Last season, Kentucky and Mark Pope's offense outright vanished at times. When Jaland Lowe went down with his shoulder injury, the Wildcats were left without anyone who could truly run a college offense. Denzel Aberdeen gave it his all, but the discomfort was easy to see. You can't expect much from someone playing out of their position for the first time in four years.
Kentucky was losing games on a more than regular basis and, in the process, Mark Pope fell out of the flawless faith that he'd seem among fans upon his hiring.
As Aaron Torres recently noted, that can't happen again. “My priority from the beginning would be go spend the money that you need to get the right point guard to run your system," Torres argued, pointing back to the efficiency of the Lamont Butler era. That year, Kentucky won eight games against AP top-15 teams (tying a record), led all the while by Butler's steely, team-first sensibilities.
And if you’re looking for the player to fill that void, the numbers point to one name: Rob Wright III.
Wright Fits Pope Perfectly
Why should Wright be prioritized over every other floor general in the portal? He can be the straw that stirs Mark Pope's drink; a guard who can do it all, Wright spent this past season thriving at BYU before deciding to enter the portal.
His sophomore statistics show a player capable of doing a little of everything. 18 points and five assists per game, as well as a 41% clip from deep, only scratch the surface of an extremely well-rounded athlete.
Kentucky's only player who shot above 37% from deep is ironically on his way to BYU, in Collin Chandler. The assist numbers, too were a rarity, showing most painfully in the Cats' terrible season-ending loss to Iowa State.
An SEC vs. Big Ten Battle
Getting Wright to Lexington won't be a simple "phone call and a check." While the interest between Kentucky and Wright is reportedly "tangible and definitive," the competition is fierce. Ohio State is making a move, and BYU isn't going away either. Even the bitter rival Louisville Cardinals are expected to be involved, though perhaps to a lesser extent.
For Mark Pope, this is about making a statement. If Wright chooses Columbus or Fayetteville, or a return to Provo over Lexington, things could once again get hairy at the PG spot for Kentucky.
Learning a Lesson From Lowe
The Wildcats have already made a move for the future of their backcourt by signing 4-star freshman Mason Williams. But as we saw a year ago, relying on a single point guard is a dangerous game. Adding an elite, system-ready veteran like Wright improves and protects the roster in one fell swoop.
Aaron Torres finished his own analysis by saying, "If you're Mark Pope - THIS is the point guard you want." Mark Pope and his staff should take heed and, if the door is open for Wright to Lexington, run through it.