2025-06-03 LEACH REPORT

Tom talks with Matt Norlander, Larry Vaught, and more.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Good day. Everybody, Welcome in. It is the Leads Report.
We are presented by Bobcat Enterprises, and today we will
talk a good bit of college basketball. I suspect Matt
Norlander from CBS Sports, who covers college basketball, does the
podcast regularly for CBS Sports with Gary Parrish. He'll join us.

(00:23):
We told you about a story that he had last
week on Otega Oway and now it was maybe much
closer than a lot of people expected it was going
to be for him and his NBA draft decisions. So
we'll talk with Matt about that. Larry Vaut will join
us and Keith Farmer from BBN tonight at l e
X eighteen. Wild Cat News of the Day always the

(00:47):
service of Giuseppes of Lexington. And now that draft decisions
have been made by players like Otega coming back to
college or staying in the draft, we're seeing a lot
of the new top twenty five's out. Things that yeah,
this time of year, if you're a college sports fan,
generate clicks and conversation. And so ESPN has its post

(01:10):
draft decisions Top twenty five out. Kentucky's up a couple
of spots to number nine, so into the top ten
the Athletic as Kentucky at number nine as well in
its early top twenty five. And then I saw an
item from CBS Sports from one of Manton Orlander's colleagues
who takes a look at the SEC and divides it

(01:32):
into various tiers and the top tier being the teams
that are legit national title contenders. And he only has
two there, Kentucky and Florida, So we'll get into all
of that. I think ESPN's has a projected the starting
five of low Aberdeen, Oway, Diabate, and Acquaintance. I think

(01:56):
the one I saw at the I believe it was
at the Athletic had almost the same five, except for Quaintance,
it was Brandon Garrison. And there's obviously some question about
whether or not Jaden and Quaintan's will be one hundred
percent by the time the season starts, and getting to
you know, full strength might take a little longer than that.
We'll see how that ultimately plays out. College Football Hall

(02:19):
of Fame, or at least it's new ballot for contenders,
and Randall Cobb is on it. The former Wildcat star
would certainly be a deserving member. Tim Couch just last
year went into the College Football Hall of Fame, and
so now Randall is up for consideration, and hopefully he
gets in. The balloting concludes I believe on July the first,

(02:43):
for the people that are voting on this. Also, you
may have seen made the change on the requirement of
a sixty percent win rate for coaches to be considered
for the Hall of Fame. They just need to get
to get rid of that particular stat in general, because
you have some very deserving coaches that went to places

(03:05):
where it was incredibly difficult to win, where they had
to build programs up and did so but had to
take a lot of losses along the way, and guys
like Howard Schnellenberger, Johnny Majors certainly deserved to be in.
And then Mike Leach was just barely under the sixty

(03:25):
percent mark, and so they reduced it to fifty nine
point five winning percentage to round up, and that gets
Mike Leach in, and I'm thrilled for him, the former
Wildcat assistant who went on to do great things at
various programs and we lost way too soon. So happy

(03:46):
that Mike is likely going to get voted in now.
But those other guys should be on there as well,
but hopefully kind of digressing from the original story, Randall
Cobb gets into the College Football Hall of Fame now
that he is on the ballot. Links to the stories
that we talk about each day. You can find those
on the bud Light Lea triport page at Tom leachky

(04:09):
dot com. By the way, the folks that wear the
blue coats at UK sporting events, that's the Committee of
one oh one, a group that goes back to the
nineteen sixties. Former group of IBM employees that were big
Wildcat supporters formed this Committee of one o one because
they had one hundred and one members. Well, they're accepting
applications for new members, so if you'd like to be

(04:31):
on the Blue Coat team email UK one oh one
membership at gmail dot com. Great group of guys and
ladies that are big time Cat fans. It's an all
volunteer organization that has proudly served UK athletics since nineteen
sixty six. It's UK one oh one membership at gmail
dot com. Opening segment A while Cat News presented by

(04:52):
Just Seppies of Lexington, located on Nicholasville Road or just
off Nicholasville Road, out past Metal or Boulevard here in
Lexington and and it is a fantastic restaurant. The food
starts with a variety of homemade pastas, handcut steaks. They
ship in fresh seafood, a lot of locally sourced ingredients
for their sides. Check it out at Giuseppe's Lexington dot

