Everyone knows Kentucky basketball needs a GM. A repeat of this year's roster construction simply cannot happen again. I don't care if they spend $2 million or $40 million. After watching this group struggle to 21 wins, the solution might have just walked out the door in Cincinnati.
The balance was atrocious: one pure shooter, one true point guard, and a collection of wings who all wanted the ball but didn't know what to do with it.
With Wes Miller officially out at UC, the most interesting man in college basketball personnel, Corey Evans, is officially a free agent.
And Kentucky needs to make the call.
The OKC connection
Before he was a GM, Corey Evans was a scout for the Oklahoma City Thunder. He lived in the world of "Presti-ball," where every roster spot is calculated for maximum efficiency and future flexibility. He brought that professional model to Cincinnati in 2025, and the results on the recruiting trail were immediate and immense.
Despite the Bearcats' on-court struggles, Evans secured a Top 20 recruiting class and nabbed four 4-star transfers from the portal. I'd say that's pretty good. He proved that even without a blue-blood brand, he could identify and secure the pieces needed to compete in the Big 12, even though he was saddled with what most believe to be a terrible coach.
Solving the 'Pope' puzzle
Mark Pope is a great coach, but this year showed that he needs a "Director of Personnel" who can protect him from his own recruiting instincts. Kentucky needs someone who can look at a 22-million-dollar budget and say, "We don't need another 6-foot-7 slasher, or 6-foot-9 power forward who can't shoot; we need a guy who hits 40% of his catch-and-shoot threes."
Evans spent years at Rivals.com as a national evaluator, so he knows the high school game as well. He has the relationships and the "eye" to ensure the roster balance is never this lopsided again.
That excites me.
Make the call, Mitch
At the very least, Kentucky needs to pick up the phone. Mitch Barnhart may be stepping down, but he hasn't retired yet.
Corey Evans is a rising star with NBA-level evaluation skills and a relentless work ethic. If Mark Pope wants to be in Lexington in year 4, he needs an architect who knows how to build year 3.