Tyran Stokes

BlueBlood96Cat

All-Conference
Jan 5, 2022
603
1,147
93
He just signed a deal with Nike. He's not going to sign a deal with Nike and then go wear addidas gear at Kansas or Louisville.

I guess USC is Nike. But there just doesn't seem to be a good logical reason for Stokes or Nike to go USC over the other 2.

As far as posting or not posting the other schools--this is where the "just a hat on the table" phrase comes from. Kids string schools along to keep eyes and attention on them. There have been countless recruits over the years go into a decision saying Kentucky was in the mix when we knew we were out.
I agree that more than likely he would go to a Nike school but it’s not illegal for him to go to a addidas school. If they throw out a crazy offer better believe he will go th
I'll eat my hat if Stokes winds up at KU.
i say Kansas because they are willing to overpay and lock him down. I’m not sure Pope is willing to do that. He might just settle for personality or whoever will play here without a crazy amount of money. People that want to be here which is understandable. But every now and then just lock down a recruit man.

Ik this isn’t on Pope and he can’t strong arm a recruit into signing but every now and then just over pay. You have the number one recruit in the country that happens to be from Kentucky… he absolutely don’t need to let this one slip away. But maybe he honestly isn’t as big on him as we are as fans.
Pope knows what he wants. I just hope it all works out over the years because if this season isn’t what we are expecting I think the excitement wears off quick. Better win big games because as excited as I was about this season…. If I’m being honest the talent didn’t jump out to me from the eye test watching BBM.
The one athlete that looks like he could dominate the game is a question mark on when he will play. We need a couple top recruits to keep the excitement going imo.
Will we be ok if we don’t land Stokes? Yes but damn why let him slip away. Apply the pressure and go get a big dawg Pope. Nostalgia isn’t big with me when it comes to Kentucky basketball. He overachieved last year but now he has his guys and he needs to produce. I love Pope this isn’t a attack on him.
 

Catlogic1552

Redshirt
Jul 3, 2025
23
37
13
I agree that more than likely he would go to a Nike school but it’s not illegal for him to go to a addidas school. If they throw out a crazy offer better believe he will go th

i say Kansas because they are willing to overpay and lock him down. I’m not sure Pope is willing to do that. He might just settle for personality or whoever will play here without a crazy amount of money. People that want to be here which is understandable. But every now and then just lock down a recruit man.

Ik this isn’t on Pope and he can’t strong arm a recruit into signing but every now and then just over pay. You have the number one recruit in the country that happens to be from Kentucky… he absolutely don’t need to let this one slip away. But maybe he honestly isn’t as big on him as we are as fans.
Pope knows what he wants. I just hope it all works out over the years because if this season isn’t what we are expecting I think the excitement wears off quick. Better win big games because as excited as I was about this season…. If I’m being honest the talent didn’t jump out to me from the eye test watching BBM.
The one athlete that looks like he could dominate the game is a question mark on when he will play. We need a couple top recruits to keep the excitement going imo.
Will we be ok if we don’t land Stokes? Yes but damn why let him slip away. Apply the pressure and go get a big dawg Pope. Nostalgia isn’t big with me when it comes to Kentucky basketball. He overachieved last year but now he has his guys and he needs to produce. I love Pope this isn’t an attack on him.
I’ve tried to make this point before. Pope needs to reinforce the Kentucky brand by bringing in top talent not just from the portal. Portal talent is wavering year to year and I think the fan base will sour on this pretty quickly. Remember our portal talent this year is from schools that didn’t fight too hard to keep them,
 

