Kentucky
Kentucky fans share how concerned they are with Mark Pope’s high school recruiting
While John Calipari was in no way, shape, or form a perfect coach when it came to the X’s and O’s there was no denying how elite a recruiter he was in Lexington. There is a reason Kentucky has the most active players in the NBA of any college, and that thanks is owed to Calipari.
During the long tenure Calipari was in Lexington, fans got used to landing multiple five-star recruits every season, but early into the Mark Pope era, there have been some struggles. Coach Pope has whiffed on multiple big-time players so far during his time in Lexington in the high school ranks.
Coach Pope has knocked the transfer portal out of the ballpark, but concerns with his high school recruiting are fair. We are in the month of February, and the Wildcats don’t have a single member of the 2026 class. Coach Pope has already missed on multiple players in this class, and Big Blue Nation is worried.
I put a post out on social media this morning asking Kentucky fans to rank on a scale from 1-10 how concerned they are about the future outlook of Kentucky basketball recruiting. Over 60% of Kentucky fans responded that they are in full panic, ten out of ten, concerned about recruiting.
Others said they aren’t all that panicked, listing their reason being the transfer portal has made it where a star freshman isn’t necessary.
At the end of the day Coach Pope is going to have to start landing some elite players in high school recruiting. It seems most fans have written this year off but Coach Pope recently said that he believes this is going to be a good recruiting class. He does seem confident so hopefully this staff will be able to pull off a miracle and land Tyran Stokes. This would change opinions on Pope in a matter of seconds.
Let’s take a look at what Big Blue Nation had to say about the state of Kentucky basketball recruiting.
Kentucky fans share thoughts on Mark Pope and his high school recruiting
10 extremely concerned
— Brad Halderman (@Wildcatbh) February 16, 2026
6.5 at this point
— thoroughbred1984 (@KYwhitey) February 16, 2026
I would be far more worried if we weren’t in this era of the transfer portal. Lock down 1 maybe 2 freshman and pile a bunch of proven players around them to help develop and prop up. Still at a 7-8 seeing as he has 0 traction with a single HS player at the moment.
— Bluegrass Burner (@Bluegrass4L) February 16, 2026
Kentucky
Kentucky Lottery Cash Ball, Pick 3 Evening winning numbers for June 25, 2026
13 things more likely to happen than winning the Powerball jackpot
Hoping to win the Powerball jackpot? Here are 13 things more likely to happen than becoming an instant millionaire.
The Kentucky Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at Thursday, June 25, 2026 winning numbers for each game.
Cash Ball
02-08-24-32, Cash Ball: 09
Check Cash Ball payouts and previous drawings here.
Pick 3
Evening: 6-3-0
Midday: 9-6-0
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Pick 4
Evening: 5-7-6-0
Midday: 5-2-6-6
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Millionaire for Life
03-13-14-34-45, Bonus: 01
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Courier Journal digital producer. You can send feedback using this form.
Kentucky
Takeaways from Kentucky’s home and away SEC schedule for next season
On Thursday, Kentucky’s home and away SEC opponents for the 2026-27 season were revealed and on top of learning the three opponents who they will play twice, there are some very intriguing matchups. In conference play, Kentucky will face six teams who are among the top 25 in many preseason rankings.
In SEC play, Kentucky will play Tennessee, Vandy and Ole Miss all both home and away. The home matchups include Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, LSU, Ole Miss, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas A&M and Vandy. As for the road tilts, the Wildcats will face Florida, Georgia, Mississippi State, Missouri, Ole Miss, Oklahoma, Texas, Tennessee and Vandy. Let’s take a look at some interesting developments from the schedule release.
John Calipari returns to Rupp Arena (again)
In Calipari’s first year with Arkansas, he got the best of Kentucky when he came into Rupp Arena and left with a 10-point victory, a game where you could really feel the tension all game long in the building from Kentucky fans, which translated onto the court with the players. Last season, it was Kentucky who shocked everyone when they stole one on the road against a top 20 Arkansas team after a rough up-and-down season up to that point. Now, the two will face off again as Kentucky will look to get the win in Rupp and make sure Calipari doesn’t get two in a row in the building. It’ll be another highly-anticipated showdown.
