Kentucky
So, where does Kentucky go from here?
It was a disasterclass for Mark Pope and the Kentucky basketball program on Tuesday. Tyran Stokes’ commitment to Kansas was a big part of that, but it was more so everything surrounding his polarizing decision to turn down the Wildcats as a Nike athlete in favor of the adidas-affiliated Jayhawks.
Why was Pope liking tweets about the No. 1 recruit in the country uniting a divided fanbase when all of the intel leading up to the announcement suggested KU was the likely choice? Why did Mo Williams respond to Stokes on Twitter about going public with his decision on ESPN’s Inside the NBA — and likely committing an NCAA violation in the process? Why did UK think it was a good PR move to announce Justin McBride’s signing 30 minutes before the biggest recruiting decision for the program in over a decade, completely taking the shine away from his addition as a massive impact piece off the bench for the Wildcats? Did you even remember McBride committed to Kentucky through the chaos of Stokes’ move to Lawrence? You should, because he’s worth the attention, despite the poorly calculated rollout on UK’s part.
Stokes commitment to Kansas is by far Pope’s worst recruiting miss to date, considering his investment in the top-ranked prospect and who he could have landed had he pivoted when the writing was on the wall. 16 of the top 30 prospects visited with the Wildcats and 22 total — not including the brother of a redshirt freshman and the son of an assistant coach — received offers. Zero committed. Do you have a real chance with at least one or two if you read the room that, if you have to offer the kid’s high school coach and mentor, while armed with a historic bag of cash and Nike’s help, he might just not be into you? Odds are good.
That’s water under the bridge now, though, and there is no crying on the yacht. Figure it out or the next guy will. That’s the situation Pope is in, laying a solid foundation with the likes of Zoom Diallo, Alex Wilkins, Kam Williams, Braydon Hawthorne, Ousmane N’Diaye, McBride and Malachi Moreno, but clearly missing a game-changing star talent. The roster as currently constructed is a potential NCAA Tournament team, but that’s not the standard in Lexington. It’s not understanding the assignment. That will take a needle-mover, but who?
Iowa State’s Milan Momcilovic and Santa Clara’s Allen Graves are the obvious answers. Land either of those two and everyone shuts up about Stokes. Easy move for Pope, assuming he can pull it off. The issue? They’re both leaning toward keeping their names in the NBA Draft, just like Baylor’s Tounde Yessoufou — there were multiple reports Tuesday that the latter has already decided to officially turn pro. Money talks, though, and the Wildcats have plenty of it. Yank that rabbit out of the hat and close things out with another shooter or two, along with complementary depth. That’s exactly where UK goes from here.
What if Momcilovic, Graves and Yessoufou are off the table, though, ready for life in the pros (or just not wanting to come)? A reclassification option or two could emerge over the course of the AAU season this spring and summer. They always do. Top-10 recruit Ryan Hampton just received an offer this week and has been publicly rumored as a candidate while nine total players currently hold scholarships from Pope and the Wildcats. It’s not the sexiest group of talent for now, but a lot can change over the next several months. Maybe a surefire option emerges there?
If not that path, be prepared to hear the international names thrown around in a hurry. Pope is already rumored to be flying across the world to meet with such a talent as we speak — and there is probably more where that comes from, considering there are still four spots to fill. Again, maybe not clear head-turners based on names and/or stats, but quite the range of talent to choose from if your evaluation is top-notch.
Until then, Pope and this staff have to take one on the chin and acknowledge it was a real misread. There are other avenues, but life is much more difficult today and tomorrow than it was yesterday with the Wildcats forced to recover quickly. The party will be back on with Momcilovic, Graves, Yessoufou or the equivalent, but until then, those in that building have some questions to answer and no time to waste.
Learning how to read the room wouldn’t be a bad place to start, either.
Ohio tornado warnings: what residents should know
Severe storms June 17 in Ohio: know tornado watch vs. warning, safety steps, shelters and alerts.
A tornado was confirmed to have ripped through the Florence area during the overnight storms June 18.
The National Weather Service in Wilmington released a statement June 20 saying a tornado traveled eastward 6.2 miles across the Northern Kentucky city, 10 miles south of Cincinnati. It had estimated peak winds of 100 mph, which classifies it as an EF1 “moderate” tornado on the Enhanced Fujita Scale.
The tornado’s path goes mostly through residential areas, and the first evidence was found on Landings Way where several trees were snapped at their trunks, the weather service reported.
The tornado progressed east, crossing Interstate 71/75 and then seemingly dissipating on Tallwood Circle where multiple large branches were downed, the final known instance of damage.
Along the way, the tornado uprooted multiple trees and snapped branches, damaged several buildings and businesses, and snapped a large power pole near the intersection of U.S. 42 and Dream Street, according to the weather service.
How many tornadoes have been confirmed in Greater Cincinnati, beyond?
As of 1 p.m. June 20, the weather service has confirmed that apart from the one in Florence, two other tornadoes touched down in Greater Cincinnati on June 18:
- An EF2 “significant” tornado that traveled about 9 miles from Dearborn County, Indiana, to Boone County, Kentucky.
- An EF2 “significant” tornado that traveled just over 5 miles from Franklin County, Indiana, to Butler County, Ohio.
A few other tornadoes have been confirmed outside the Greater Cincinnati region, including an EF2 that traveled 23.6 miles from Scott County, Indiana, to Trimble County, Kentucky; an EF2 that traveled 9 miles across Pike County, Ohio; and one in Grant County, Kentucky, just north of Williamstown.
The weather service said details on the Grant County tornado will be released later on June 20.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Louisville celebrated Juneteenth with music, dancing and a parade highlighting Black culture, history and unity.
The Kentucky Black Festival’s Juneteenth Unity Parade brought hundreds of people to west Louisville, with marching bands, dancers, community organizations and families joining together to honor the meaning behind the holiday.
“Seeing the families having a good time seeing everyone dancing, with everything that’s happening in this city and happening in the world, a moment to just take a breath and smile and relax your shoulders is what this is all about,” said Walter Murrah, executive director of the Kentucky Black Foundation.
Juneteenth marks the day in 1865 when enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, learned they were free, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued.
For organizers, the celebration is about more than a parade. It’s about recognizing the history that paved the way for future generations.
“Celebrating Juneteenth is more than just dancing and singing. It’s also reaching back and looking at the giants that paved the way for us, but also taking a moment to just celebrate our blackness because I think oftentimes it’s looked down upon, left out, overlooked, and those kind of things,” Murrah said. “And so being Black is beautiful. Being Black is, you know, it should be celebrated, and that’s what Juneteenth is about, is, you know, marrying the history but also looking ahead to what’s in the future.”
Attendees said the event created a space to celebrate their heritage and come together.
“We’re not celebrated enough, so with this being Juneteenth for freedom and unity to come together, this is the day for us to do that,” said Tara Britt.
Community members also emphasized the importance of teaching younger generations about the holiday and its history.
“It’s very important because if we don’t tell them, they won’t know. We have to get educated to educate them because it’s not in the schools right now,” said Shannon Gilbert. “So we get all the knowledge and give it back to them and make sure they’re educated because they’re the future.”
Organizers said the goal is to make sure Juneteenth is not only remembered but experienced through community celebrations like the parade.
Juneteenth became a federal holiday in 2021, but communities across the country have recognized and celebrated the day for decades.
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