The Transfer Portal is officially open, and Mark Pope is aggressively attempting to overhaul the physicality of the Kentucky backcourt.
Following a season where the Wildcats were routinely bullied on the perimeter and lacked consistent offensive initiation, the coaching staff is clearly prioritizing size and playmaking in their early portal evaluations. To accomplish that goal, Kentucky has lined up a pair of critical Zoom calls today with Virginia Tech's Neoklis Avdalas and Missouri's Anthony Robinson II.
While neither player is currently an elite shooter, both 4-star guards bring a highly specific, unique trait that Mark Pope seems intent on loading up on: downhill playmaking. And both also bring a big issue.
Addressing the playmaking void
On his final radio show of the season, Mark Pope explicitly stated that Kentucky was desperate for playmaking. These two have that in spades.
You are probably already familiar with Anthony Robinson II. The 6-foot-3 guard flashed his massive potential against the Wildcats last season, posting a brilliant 9-point, 10-assist performance that helped Missouri secure its first-ever victory inside Rupp Arena. He has a proven, elite ability to break down SEC defenses and generate high-quality looks for his teammates. He just doesn't do it consistently enough.
Meanwhile, Avdalas is the higher-ranked prospect of the duo. The Virginia Tech freshman showcased incredible vision during his debut campaign, averaging a highly impressive 4.6 assists per game. But his biggest problem is efficiency; his shooting percentage is far too low, and his turnovers are a big worry.
The shooting trade-off
Pope is clearly willing to accept a trade-off to acquire that level of playmaking.
Both guards currently struggle heavily from the perimeter. Robinson shot just 41 percent from the floor and 31 percent from deep last season, allowing opposing defenses to comfortably sag off and congest the driving lanes. If he can elevate his perimeter shooting percentages, his playmaking ceiling is huge.
Avdalas faces a similar hurdle, but it's actually a little worse. He shot just 38 percent from the floor and 31 percent from deep, but his more pressing issue is ball security. He averaged 2.2 turnovers a night. If you are going to be a playmaker, you have to be able to hold on to the ball. But he was just a freshman, so that could be better this year.
These virtual meetings will go a long way in determining where Kentucky stands with this pair of physical guards. Pope is clearly prioritizing elite vision and size, betting that his staff can fix the perimeter shooting. That is the same gamble he made last season; if it fails again, he won't get another chance to fix it.