Kentucky hits the road at Texas
This is shaping up to be a major challenge for Kentucky next season and may even end up being one of the biggest games of the season. Texas is seen by many as a clear top 10 team, with some even having them within the top five and when you combine that with the fact that the game is on the road, the Wildcats will have their hands full. The Wildcats fell to the longhorns in the 2024-25 season, and it’ll be a much stiffer challenge this time.
Which game could be a trap?
We don’t have the game-by-game dates yet, so it’s hard to say with a lot of confidence, but opponent-wise, Georgia could really give Kentucky fits. In Pope’s first year, his team struggled handling the physicality of the Bulldogs and now, they’ve retained one of their best guards for another year and have added physicality through the portal. Mike White’s teams love to make opponents uncomfortable and they could do that once again down in Athens. Another sneaky team to watch is Oklahoma, who will have very good guard play. Kentucky will face both teams on the road.
Overall, it’s a pretty fair SEC schedule for a Kentucky team who has the capability of a return to being atop the conference once again. Mark Pope has such a system-fit squad and he can do some damage in the SEC.
Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook and YouTube for the latest news.
Follow
Kentucky
Can you set off fireworks in Kentucky? See laws ahead of Fourth of July
Fourth of July festivities to celebrate in Louisville
See the Fourth of July festivities planned in Louisville for America’s 250th birthday celebration.
Fourth of July is almost here, and Kentuckians are getting ready to light up the sky.
Before you plan your fireworks celebrations, it’s important to know what is and isn’t allowed under Kentucky law. Here’s what to know about fireworks laws and safety tips in the Bluegrass State ahead of Independence Day.
Can you set off fireworks in Kentucky?
Yes. As long as you live in a place where local ordinances don’t prohibit it, according to the Kentucky State Fire Marshal’s website.
Are fireworks legal in Louisville?
In Louisville or Jefferson County, larger display fireworks are not legal due to a local law. Some consumer products that don’t leave the ground, such as sparklers, are allowed.
If the cautionary label on the firework has the words “explosive,” “emits flaming pellets,” “flaming balls,” “firecracker,” “report” or “rocket,” it is automatically a no-go, according to the Louisville-Jefferson County Code of Ordinances.
But, smaller ones like sparklers, cylindrical or cone fountains, wheels and ground spinners are legal. Still, don’t let the size fool you − they can burn up to 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the National Fire Protection Association.
Learn more: Check out these 4th of July events taking place across Kentucky
How to use fireworks safely
The state fire marshal suggests following the following advice when using fireworks:
- Use fireworks outdoors.
- Obey local laws.
- Keep a bucket of water or a working water hose nearby.
- Use fireworks as intended and avoid altering them or combining them.
- Never relight “dud” fireworks. Wait 20 minutes and then soak it in a bucket of water.
- Spectators should keep a safe distance from the person lighting the firework (the individual lighting it should wear safety glasses).
- Alcohol and fireworks do not mix. Have a “designated adult operator.”
- Do not use homemade fireworks or illegal explosives.
- Report illegal explosives to the fire or police department in your community.
- Never allow children to play with or ignite fireworks.
- Read and follow all instructions on the label.
Former Courier Journal reporter Ana Rocío Álvarez Bríñez contributed. Reach Marina Johnson at Marina.Johnson@courier-journal.com.
-
Milwaukee, WI1 minute ago
We must have answers before awarding new wastewater contract | Opinion
-
Atlanta, GA6 minutes agoSemi-truck, train collide in fiery crash in SW Atlanta
-
Minneapolis, MN13 minutes agoReform, money and trust: Council members’ key criteria for Minneapolis’ next police chief
-
Indianapolis, IN16 minutes agoCiara Myst is Indianapolis’ shapeshifting superstar on social media, too
-
Pittsburg, PA22 minutes agoWoman accused of stealing nearly $300,000 from Penn Hills refrigeration company
-
Augusta, GA28 minutes agoAugusta leaders take another look at downtown paid parking
-
Washington, D.C32 minutes agoDC unveils new government website to ‘eliminate alphabet soup’ – WTOP News
-
Cleveland, OH37 minutes agoKoby Altman Admits Meleek Thomas Doesn’t Perfectly Fit Cavs’ Roster