(05:16):
com and then go to open table and make your reservation.
We'll get to Keith Farmer when we return. It's the
Leach Report and it's presented each day by Bobcat Enterprises.
It's the Leach Report presented by Bobcat Enterprises for locations
around Kentucky. So google Bobcat when you need to buy
or rent heavy equipment for a job. They'll have what

(05:38):
you need. Fantastic service after the sale has been their
hallmarks since day one at Bobcat Enterprises. Keith Farmer joins
us from LAX eighteen and the BBN Tonight's Show, and Keith,
let's start with Randall Cobb on the ballot for the
College Football Hall of Fame. There's a link to a

(06:00):
story you guys have up there at bbntnight dot com
about this, and Randall is a guy that is certainly
deserving of that honor. I don't know if he'll get
in on the first ballot or not. Hope he does.

Speaker 2 (06:14):
I know it obviously took Tim Couch a while to
get in, and it's you know, taking some other guys
a while to be on the ballot several years to
get their chance to hear their name called. But certainly
one of those deserving guys with that, you know, single
season record of all purpose yards he had in the SEC,
and just you know, a first team All American, a

(06:35):
couple of time SEC All Team selections. So we certainly remember,
you know, the things that he had to do, not
just playing wide receiver but also quarterback at the time
to help out the Wildcats.

Speaker 3 (06:47):
And how good he was at.

Speaker 2 (06:49):
That, I mean, just amazing that. I think the stat
I saw that was crazy was that he was first
or second. I think he was the only player in
FBS to lead his team either first or second and receiving,
passing and rushing yards. Yeah, that's just amazing.

Speaker 1 (07:05):
And he was I remember Rich Brooks talking him up
from from day one. Randa was a little undersized and
he was a guy that and he acknowledged he was
one of those athletes I guess Jordan was maybe like
this that looked for slights of some type as motivation.
And you know, people discounted him because he wasn't uh

(07:29):
you know, it didn't fit up to the measurables in uh,
you know, tall enough, big enough whatever. I remember somebody
one time said, I wish you wish Branda Kyle was
just six' two or, something AND i, said, no you,
don't because he'd be At tennessee if he. Was. Uh
But Rich brooks saw what we all saw later and

(07:50):
brought him To. Kentucky and you, know he's a guy
that you, know guys like that can sometimes be it
can suffer in terms of these kinds of pieces of
recognition for because they don't pile up huge stats in
any one. Category you've got to appreciate the breadth of
quality because you, know he didn't play receiver all the,

(08:11):
time and he was a quarterback for a. While and,
actually you know the year that his freshman, Year Mike
hartline got benched And randall was the STARTING q beat
out Of Mississippi state and the win they clinched the bowl, game.

Speaker 2 (08:26):
Right and you, know first, OFF i gotta address the
size BECAUSE i was looking up video of him yesterday
AND i was kind OF i was like, YOU i
was thinking he was, smaller but he looked pretty big out.

Speaker 3 (08:36):
THERE i don't, know maybe they threw.

Speaker 2 (08:37):
Some really big shoulder pads on, HIM i don't, know
but he looked pretty.

Speaker 1 (08:40):
Helping he, was you, know, thick he was well put. Together,
yeah that is that is. True.

Speaker 2 (08:45):
Yeah and then you know you mentioned just like the
will to do anything to help his team win is
what he was all. About and yet a pretty humble.
Guy i've just enjoyed being able to talk to him
when he comes. BACK i think the thing that impressed
me most was he's in the middle, of, like you,
know HIS nfl, career and he came back and he

(09:08):
got his, degree finished his, degree AND i, said you
know you he had literally just signed a multimillion dollar.
Contract AND i, said why is that important to? You
you don't you, know have to have that you just
signed this multimillion dollar. Contract and he's, like, oh this
was this was a. Goal you, Know it's just like
anything that you brought, up piling up the. Stats it

(09:31):
was a goal that he wanted to. Reach and it
didn't matter that that he didn't necessarily need to have that.
Degree he wanted it and that was what was on his,
mind AND i thought that was really.

