Episode #1518
Mark Pope Is NOT a Bad Recruiter: Kentucky Basketball's Roster PROVES It
Kentucky basketball keeps getting ranked closer to the top 20 than the top 10, and part of that may come from a national perception that Mark Pope has struggled as a recruiter. But does that reputation actually match the roster he has built in Lexington? On today's episode of Locked On Kentucky, Lance Dawe breaks down the recruiting narrative surrounding Mark Pope and why the evidence may no longer support the idea that he is a poor recruiter. Pope has certainly had high-profile misses, but he has also signed a top national high school class, landed elite transfer talent, brought in five-star prospects and assembled a Kentucky roster that looks much stronger on paper than its preseason ranking suggests. Then, Lance looks at why national outlets continue to rank Kentucky around No. 19 despite the presence of Milan Momcilovic, Malachi Moreno, Zoom Diallo, Alex Wilkins and one of the deepest frontcourts in college basketball. Are analysts questioning Kentucky’s talent, or are they simply waiting to see whether all of the new pieces fit together? Finally, Lance discusses what Kentucky has to prove early in the 2026-27 season to make those preseason rankings look too conservative, including the development of the Wildcats’ guard play, Malachi Moreno’s sophomore leap and whether Kentucky can turn its size and length into a real defensive weapon. Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! KALSHI For a limited time, Download Kalshi and use code Locked On to get $25 when you trade $25. Kalshi. Trade what’s next. Butcher Box If you're looking for an easier way to get great meals on the table, give ButcherBox a try. Go to https://ButcherBox.com/LOCKEDONCOLLEGE to get $20 off your first box, plus your choice of free ribeye, new york strip, or filet mignon in every box for a year — with free shipping always. Aura Cybersecurity Start your free trial today at https://aura.com/aware . Protect yourself now. Square Get up to $200 off Square hardware when you sign up at https://square.com/go/COLLEGE ! #squarepod 5-Hour ENERGY Bring on the sweetness with Cotton Candy 5-hour ENERGY®️ shots—available online now at https:/5hourENERGY.com or on Amazon. Gametime Today's episode is brought to you by Gametime. Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDON for $20 off your first purchase. Terms and conditions apply. FanDuel This season, FanDuel is making the excitement go beyond what happens on the field with the all-new FanDuel Rewards Club , featuring exclusive offers, surprises, and more. Every week, check the FanDuel app to see what’s waiting for you or visit https://FANDUEL.COM to get started. FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