Bruce9

Sophomore
Jul 31, 2025
89
119
33
I’ve tried to make this point before. Pope needs to reinforce the Kentucky brand by bringing in top talent not just from the portal. Portal talent is wavering year to year and I think the fan base will sour on this pretty quickly. Remember our portal talent this year is from schools that didn’t fight too hard to keep them,
I disagree portal talent will not waiver every year,with nil there will always be good talent on the portal,Would you rather have Caleb Wilson over Mo Dioubante or Denzel Aberdeen,I wouldn't,bottom line Coach Pope is doing an outstanding job,he had a final sixteen team,and a team ranked ninth in the country with a good shot at a final four,great job Coach Pope
 

gbl97

All-Conference
Mar 12, 2002
2,836
3,886
113
I disagree portal talent will not waiver every year,with nil there will always be good talent on the portal,Would you rather have Caleb Wilson over Mo Dioubante or Denzel Aberdeen,I wouldn't,bottom line Coach Pope is doing an outstanding job,he had a final sixteen team,and a team ranked ninth in the country with a good shot at a final four,great job Coach Pope
I know what you mean, but there are freshmen who could join this year's team and be the most talented player on the roster. Experience is important, but so is superior talent.
 

Anon1759768907

Redshirt
Oct 6, 2025
31
35
13
I disagree portal talent will not waiver every year,with nil there will always be good talent on the portal,Would you rather have Caleb Wilson over Mo Dioubante or Denzel Aberdeen,I wouldn't,bottom line Coach Pope is doing an outstanding job,he had a final sixteen team,and a team ranked ninth in the country with a good shot at a final four,great job Coach Pope
completely disagree "portal talent will not waiver"
lets not act like the top portal players last year were awful, meanwhile cooper flagg n a ton of the hs guys did great last year
 

BlueBlood96Cat

All-Conference
Jan 5, 2022
603
1,147
93
I disagree portal talent will not waiver every year,with nil there will always be good talent on the portal,Would you rather have Caleb Wilson over Mo Dioubante or Denzel Aberdeen,I wouldn't,bottom line Coach Pope is doing an outstanding job,he had a final sixteen team,and a team ranked ninth in the country with a good shot at a final four,great job Coach Pope
I agree. I’ll take upper classsmen most of the time. But in some cases…. Like when the number one player in the country who is from Kentucky.. you just gotta lock that down man any means necessary. It’s not even about if he makes or breaks the team. You want Kentucky to be the number one destination for portal players and top high school recruits. Pope is doing a tremendous job. Just lock this one down man. This is homegrown talent. Throw out a crazy offer let’s get rolling and add to it.
 

Bruce9

Sophomore
Jul 31, 2025
89
119
33
completely disagree "portal talent will not waiver"
lets not act like the top portal players last year were awful, meanwhile cooper flagg n a ton of the hs guys did great last year
Uh let's see Jaiden Quaintance,Mo Dioubante,Denzel Aberdeen. You mean tell me you'd take freshmen over that a national champ,and enforcer,and a lottery pick,no way there will always be great players in the portal
 

xmayor

Redshirt
Jul 1, 2025
12
9
3
I'm old enough to remember Rick Pitino as "the exorcist" for his head swiveling spewing of profanity, which I witnessed up close with my then young son when Montana was giving a good first half to UK in Utah because we poached a seat from a very well known Utah/nationally known car dealer. It did shock the good people of Salt Lake and employees of Larry Miller sitting around us. Good times!

I admit profanity in public has become a problem from politicians but I still expect it in a sports setting. A holdover from the old school coaches of yesteryear.
 

*Fox2Monk*

Heisman
Jun 10, 2009
40,222
70,330
113
I’ve tried to make this point before. Pope needs to reinforce the Kentucky brand by bringing in top talent not just from the portal. Portal talent is wavering year to year and I think the fan base will sour on this pretty quickly. Remember our portal talent this year is from schools that didn’t fight too hard to keep them,
I don’t think that’s the case. I think a lot of our guys like Aberdeen, JQ, Lowe, Kam we’re all high priority guys who could get more money than staying at the same school. Some may have wanted to be here like JQ all along.
 
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Blueism

Redshirt
Sep 7, 2025
36
42
18
I don’t think that’s the case. I think a lot of our guys like Aberdeen, JQ, Lowe, Kam we’re all high priority guys who could get more money than staying at the same school. Some may have wanted to be here like JQ all along.
1000% spot on. If people haven't learned to let Mark Pope cook yet, it's a them issue. Pope will weed through the rubble and find the right treasure.
 