Speaker 1 (09:41):
Cool he is a guy that's now transitioned into the media.
World recently did a sit down at THE sec meetings
With Mark stoops and he not surprisingly is really good in.
THAT i mean he was he was always on The
All smile. Team you, know he looks good on, camera

(10:02):
but you, know very, bright great and it has fun
with it. Too SO i think he's got a nice
future in that if he wants to stay with.

Speaker 2 (10:10):
It, Yeah AND i think if there's a thing that
kind of you, know like is even more gratifying probably
to a. Player it's like every every, year like immediately after,
that didn't we say this guy could be Like Randall,
cobb you, know or this guy could be right you, know,
yeah like because because that's what you. Wanted you wanted
that type of. Player and so it, was you, know

(10:32):
pretty good recognition for a player to hear something like
that or to you, know to be mentioned in the same.

Speaker 1 (10:37):
Breath kentucky had a couple of those do everything guys in,
football And randall And Lynn bowden and both running out you,
know when they ran the ball from the quarterback position
or if it, was you, know the wildcat type of,
look whatever you want to call. It they just had
an incredible knack of finding a seam where there didn't

(10:58):
seem to be. One it's kind of journalism and the.
Breakness they's kind of found a way to find that
scene and work their way into it and come out
successful on the other.

Speaker 2 (11:07):
Side, SEE i knew you'd work horse racing in, here but,
yeah you, KNOW i was actually again WHEN i was
looking at the video the other, thing not just finding that,
scene but also sometimes creating one by their change of,
Speed because you would see some big guys barreling down
on him and he'd just slowed down enough to make
them think which way is he? Going and then he

(11:27):
just dart. Off he'd turned on the after burner and
get by, them or make that shift he moved to
cut back inside or, outside whatever the case may. Be
and so both those guys had that type and just
made it hard to bring him down unless there were
several people that could box them.

Speaker 1 (11:44):
In, Yeah randall's a good example of you can't tell
everything about the Stop. Watch Derek abney was a little that.
Way they's had that, knack whether it's you, know the
first step that gives them the edge or an ability
to kind of find a way to get an angle
what it. Is they were not always best appreciated, by you,

(12:07):
know a stop, clotch stop watch or a tape.

Speaker 2 (12:09):
Measure and you know what a career he had in THE.
NFL i, mean you, know he became one Of Aaron
rodgers' favorites to find because of the way he approached
the game and because of the way he you, know
went about his, business and certainly the consummate professional there
in THE nfl was neat to see him have that

(12:30):
kind of career and go on and compete that at
that high. Level and you, know, now as you, mentioned
he's kind of bringing that same thing to the, Media and,
yeah you're. RIGHT i always loved talking to him and
picking his. Brains hopefully he'll be at SOME uk games
this year we'll be able to talk to him.

Speaker 1 (12:47):
Some do you get the sense That kentucky fans can't
wait for basketball season to get? Here some of these
post draft top twenty five's are Out kentucky's you, know
top ten and multiple, polls AND i think the guys
on the field of sixty eight. PODCAST i saw an
item where they their most recent, show they were talking,

(13:08):
about you, Know kentucky as a viable number one overall.

Speaker 2 (13:12):
Contender, yeah definitely a lot of excitement about the basketball,
team especially you, know with how he had to wait
on O way to make his. DECISION i, mean we've
obviously seen that before in previous, seasons waiting on a.
Player BUT i think everybody had that feeling he was coming.
Back they were just holding their breath that that maybe
he was impressing more than they thought he was going.

(13:34):
To and you, know certainly probably could have made that
decision to go. On he's got the slashing ability and
the you, know the way we saw him finish at you,
know Like tennessee And, oklahoma those games just all season,
long to be, honest but you, know he certainly probably
could have gone on and decided to become a pro

(13:54):
and to work his way into a. Team but you,
KNOW i think this gives him a chance to come
back one more season Under Mark pope and his system
that seems to be getting players ready for the, league
and also just you, know maybe work on that jump
shot just a little bit. More he can hit the,
three BUT i think if he can work on that

(14:15):
jump shot a little bit, more he's gonna impress scouts
even more next.

