Kentucky
Twitter loves Kentucky’s home-run hires of Alvin Brooks III and Jason Hart
Remember when people questioned if Mark Pope would be able to recruit at a place like Kentucky?
While he still needs to fill out the roster, Pope has been killing it when it comes to recruiting assistant coaches.
It began when Pope was able to reel in former G-League Ignite coach Jason Hart, who was a major player on the recruiting trail during his time with the USC Trojans. Hart also built significant connections with elite high school recruits like Jaden Hardy, Scoot Henderson, Matas Buzelis, and Ron Holland
But Pope wasn’t done there.
After the Kentucky Wildcats were turned down by Scott Drew to be the school’s next head coach, Pope was later hired, and he just plucked Drew’s top assistant coach away from the Bears in Alvin Brooks III.
During his time at Baylor, Brooks helped reel in four of the top 10 highest-rated commits in program history, including top-five recruit VJ Edgecombe in the class of 2024, who picked the Bears over Duke and Kentucky.
I’d say Pope just assembled one of the best staffs in America, and Twitter agrees.
Here are the best Twitter reactions to the big news!
BREAKING:
Baylor assistant coach Alvin Brooks III is finalizing a deal to become an assistant coach at the University of Kentucky.
This is a GREAT pick up. pic.twitter.com/OReRJvBSY5
— Casey (@casey_madis) April 24, 2024
This is Pope’s staff at Kentucky so far:
Alvin Brooks III (associate HC)
Jason Hart (G League Ignite HC/former USC asst)
Cody Fueger (BYU asst)
Mark Fox (special asst)Pope has one more off-the-road spot to fill. I’m told it’ll be a while before that pick is in.
— Matt Norlander (@MattNorlander) April 24, 2024
Hard to stress just how huge this is for Mark Pope.
Brooks III is one of the most respected assistants in the nation. Unanimously respected while also feared on the recruiting trail. Exceptional eye for talent.
That core group of Brooks, Cody Fueger and Jason Hart is special. https://t.co/mFqMycQFFP
— Jack Pilgrim (@JackPilgrimKSR) April 24, 2024
I see @KyleTucker_Ath reporting Jason Hart will come to Kentucky as an assistant
If so, this is a MONSTER hire.
Spent a ton of time around him at USC – he is a great coach, person and recruiter, who frankly should’ve been a college head coach a decade ago.
— Aaron Torres (@Aaron_Torres) April 19, 2024
When Coach Pope was hired and staff speculation began, Coach Alvin Brooks III was a name I thought of, but admittedly never thought it would/could happen. Well, here we are. One of the most respected assistants in the game with some BIG TIME recruiting chops.
Really excited!
— Brandon Ramsey (@BRamseyKSR) April 24, 2024
Jason Hart equals good hire. Coached guys like Buzelis, Scoot Henderson, & Holland in the G-League which is now defunct. He also coached over a half-dozen NBA players at USC. Mark Pope & Hart played together for the Bucks in 2000-01.
— David Sisk (@CoachDavidSisk) April 19, 2024
Alvin Brooks III & Mark Fox are expected to be officially announced as part of Mark Pope’s staff over the next few days.
Cody Fueger & Jason Hart are already here. And Pope talks about how they’re getting along so far.
“Those two together are dangerous.” https://t.co/jykfdYIeWy
— Ben Roberts (@BenRobertsHL) April 24, 2024
The Jason Hart hire is a much bigger deal than most people will make it out to be. HUGE get for Pope.
Opens up another level of recruiting.
Looks like Pope is going to go with some West Coast flavor on his staff for Year 1.
Mark Fox last coached at Cal
Hart with the G…
— Coach Ryan (@CoachRyanKY) April 19, 2024
A Big 12 coach on Kentucky’s hire of Alvin Brooks III:
“An awesome dude, one of the most respected Coaches in our league. He will have an instant impact on their roster. Home run hire.”
Kentucky fans should be excited about this one.
— Tristan Pharis (@TristanUda) April 24, 2024
Class of 2026, 5-star PF, Moustapha Diop on the hire of Mark Pope and Jason Hart at Kentucky.
“It’s a very good hire and I was pleased to hear [Mark Pope] is adding Jason Hart to his staff as I have a very close relationship with Coach Hart.” #BBN
— Chris Beasmore (@CBeasmoreSports) April 22, 2024
Jason Hart is really good on the recruiting trail and I am told he is very well liked in the recruiting world
One coach just told me, “that’s a homerun for you guys”
— Matt Jones (@KySportsRadio) April 19, 2024
Mark Pope on Jason Hart: “Jason Hart is everything as a coach that he was as a player. He has boundless energy. He’s fearless. He is stubborn. But he has endless joy and love for this game and our players.
“He has all of the grit that you’d expect from a big-time Syracuse point…— Keith Taylor (@keithtaylor21) April 22, 2024
Cody Fueger- Rising star and amazing offensive mind
Jason Hart- Tons of connections with recruiting and brings years of experience.
Mark Fox – Over 30 years of coaching experience. Knows his stuff.
I like these additions.
