Roster so far

[TheRealVille]

Scott, 6'11
Khalifa, 6'11
Pryor, 6'10
Fru, 6'10
Rooths, 6'8
Hadley, 6'6
Brown, 6'4
Rogers, 6'3

With only 8 players, it's clear Kelsey needs guards and a wing. The front court is tall and five deep.

With five schollys available, Kelsey is probably looking to get 3 guards and two wings.

Now this assumes no one else leaves after Johnson. Depending on how good the transfers are, next season could be a final 4 team. I wouldn't think another year of injuries will derail the team but if there's an injury or two, the roster is deep enough to cover it.

Will we see another Hepburn, Smith or Edwards with these transfers? Or will they be more role players? Will Ament sign giving Kelsey two of the best freshmen in the land?

The possibility of a deep and talented roster playing hard with a above average hoops IQ is very likely. Next season there will be no 8 seed with 27+wins.

 

[shadow force]

Definitely need more guards. An experienced back up PG. Sharpshooter(s). A bucket getter to replace Edwards on the wing would be great. I know our front court appears loaded but I can't help but think they need one more at C. A big 7 footer/rim protector that's a threat to score inside. Maybe Fru can provide some of that. But that was a matchup nightmare when the Cards had to go up against big centers that could defend the rim and score.

Scott was so limited offensively and defensively that it put the Cards at many disadvantages. Unsure if/how Khalifa can handle a big opposing post player on defense though he provides more of an offensive threat than Scott and is a good passer from the post. If Pryor stays I don't know how he'll be coming back from a torn ACL.

 

[bigloucards]

Definitely need more guards. An experienced back up PG. Sharpshooter(s). A bucket getter to replace Edwards on the wing would be great.

Sounds like the kid from VA, and Ament would fit that bill nicely!

 

[shadow force]

Fru may be a better defender than I thought. He could provide some rim protection and is a big body so maybe that's taken care of already.

 

[Ipartiedwithhopgood]

I'd like one more big body to go with the 4 listed assuming they are returning. Pryor is probably not going to be what he was before his injury, he might have restrictions. So we're already dinged there without playing a game and we know more injuries can happen.

It will be very interesting to see if Rooths returns also. If he does really hoping he takes a step forward.

When does the portal close?

 

[shadow force]

I'd like one more big body to go with the 4 listed assuming they are returning. Pryor is probably not going to be what he was before his injury, he might have restrictions. So we're already dinged there without playing a game and we know more injuries can happen.

It will be very interesting to see if Rooths returns also. If he does really hoping he takes a step forward.

When does the portal close?

Good point about Pryor. Portal closes April 22nd.

 

[shadow force]

I'd also like some bigger more athletic guards to go along with Mikel Brown Jr.

Guards that can defend and get a bucket in crunch time.

 

[2330859]

I see what CPK assembled for the 2024-25 season, and what he has coming in for 2025-26 thus far. Given that alone, I believe he is going to identify some combination of more incoming Freshmen and incoming Portal transfers that will make us both proud and optimistic!

Allow me one more observation; had it not been for the unexpected injuries, I believe Kelsey had all of the ingredients necessary to still be playing in this NCAA tournament.

 

[UofLouisville]

I'd like one more big body to go with the 4 listed assuming they are returning.

Yep. One more big man needed. Both Ali and Pryor coming off big injuries. Would hate to be thin inside if the worst happens again.

 

[Thecycle27]

There is some flexibility to move people around. If Ament commits then I am less worried only because they wouldn’t be dead. Also hard sell to get another big that fits because minutes will be limited. The kid from Charleston would be perfect.

Khalifa and Scott 5’s
Pryor and Fru are 4’s.
Ament and Rooths are 3’s.

Ament doesn’t commit and Hadley stays they will definitely throw money at a high end big.

 

[bigloucards]

There is some flexibility to move people around. If Ament commits then I am less worried only because they wouldn’t be dead. Also hard sell to get another big that fits because minutes will be limited. The kid from Charleston would be perfect.

Khalifa and Scott 5’s
Pryor and Fru are 4’s.
Ament and Rooths are 3’s.

Ament doesn’t commit and Hadley stays they will definitely throw money at a high end big.

Does Ament plan on announcing April 1 or did I hear that incorrectly?

 

[Bardman]

Sounds like he may be pushing his announcement back a seek or two (or more).

 

[shadow force]

A backcourt of McKneeley, Wooley and Brown Jr
would be pretty darn good. Kobe Rodgers as a back up.

 

[Thecycle27]

UT coming after McNeely tells me he is legit because Barnes isn’t taking a guy that can’t defend. That would be a great start.

Wooley who knows but Alabama is probably the favorite.

Interesting the feeling is the portal guys in this cycle will pull the trigger faster. I assume that means the market is more stable. I think the guys that waited last year ended up making bank but maybe ended up at places they didn’t want to be at.

You know what the portal has done, fans get over losses almost immediately looking at the portal. UK site has a longer thread about their portal addition than their loss.