Kentucky may have a one-of-one opportunity to redeem the Tyran Stokes recruiting miss

Look, I'm as tired of the Tyran Stokes noise as any Kentucky fan that's long been ready to put that mess to bed. Mark Pope has also since moved on, constructing a Kentucky roster that demands a share of positive attention given the level of talent he's managed to bring in.

Still, the Stokes miss was and still is a critical turning point of Kentucky's offseason. Now though, with Dusty May spurning Michigan for a head coaching job in the NBA, Pope could redeem the Stokes miss by securing one of his McDonald's All-American teammates. Although, a few things will have to fall precisely into shape for the Wildcats to net a special win here.

The player at hand is 6-foot-5, five-star guard Brandon McCoy Jr. Currently committed to the Wolverines, McCoy will be given the opportunity to re-open his recruitment for a short window, beginning at the end of this week.

With May on the way out, it wouldn't be at all surprising to see a high profile prospect like McCoy change his destination. Jumping in on a first-year coach's roster immediately removed from a championship win invites all sorts of extra pressure.

I wonder if he'd be a little more comfortable with a third-year guy?

Making a Case for Brandon McCoy to Kentucky

While McCoy may not be a plainly natural fit like the score-at-will international target that is Nikola Kusturica, if Kentucky were to get involved, his addition could present a compelling vision of small hoops.

Check out this tape from SportsCenter NEXT on the uber-promising McCoy:

Likely to start wherever he goes, McCoy would look to plug in at the three-spot for the Wildcats. With Alex Wilkins and Milan Momcilovic on either side of him, the Cats' 2-4 center of this hypothetical starting rotation has a limitless ceiling.

McCoy thrives downhill and is a pest on defense, proposing a brand of physicality that is known to thrive in the SEC. Assuming both Wilkins and Momcilovic could carry the scoring load from distance, in addition to Kentucky's numerous bench scorers, McCoy would be set to serve as a Swiss Army knife of sorts.

Need a defensive stop? Put McCoy on the ball. You're looking up on a fast break? This guy is far ahead of the pack. It's this sort of profile that, while not easy to achieve, could result in big wins if the Cats pursued McCoy for their final spot.

Filling the Final Roster Spot

With the current team already moved in and practicing together in Lexington, Pope and his staff are moving fast to try and fill that opening.

Kusturica remains on the board and should be watched for without a doubt, but I don't believe Kentucky checking in on McCoy would be all that outlandish either. Besides, Mark Pope landed two five-star prospects already in recent weeks... what's one more?

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