Speaker 1 (14:18):
Year SO.

Speaker 2 (14:20):
I think that was some of the excitement FOR uk,
fans and it's in the schedule that came out and
all of that and the team as the team has
been put, together gets them a little excited about next.

Speaker 1 (14:32):
Year that Is Keith farmer from LA x eighteen and
THE Bbn tonight's.

Speaker 3 (14:36):
Show, keith thank you, Much tom appreciate.

Speaker 1 (14:40):
It he joins us on The Club blue inil dot com.
Hotline they have their new, Program Club Blue, kids and
if you have a Young wildcat fan in your, household
get them signed up For Club Blue. Kids go To
Club blue inil dot, com click on the kids tab
and you can start the process with the official IN
il f und raising partner FOR. Uk kids will get exclusive,

(15:03):
events access to those athlete, experiences meet and, greets plus
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Blue kids were Future Wildcats wrap The blue with. Pride
CLUB blueil dot. Com click on The kids tab to
get signed. Up we'll be right. Back it's The Leech
report coming to you from The Clark's pumping Shop, studio,
return refresh and refuel At clark's and make sure you

(15:24):
sign up for their new loyalty rewards. Program Larry vaught
is with us From Voughts views and your sports edge dot.
Com give a cool picture with one of your posts
at the. Site Larry Brayden hawthorne the final signee For
Mark pope for next, season and he's seated next to

(15:48):
the statue Of JOE. B hall outside the. Lodge that's pretty.

Speaker 3 (15:51):
Cool, Yeah and talking with these, DAYS i really had
no idea That kim and his brother had been to
The John kelliperry camp twice just kind of randomly just
came up. Here dad was looking for a camp to
take them, to So caliberiri's. Camp knew what caliberiy had
been doing with sending players to THE nba and brought

(16:13):
them up here and he has quite a few pictures,
still but when they were up here at that, Time
so you never know what a recruiting contact might lead.
To AND i also didn't know UNTIL i was talking
to him That kentucky had actually been in touch with
him all the way back last summer before he committed
To West, virginia had not made an, offer but had

(16:35):
already been in contact with him When West virginia kind
of came in there pretty, quickly made an, offer got
him On Camp aus And gut and committed for a
lot of other. Schools had a change to scene play
last season where his coach thinks that he would have
had a ton of offers if he'd have waited instead
of doing what he did and then be committing after
the coaching changed down.

Speaker 1 (16:54):
There and he is From West, virginia so that was
a little BIT i guess of the connection, there.

Speaker 3 (16:59):
Right, Beckley West virginia, town IF i remember, correctly Makes
danville look pretty.

Speaker 1 (17:04):
Big, YES i it's a little pass Between huntington And,
charleston of memory serves.

Speaker 3 (17:11):
About the only thing Between huntington And. Charleston you may be.

Speaker 1 (17:16):
Right and in this, picture, he's like his dad says
in your, story he was like seven or eight years,
old so he's, just you, know just like any of
those you, know any young camper would. Look and he's
right next to That Jobe hall. Statue it's just a
really cool picture and a guy of. That because he
came on the scene, LATE i don't think probably got
as much attention as his game.

Speaker 3 (17:38):
Deserves NO i think he's got a lot of upside to,
him and it's one of those it's kind of hard
to say that's late in the juncture that you kind
of got a recruiting steal, There BUT i believe they
really did to get somebody that good to come knowing
what roster was already stacked up in front of. Him

(17:59):
and one he's not afraid to come and compete for
playing time this. Year and two he's not afraid to, Accept,
okay forsn enough time or not a spot From we'll
get to do a lot this. Year i'm gonna learn from,
it benefit from, it get better for next year.

