kentucky in more depth, including how Pope envisions him fitting into Kentucky’s new system — a system that, according to Aberdeen, is very similar, if not better than the one he just left.
“We had a lot of great players at Florida, especially the tall bigs. Bigs that love to run there, and we have just as much here; our bigs love to run, they play defense, and they play at a fast pace. So I think the things that we’ve got here are just as good, or even better,” Aberdeen said.
Averaging 7.7 points and nearly 20 minutes per game off the bench for the Gators last year, it’s clear to see what Aberdeen brings to the team: experience, versatility, calmness in the backcourt, and championship pedigree. Pope’s phone conversation with Aberdeen wasn’t just impactful on the court — it also speaks volumes to what he is doing off the court in pursuit of the goal he laid out in his introductory press conference: to hang banners.
This phone call wasn’t just about Denzel Aberdeen. It was a glimpse into Pope’s player-first, transparent coaching approach, which could define his era at Kentucky — and potentially make this season a special one, with Aberdeen playing another key role in a deep NCAA Tournament run.
“I know the goal is to win No. 9,” he said. “I know the fans want that, we want that, all the staff and coaches want that. That pushes us. We know what we gotta do when we come here and put on that Kentucky jersey. Just playing for the University of Kentucky is a big thing. Being here is a blessing, and I can’t look back.”
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