Mark Pope's Transfer Portal shopping list better be filled out already. With the new NCAA rules shifting toward a condensed transfer window, just after the National Title game, the days of "slow-playing" the portal are over. I have scoured the teams that are already eliminated from NCAA Tournament participation and found six players who fit the Pope system like a glove.
First things first, Mark Pope has to revert back to what he actually knows. He is not a guy that can coach a team with Mo Dioubate, Brandon Garrison, Malachi Moreno, and Andrija Jelavic as the primary big men and wings that are not good shooters.
He gambled with a roster flip, and it flopped. He needs to get back to what got him the job: offensive production and 3-point bombs.
With the transfer portal window shrinking to just days after the national title game, Kentucky cannot afford to hesitate. Enter the first option.
1. Brett Decker Jr. is a pure shooter (Liberty)
Liberty sophomore Brett Decker Jr. is the ultimate Pope guard. He averaged 16.8 PPG this season and shot an electrifying 48.1% from deep on 231 attempts, which is pretty close to someone who did pretty well last season.
Dayton's Koby Brea shot 49.8% from deep on 201 attempts in the year before arriving in Lexington. He shot almost the same percentage on more attempts.
Plus he is an E-Town native, go get him Mark.
2. Joel Foxwell is the missing playmaker (Portland)
Kentucky desperately needs a floor general who can live in the paint; in fact, they need 2. Australia’s Joel Foxwell was a revelation for Portland this year as a true freshman, averaging 15.6 points and 6.5 assists. While his 31% clip from deep isn't elite yet, his ability to get to the rim and finish is something the Cats just couldn't do this year. The nearly 7 dimes a game showcase an ability and willingness to find open teammates. He’s the type of high-IQ guard that thrives in a complex offensive system.
3. Baraka Okojie provides more rim pressure (Mercer)
I mentioned the Cats needed 2 point guards. Here is number 2. Baraka Okojie was phenomenal for Mercer, averaging 19.7 PPG and ranking in the top 50 nationally in assists (5.3). The most impressive stat, though? He got to the free-throw line 9 times per game. That kind of elite rim pressure collapses defenses and opens up the wings. And if they refuse to collapse, he can finish with the best of them.
4. We've seen this one before, Jack Karasinski (Bellarmine)
We need a scorer who is already used to the bright lights. Bellarmine’s Jack Karasinski averaged 21 and 4 this season while shooting over 50% from the floor. He knows how to get the shot he wants and won't settle for a shot that he doesn't like. That's why he shoots it so well. Plus, he lit up the Cats for 24 points on just 9 attempts earlier this year. He’s efficient, has one year left according to reports, and provides the veteran scoring punch Kentucky desperately needs from the wing.
5. Carter Bjerke provides a stretch 4 (St. Thomas)
The Cats need a "stretch 4" to keep defenses honest when guards collapse the paint. Moreno, Garrison, and Dioubate can't. Jelavic is under 30%, though he keeps shooting them. So, you may as well go out and get someone who can actually make the open shots the Cats are getting.
St. Thomas (MN) big man Carter Bjerke is the answer. The 6-foot-9 forward averaged 9.6 PPG on 45.6% shooting from deep. That is exactly the kind of production you need from the corner to open up the middle for whoever Kentucky deploys down low.
6. Every team needs an eraser, Chol Machot is that guy (College of Charleston)
Finally, the backline needs a real defensive anchor. The Cats didn't rotate well this year, and they gave up far too many easy shots. Enter Chol Machot. The 7-footer and CAA Defensive Player of the Year swats 2.5 shots per game in just 20 minutes of action. I'd say that's pretty good.
He isn't a finished product offensively, but at 7 feet tall, he changes the entire geometry of the court and erases defensive mistakes at the rim. That allows guards to take chances and get out in transition, something Kentucky was elite at when they could do it this year.
Get back to the basics
Mark Pope just has to get back to being Mark Pope. That is why Kentucky hired him. They didn't want to hire a defensive coach who struggled with modern offense, they had that in John Calipari.
These six players provide the shooting, the passing, and the rim protection that would allow Pope to get back to the basics.