Speaker 1 (18:13):
More Larry vott in just a, Moment it is The
Leach Report Radio network coming to you From, Lexington, kentucky
on this Fine, tuesday With Larry vaught joining us on
The Club blueinisle dot com. Hotline you can read them
at your sports edge dot. Com AND i also hear
him on The Sunday morning sports talk show each week

(18:34):
With Anthony, White Jack, Pilgrim Bo robinson on here in
The lexington. Market you've got a story up at your,
Side larry About Mark stoops to sit down at THE
sec meetings With Randall cobb and Coach stoops said in
this interview, QUOTE i just feel like top to bottom
we built a better roster and have been very intentional

(18:55):
about what we expect of them and leading them. Through you,
know he has not talked and he in this interview talks,
about you, know not singling out a lot of, players
and they maybe kind of gotten burned by some of
that in the. Past they seem to be trying to
stay somewhat under the, radar and, Ultimately i'm guessing you
would agree there's nothing he could say right now that's

(19:17):
going to change anybody's. Opinion the only thing that's going
to change opinions is on the, field and you can't
do that Till.

Speaker 3 (19:23):
SEPTEMBER i think you're right about. That BUT i think
it helps to at least maybe do a few more
things like what he did With, randall to kind of
at least explain why you're not saying. Anything, yeah that's
a good. THING i have talked to people who the
theory has Been, wow look at how they told us

(19:44):
about last, year how could they were going to, be
how much death they had and they went four to.
EIGHT i didn't even say anything this. Year how BAD
i think they're going to. Be SO i think you
never know how other people are taking your, silence SO
i think at least get out and explain a little
bit about why you're not. Talking but you do, still
you do still feel good about next. Season SO i

(20:05):
think setting down With randall like what he did was
a good way to do, that and hopefully maybe he'll
do a few more things like that before before THE
sec media days in Mid, july BECAUSE i think with
the way season ticket sales are gone and the way
recruiting for twenty twenty six is off the kind of
a slow, start it wouldn't hurt to just keep explaining

(20:29):
that message a little, more.

Speaker 1 (20:32):
And you could do that without building up a lot
of players beyond what you would maybe want to do
at this.

Speaker 3 (20:40):
Point, YEAH i think so. Too you you just kind
of maybe be a little more. Specific you don't predict
they're going to be top ten draft picks or anything like,
that but it's just that at this time of year,
ago we were hearing deepest Team kentucky's ever Under Marx,
stoops most talented Team kentucky's ever had Under Marx, stoops
a team that can challenge for the college football playoffs

(21:02):
and then you go four and. Eight you've got to
BE i understand why you don't want to overhype, again
but you just. CAN'T i don't think go totally silent.

Speaker 1 (21:11):
Either one thing they hopefully will do some of once
they it's probably after about the fourth Of july when
they'll get everybody back on, campus so they can maybe
do some things where they're letting fans get to know
players a little bit because there's so many new, guys
and you can do that without necessarily you're just telling
stories as opposed as as opposed to you, know hyping somebody.

(21:37):
Up just kind of getting somebody to know, somebody so
that makes you as a fan want to root for
them a little bit.

Speaker 3 (21:42):
More absolutely and talk about something like What jack Or
burton combined With Trent noah to do about helping with
the tornado Relief. BRIGHT i think you can break on
your guy a little bit for doing, that because that
doesn't know to talk about what he's doing on the,
field which you can help out what he what he's
doing off the. Field and that's the way you want
your culture to. Be so, well there's things you could,

(22:05):
DO i, mean and maybe when you also contrast With Mark,
pope who seems like he's talking to always talking to
somebody every week and doing something to kind of promote
the basketball, team and some of his guys have done
interviews and talk to. PEOPLE i think it just makes
people wonder a little bit about why there's not a

(22:25):
little bit more talk about football than what there has.
Been so but, Again mark's the one that has to
fix what's going. ON i know he's had a huge
turnover in his. Roster bo he Watched nick min gal
and have a seventy five percent turnover and roster and
they still got back to the regional, final WHICH i
thought was pretty impressive for. Them So mark knows what's

(22:47):
ahead of him and whatever way he decides to handle,
it he's a guy that does. That but from just
my point of, VIEW i think he just do a
little bit of, explaining like what he did With Randall.
COBB i think it would.

