Missing Tyran Stokes Can Officially Start Concern for Mark Pope, Kentucky

Mark Pope and the Kentucky basketball program have been the punch line in a lot of jokes around the college basketball world since the opening of the transfer portal and much were likely premature until now.

The Wildcats have struggled closing the recruitments of several top players in the transfer portal but its whiff on top ranked high school recruit Tyran Stokes was the proper time to signal the alarm bells in Lexington.

Even with Pope’s misses on key transfers like Donnie Freeman and Robert Wright, there was always the looming decision from Stokes and how things would be much more calm around the Wildcat program if he picked Kentucky.

Now, that he’s a Jayhawk there’s legitimate concern about what Big Blue will be putting on the court next season.

Kentucky made two recent additions from the portal in James Madison’s Justin McBride and Washington State’s Jerone Morton, but neither are a big-time prospect that other programs were clamoring for.

It’s other two commits, Washington guard Zoom Diallo and Furman guard Alex Wilkins are also solid players but neither has look on paper to be a top-end player in the SEC.

Since the transfer market has not gone in favor of Mark Pope, he’s trying his luck internationally after landing Ousmane N’Diaye and reportedly traveling to Israel to watch other European pros to see if they could make the jump to college basketball and play for the Wildcats.

It currently leaves the Kentucky roster with absent of a true superstar, despite its returning players, but there will still be a few chances for the Wildcats to land that big time player after NBA Draft decisions are made by players whether or not to return to college basketball.

The biggest choice will come from Iowa State forward Milan Momcilovic, who led the country in 3-point percentage last season and opted for the NBA Draft while maintaining his eligibility. If he chooses to come back to college, Kentucky and Mark Pope must be willing to do anything to get him in Lexington.

If they can’t close the deal, the jokes will continue throughout the offseason and Mark Pope’s seat will continue to get hotter entering the fall.

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