Aike

Heisman
Mar 17, 2002
75,147
45,451
90
Honestly, whatever. It isn’t 2011 anymore. Commitments don’t mean what they used to and there are backup options to the backup options.

If he commits it’s a nice adrenaline rush. Not going to lose sleep if he doesn’t.
 

chasingwildcat

All-American
Dec 23, 2024
2,431
5,084
113
I don’t think that’s the case. I think a lot of our guys like Aberdeen, JQ, Lowe, Kam we’re all high priority guys who could get more money than staying at the same school. Some may have wanted to be here like JQ all along.
I tend to think if JQ could choose again, he would play two years at Kentucky

Seems that he regretted his first decision choosing ASU...
 
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JwUKFan11

Heisman
Nov 11, 2011
6,180
11,820
113
I'll eat my hat if Stokes winds up at KU.
Strange, KU was the early leader for him months ago, then it got quiet, and recently it seems people are saying UK. So not sure why that would be such a shock. The Nike deal means something, but it's not a huge deal.
 

Anon1759768907

Redshirt
Oct 6, 2025
31
35
13
Uh let's see Jaiden Quaintance,Mo Dioubante,Denzel Aberdeen. You mean tell me you'd take freshmen over that a national champ,and enforcer,and a lottery pick,no way there will always be great players in the portal
jq is only here bc he couldnt get drafted, id take acuff, peterson, or mikel brown over lowe, and id take cenac dybantsa or wilson over mo
 

UK_BlueBlood

All-American
May 21, 2002
4,112
8,528
103
Look… I suppose this kid is very talented… and we’ll be happy to have him if he chooses UK… but good lord, enough with all the teaser videos with jerseys, shoes, and cryptic social media posts.

These guys aspire to be professionals. They want to be paid like professionals before they even step foot on a college campus. Someone with an ounce of maturity needs to step in and show them how to handle themselves professionally.
 
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Burly Peters

Sophomore
Jul 4, 2025
92
171
33
Sometimes you've just got to be patient. Stokes is good enough to wait on. He's like a freight train going to the basket. And now I'm seeing him stick 25ft jumpers with three guys hanging off him. Yeah, he's worth waiting on.
 

Tprinceuk

Senior
Jun 13, 2024
174
514
88
I want Stokes as much as anyone, but I'm so sick of these "experts" saying stuff when the kid hasn't said anything, just let them make the decision without trying to get information and spoil the kid's moment.
 

chasingwildcat

All-American
Dec 23, 2024
2,431
5,084
113
jq is only here bc he couldnt get drafted, id take acuff, peterson, or mikel brown over lowe, and id take cenac dybantsa or wilson over mo
JQ will be drafted in any school he goes based on his pure potential. How he can not get drafted

He comes here because he loves Pope's playing style and system

You better go to your Arkansas forum to show your love for Cal
 

BlueBlood96Cat

All-Conference
Jan 5, 2022
603
1,147
93
I want Stokes as much as anyone, but I'm so sick of these "experts" saying stuff when the kid hasn't said anything, just let them make the decision without trying to get information and spoil the kid's moment.
Yea seriously like all these crystal balls. It’s cool and all but where do they out of the blue make a prediction. Do they have extra information from a source or do they just randomly make a prediction? Where did all that smoke come from out of nowhere? I guess because he signed with Nike?
 
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BlueBlood96Cat

All-Conference
Jan 5, 2022
603
1,147
93
jq is only here bc he couldnt get drafted, id take acuff, peterson, or mikel brown over lowe, and id take cenac dybantsa or wilson over mo
I agree in a way with wanting them. Those guys have way way more upside and will all probably have long nba careers. But if we are getting them one year I take the upper classmen with more to prove. Those guys you mention are shiner and probably way more skilled but I think Mo will bring more to the table for UK in this one year than they would have but then again ……. I seen Dybansta at their BYU madness thing and he looked like a damn alien so maybe we could have used him.
 
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true-blue1

All-American
May 15, 2007
10,882
7,470
93
I hope the staff done their homework on this recruitment. I know Stokes is a good player and we all want him on board to commit but something isn’t right.