Speaker 1 (22:58):
Help ultimately comes down to being right about a lot
of decisions you. Mentioned you, know Coach bench on the
hit on a lot of, guys and that's obviously with
so many new Guys kentucky has to be right about
the majority of. Them for the year to go better
than people think it's going to. Go and that is,
possible but that part we won't know Until.

Speaker 3 (23:19):
September, yeah it's, possible but not a. Given and like,
say folks like, us there's really no way for us
to tell you AND i just sit there and think
they could have a almost totally new offensive line maybe
maybe completely new starting offensive, line and apparently we're going
to bring the transfer is going to be starting a,

(23:40):
quarterback also maybe at running. BACK i, mean who knows. It,
well it's a lot of new pieces on offense to
go up against THE sec, Teams so there is just
a lot of reasons to kind of be skeptical going
into the. Season it's a good thing about it first two,
weeks so to answer a lot of questions for all of, us.

Speaker 1 (23:59):
True, uh you, know my thought is got to Get
they got to get off to a good start to
try to just get a little momentum. Going and they'll
have a couple of conference games In september mixed in
with two non cons to have a chance to do.
That so we'll See baseball you, Mentioned, uh they had
a frustrating end to a season that on one, hand

(24:24):
some noteworthy accomplishments with the winning thirty or more games
again and getting to a regional. Final on the other,
hand for the guys that come, back should be a
strong motivation to know, that you, know with all those
one run games they, lost they were so close, to you,
know hosting a regional and being in a much better
position and still playing at this, point.

Speaker 3 (24:46):
Yeah, heck they were still close to winning a regional.
Host when you got a five run lead at the
bottom of the eight and two, outs you think you're
going to win that game and you have a chance
to play the next day or the regional. TITLE i,
mean it was one more bizarre in a season full
of kind of heartbreaking to manage losses and light. INNINGS

(25:06):
i think that one was still probably top the. Cake
when you hit two outs in the eighth inning and
a five run, lead you just don't tink about that
one getting away from. You but it was just a
bizarre way to end. It But nick in Typical nick,
fashion And i've listened to him after the, game and
obviously it was very very disappointed and prazy seniors for

(25:26):
what they had, done and then turned right around and
said he's out with the. Gas he had coming back
and to transfer portal and also in the. Draft thinks
that could be a top ten team next. Season SO
i hope he's.

Speaker 1 (25:39):
Right Larry vatt your Sports edge dot, com fotsviews dot.
Com thank, you.

Speaker 3 (25:44):
Sir all, Right tom head into a.

Speaker 1 (25:46):
Break don't forget about THE Lpga legends that are coming
To Woodford county this weekend for The Woodford Legends invitational
golf tournament at The Woodford. Club It's saturday And, Sunday Julie,
Yngster Pat, bradley Trist johnson and. Others tickets are just
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child welfare. Organization Woodford clubfoundation dot org is where you

(26:11):
can find out more. Information That's Woodford Club foundation dot.
Org will be right back With Matt norlander FROM Cbs
sports quarter before the top of the hours The Leads
report presented by Bobcat, enterprises and back to The clublueenile
dot com hotline to bring. On Matt, orlander who covers
college basketball FOR Cbs sports does The eye On College
basketball podcast with our Buddy Gary parrish on a regular,

(26:34):
basis and, man you had a story last week about
otega always decision to come back To, kentucky AND i
think the conventional wisdom all along was that he'll go
through the, process he'll get some good, feedback and he'll
come back To kentucky because THE nba folks will tell
him he's not ready for they they're not going to
draft him at this. Point but you wrote that it

(26:56):
actually ended up being a lot closer than what that
convention a wisdom said it.

