Yesterday, Kentucky announced a few more of its non-conference games, and some folks are not happy about the quality of opponents that will come to Rupp Arena. The seven teams added to the schedule were Manhattan (November 3rd), James Madison (November 6th), Northern Arizona (November 13th), Grambling State (November 16th), Bryant (December 8th), Sacred Heart (December 22nd), and Gardner-Webb (December 28th).

One of those who voiced his displeasure was Dick Vitale. The college basketball legend took to X to say, “The Kentucky basketball schedule has many cupcakes on their pre-conference schedule & 5 legit challenges – BBN -Cats fans & players deserve a more challenging schedule in getting ready for the SEC – especially having a TEAM with over 21 MILLION in NIL dollars.”

I see where Dickie V is coming from here, but the reality is that every college basketball team is going to play these cupcake games. If Vitale is frustrated with the NET Rankings of these teams, I understand, but all of college basketball plays games like this.

I can see the frustration for BBN knowing the only really exciting home game coming to Rupp Arena this non-conference season is the matchup with rival Louisville. I have a feeling another big-time game could be coming to the schedule, knowing the Gonzaga matchup is no more. Hopefully, if a new marquee game is scheduled, it will be in Rupp Arena, but this is still to be seen.

The reality is the Wildcats have a top ten strength of schedule right now, and they do have games against Kansas, Indiana, Louisville, North Carolina, and Virginia scheduled in non-conference play. During Mark Pope’s tenure, the Wildcats have played a very tough schedule each season, and that is not going to change this year.

Fans would like to see some more exciting games come to Rupp Arena, but the SEC will once again be very good, which will bring a lot of top 25 matchups to Lexington this year. I believe the five marquee games scheduled for non-conference play will have the Wildcats ready for SEC play, especially knowing they will play a true road game against Virginia.

If the Wildcats do add one more marquee game to the non-conference schedule, this should have Vitale bought into the schedule and how it will get Pope’s team ready for the gauntlet that is SEC play.

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• Kentucky basketball coach Mark Pope is comfortable with the high-pressure nature of his job.
• After a period of uncertainty, Pope has gained recruiting momentum from signing Milan Momcilovic and landing Ryan Hampton in the Class of 2027.

ROCK HILL, S.C. — Kentucky basketball coach Mark Pope sat with legs crossed in the foldout chairs overlooking two basketball courts at the NBPA Top 100 basketball camp last week.

His posture and newly grown beard gave off a relaxed and confident vibe that suggested he was in full summer mode, a look that belied all of the chaos that seemed to engulf his position not too long ago.

Pope has grown comfortable with it all. The highs from winning big games. The crushing feeling from failing to meet UK’s standard. The criticisms. The pats on the back.

However Pope’s tenure as Kentucky’s coach plays out, he’s not trying to satisfy popular opinion of how people think he should be operating. 

Pope’s going to do things at his pace. He has no time to be scared of being on the hot seat because, the way he sees it, his job performance has been dissected since he took the job in 2024.    

“It’s probably hard to understand from the outside, but, Kentucky is the hot seat,” Pope said.

If it’s not the most-dissected, most-watched, most-critiqued position in college basketball, it would have to be tied for first, because it certainly isn’t No. 2. 

When the contact period began at midnight on June 15, Erick Dampier Jr. wasn’t sure who was going to call. Kentucky had been at plenty of his games throughout the spring, and his father had his own battles on the court with Mark Pope back in the day.

“I was really excited. I didn’t really know what to expect,” Dampier told KSR on Monday. “At first, I thought I wasn’t going to get anything. Throughout the whole night, I didn’t get anything, but then I’ve been getting offers today.”

One of those offers was from Kentucky. It was head coach Mark Pope who made the call.

“When I found out it was Kentucky, I was like, yeah,” Dampier said. “I was excited.”

A History With Bigs

In Mark Pope’s two years at Kentucky so far, he’s shown that he can develop bigs. That’s been his pitch to Erick Dampier Jr. since the recruitment started.

“In the last three years, they’ve had three bigs to come out and go to the NBA before me,” Dampier said. “It’s Jayden Quaintance, Malachi Moreno, and Amari Williams. He said they were all passing bigs, and that I could be the next big here.”

During the Nike EYBL live period session in Memphis in May, Pope was at most of Dampier’s games. He got a good sense of who he is as a player.

“[Pope] said he liked my style of basketball, and he said I play relentlessly,” Dampier said. “He likes how I can pass the ball, play in transition, and dribble. That’s a really big thing for me. He says that could separate me and help me in the long run.”

A Busy Monday

Erick Dampier’s Monday got very busy with college coaches calling. He’s heard from the likes of USC, Florida State, and Louisville, among others.

“It’s exciting that all the work I’ve put in shows and is starting to pay off,” Dampier said. “It makes you feel good about yourself, and it makes you want to be better and work harder. It gives me motivation.”

Dampier said he’s looking for a program that wins. That’s his main focus.

“The main thing is a national championship. Everyone knows that. Everyone wants a national championship, but not everybody gets one,” Dampier said. “I want the best chance to get one. Every college has a good coach, so that’s irrelevant, but that too. Good chemistry. When I get there, I want it to be smooth. I don’t want to make a major change. I want it to feel like home.”

His dad has also provided advice throughout the process. Erick Dampier Sr. played at Mississippi State from 1993-96 before an NBA career spanning from 1996-2012.

“He’s told me just to be patient because this is the start of it,” Dampier said. “Basically, just keep going, be yourself, fight through adversity, and do the simple things. The simple things are what take you a long way.”

Erick Dampier Jr.’s Game

Madison-Ridgeland (Mississippi) Academy five-star center Erick Dampier Jr. is the nation’s No. 4 overall prospect according to the Rivals Industry Ranking, an equally weighted average that utilizes all three major recruiting services. Rivals ranks Dampier as the No. 2 center and the No. 4 overall player in the 2028 class.

“My greatest strengths are being able to play on both sides of the ball, offense and defense, being able to pass the ball, being a big defensive threat, and just being a threat on the court,” Dampier said.

Dampier doesn’t turn 17-years-old until October. He said he “probably won’t” reclass into 2027.

“A lot of people don’t know that I’m actually young for my class,” Dampier said. “A lot of people assume that if you’re good, you’re older because that’s what it usually is. I’m actually the right age. It’s probably that or the work I put in. I work a lot.”