Speaker 4 (27:00):
Was going to be, Right, yeah just you know from
WHAT i, Heard good, Morning great to be with. You. Yeah,
INITIALLY i think the, expectation you, know six seven weeks
ago was, that you, know he was good enough to
try at least to go through this process and just
go through, it see how it, goes but he'd be
back In, lexington and that is what eventually. Happened but

(27:23):
AS i understand it from multiple, sources it actually just
it was a very fruitful experience for. Him and it's
my personal belief that he would have probably wound up
being drafted had he stayed In now he wouldn't have been,
gone he wouldn't have gone the first, round may not
have gone top, forty but somewhere in you, know the
back half of the second ROUND i think is. Reasonable

(27:44):
but instead he's going to make more money and be you,
know he gets to return to A kentucky program that's
going to almost certainly be a preseason top ten, team
and he will be you, know a first team or
second team Preseason all amerit can he'll be the focal.
Point but he, also you KNOW i wrote this as,
well he won't have to shoulder the. Load Like kentucky

(28:06):
is going to have enough talent coming. IN i think
having guys Like garrison And chandler coming back WHERE i
always should probably be the, star but he is still
going to be able to rely on his teammates on
A kentucky team THAT i think will be among the
three best in THE.

Speaker 1 (28:24):
Sec in terms of improving his. Game for the evaluators
in THE, nba it would seem to me that he's
a guy that doesn't need any one area to show
to make a massive. Jump he just needs to get
ten fifteen percent better in two or three. Areas maybe. Correct,
YEAH i.

Speaker 4 (28:44):
Think one of the biggest keys is you, know always
what six' four and a quarter or something like that
he measured. WITHOUT shoes I think i can't quite remember
he's got a at, that size which is by no,
means small. Definitely not but, you know just be a
little bit more consistent with his. Jump shot, he took,
you know a little more than two threes per game.

(29:05):
Last season shot thirty five point five percent from beyond.
The arc, that's fine. That number, YOU know nba folks
would like. To see he shot seventy six triples a.
Season ago so can you? Get that can you double?
That number and if you double, that number can you
go from thirty five point five percent to thirty eight percent?
Or better can we? Do that that kind of that kind.
Of stuff and his defensive abilities are, pretty obvious pretty

(29:30):
solid all around the. Defender there, but yeah just have
a have another year to kind of prove it and
improve his, overall profiling, and uh he'll Have a he'll
have a decent. Enough shot should be should be a
pretty interesting and intriguing year, for him and, to me
he's interesting overall in the aspect that he played two
Years at oklahoma and uh doing that in the. Reporter moosure,

(29:53):
you know he was a he was a, solid player
but he wasn't by any means. A star, in fact,
YOU know i can make the Case That, mila shustan
who's Now, at houston who was his Teammate, at oklahoma
certainly had one of those years where he was a
more impactful Player when oway began his, college career and
for him to Have joined kentucky a, year, ago ohway

(30:14):
and when that happened like on on Last season's, KENTUCKY team,
i think, reasonably speaking going into, Last season oway would have,
you know been expected to Be Behind, Lamont Butler, Jackson Robinson,
andrew carr Honestly probably kerkkrisa when the, season Started Maybe,

(30:38):
kobe bryant like, at best he might have been seen
as like the fifth most impactful player on that team
a year ago if we, flashed backed, you know three
hundred and sixty five, Days ago and that's not. What
happened he was the team's most valuable player overall on
what was a quality year One For mark pope and
obviously a team that made history in the fact that
it beat eight top.

Speaker 1 (30:58):
Fifteen, opponents yeah you make a, great point because, you
know right here at the Epicenter of kentucky basketball this
time of, year ago he was certainly not the most
talked about the newcomer in a deep pool of Newcomers For,
mark pope and yet he kind of found a way.
To separate and, now yeah by old broadcast colleague and

(31:19):
Dear Friend mike pratt to spent a lot of time
in the league talk to people IN, the nba and
his line was always when it came to, draft decisions
do you want to VISIT the nba or do you
want to stay IN. The NBA and i think especially
true for the, you know farther away from seven feet tall,
you are the more your game needs to be ready

(31:41):
to stay IN the nba when. You go and so,
to me that's part Of why otega made the right decision.

Speaker 4 (31:50):
For sure that's that's that's definitely. Well put just kind
of a broader comment on what you just. Said there
i've talked to AT the nba level for a number,
of years and one of the inspiring things is that, You,
like okay we look up in the finals, right, now
okay and you're going to see Guys Like Alex Caruso

(32:12):
andrew Nemhard, lou dort players that when they exited college
were not projected to be guys that were going to
stay IN. The nba but stay IN. The nba, they
did and the reason why, are various but dedication to
the crap and being a good teammate is high on.
That list but because there are players that are able

(32:34):
to do that and kind of, break through it will
sometimes not sometimes it often every, single year it will
inspire guys that are clearly not first round. Projected picks
some of them aren't even projected secon, round picks but
they want to take that chance because they think that
they can be the. Next, guy well very few actually
break through and. Do it and in order to, do
it you need to have one or you need to be,

(32:56):
you know top fifteen percent IN the nba and some type,
of skill and you have to be, an elite elite
teammate because as it's, been explained this has been this
general notion and Idea that i'm about to say has
been explained TO me i don't know half dozen times
over the past decade BY either gms. Or scouts but,
you know about twenty five percent OF, the nba twenty

(33:18):
per players that are in the league, right, now uh
are indispensable. On that like they're not gonna they're not
gonna get booted from. The league they're there's they're, too
good they're too skilled for a variety. Of reasons but
the other seventy, five percent they are in the league
because they know what it takes to stay in, the
league to be a, good teammate to do the, job

(33:38):
right and shy of. Doing that, you know they are
expendable on a year by, year basis, you know contracts
aside because of the influx of talent that comes into
the league. Every year, SO yeah i think a lot
of players when they exit college and choose to PURSUE the,
nba path, not all but a lot, OF them i
think they truly don't realize the environment they're, entering into

(34:02):
what it takes to stick in, that league and the
kind of changes they need to make to their lifestyle
in order to. Do so some are it's whip smart
and they, get it they, know it, you know they're
dedicated to. Doing it but others kind of. Have to
they have to walk the path and sometimes fail in
order to truly.

Speaker 1 (34:17):
Understand it very very, well said and just under a minute,
LEFT here i, would say what are the baby examples
of what you're? TALKING about i think to That Great
wichita state Team that kentucky upset back in. Twenty fourteen
it was Led By cley, Anthony Earlier, ron Baker And
Fred van vliet is the guy that's still in. The, LEAGUE.

Speaker 4 (34:37):
Yeah i can be quick, On, this. Yes Exactly van
vliet has. Been tremendous, in fact at THE time i
actually put out a tweet that doubt. It likes it,
BASICALLY was i absolutely have Loved watching Fred van vliet.
In college he's. Been incredible what he's done has. Been
AMAZING but i have doubts that he's gonna be able
to stick in. The league and he actually tweeted back
AT me i had known him a little bit at, that,

(34:58):
POINT behold i was very. Very wrong and then if
you had told me at that, time, LIKE yeah i
Think Cle antony early clearly has, you know he's got
the stuff to stick, around, seven eight ten years in,
the league and that wound up not being.

Speaker 1 (35:10):
The.

Speaker 4 (35:10):
Case there that, BEING said i know what we were
up against the. BREAK here i do think that This upcoming,
kentucky team when we, look up, you know five years
from nonw this in this group for next, Season specifically
i'd be surprised if there weren't two or, three eventual
you know pros on the roster that's stuck in. The
league for, a second that's not a. THIRD contract I
think pope's got a really really great chance of having
a really really good year Two. In, lexington well.

Speaker 1 (35:32):
That sounds like a good excuse to bring you back
here before too long to expound, On that so we
will do that in a few weeks down. The road,
for now Thank you matt for. The time.

Speaker 4 (35:42):
Appreciate you have a great day.

Speaker 1 (35:43):
You too read THEM At cbs sports and catch them
On The Aisle College basketball Podcast With. Gary piarrish It's
The Leach Report, radio network and we'll be right back
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this is the. Good life how About The Murray. State
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they're just the tenth four seed to make it To
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(36:49):
The H Murray state racers in. College Baseball former wildcat
Wide Out chris lewis has announced his retirement from. College
football it follows a battle with cancer that he has
won and he's been marked, cancer free which, is great but,
JUST had i guess apparently some lingering issues from the

(37:10):
battle and so he. Is retiring had a great season
playing for Coach sumroll Down at troy in twenty twenty
three before he ran into the. Health Issues Our triple
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(37:31):
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(37:53):
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