— Wyatt Huff (@Wildcat_wave) April 19, 2024
The best part about the Alvin Brooks III hire to me is that he has a strong recruiting base in Texas. That is an area where there is constantly elite talent…
Julius Randle
PJ Washington
Tyrese Maxey
De’Aaron Fox
Jarred Vanderbilt
Cason Wallace
Andrew/Aaron Harrison— WT – Adou Enthusiast (@WildcatsTongue) April 24, 2024
‘Like’ our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter for more Kentucky Wildcats news and views! And as always, Go Cats!!!!
Kentucky
Drug trafficking investigation lands Paducah man in jail
By West Kentucky Star Staff
Jun. 17, 2026 | 10:25 PM
| PADUCAH
A drug trafficking investigation landed a Paducah man behind bars.
The weeks-long investigation by Paducah Police led them to 54-year-old Byrone K. Burns. Burnes was believed to be involved in moving illegal drugs through the area.
An undercover purchase was arranged, and detectives reportedly came away with more than ten grams of methamphetamine. Burns was arrested at his job just before 2:30 p.m. Tuesday.
Following his arrest, detectives searched two locations in Paducah connected to Burns. They reportedly seized more than two pounds of marijuana, a hydrocodone pill, several thousand dollars in cash, and items consistent with trafficking.
Burns, who is said to have an extensive criminal history related to drugs and weapons, was charged with trafficking in methamphetamine and marijuana, and possession of hydrocodone. He was booked into the McCracken County Regional Jail.
Kentucky
Kentucky fans can enjoy games at new Walk-On’s, KSR sports bar site
J Batt excited about Will Stein’s coaching debut for Kentucky football
Kentucky athletics director J Batt praises football coach Will Stein’s energy and recruiting efforts as he settles into the job.
Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux, once labeled by ESPN as the No. 1 sports bar in America, is coming to Lexington, Kentucky.
The new dining establishment will be located at 1030 S. Broadway, in the former Tilted Kilt space, and will use the next-door site of KSBar & Grille, which closed in June, as a game-day location with a Kentucky Sports Radio presence.
The first Walk-On’s location in Kentucky — although its Clarksville, Indiana, location is just minutes from downtown Louisville — will feature at least 50 TVs for fans to watch UK games and other sporting events.
Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux will open ahead of the 2026 football season. The new restaurant will be led by business partners Jamie Daniel and KSR founder Matt Jones.
“As a Kentucky native and die-hard Kentucky fan, opening a Walk-On’s here was a long time coming,” Daniel said in a news release. “By partnering with Matt and the KSR community, we’re serving a fan base that lives and breathes Kentucky sports. We believe this creates a destination unlike anything else in the market.”
KSBar opened in Lexington in 2018 and has been a staple for Kentucky sports fans. Jones wants to keep the space alive by opening it for game days and other special events while allowing fans to order from the Walk-On’s scratch-made menu.
“KSBar has always been about bringing Kentucky fans together,” Jones said in the release. “This partnership allows us to preserve that spirit while giving fans access to a bigger experience, a larger menu and the resources of one of the most successful sports bar brands in the country. We’ll still be here on game days, broadcasting KSR live and celebrating Kentucky sports, but now with Walk-On’s helping take the experience to the next level.”
Walk-On’s was founded in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in 2003 by former LSU basketball walk-ons Brandon Landry and Jack Warner. Since then, the restaurant has opened over 80 locations across the United States with partners like Dak Prescott, Dabo Swinney and co-owner Drew Brees.
Reach sports trending writer Alaina Morris at amorris@gannett.com and follow her on X at @alainammorris.
Kentucky
How Karl-Anthony Towns, Kentucky basketball alums fared in NBA season
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander calls season a ‘failure’ after Thunder’s playoff loss to Spurs
Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander won his second straight MVP award this season, but he said Sunday that he “didn’t achieve what I wanted to achieve” after falling short of the NBA Finals.
Kentucky basketball is notorious for producing NBA talent. The Wildcats currently have the most active players in the league, with 30 players in 20 different franchises playing a variety of roles.
Karl-Anthony Towns ended the 2025-26 season with an NBA championship, starting at center and helping guide the New York Knicks to their first title in 53 years.
Towns averaged a double-double this season with 20.1 points and 11.8 rebounds per game. In the playoffs, the former Wildcat averaged 15.9 points and 10.6 rebounds per contest. Towns played a big role in the five-game NBA Finals against the Spurs, most notably tallying 21 points, 13 rebounds and four assists in the Knicks’ Game 2 win on the road.
The Knicks center wasn’t the only former Kentucky standout to have a big season. Here is a look at how some of Kentucky’s best did in the NBA in 2025-26:
De’Aaron Fox and Keldon Johnson helped the San Antonio Spurs win the Western Conference Finals against the Thunder and reach the NBA Finals for the first time since 2014.
Fox was in his first full season with the Spurs after being drafted by Sacramento and spending time with the Kings from 2017-25. He averaged 18.6 points, 6.2 assists and 3.8 rebounds in the regular season. Fox averaged 15.6 points in the playoffs as he dealt with a lingering ankle injury that cause him to miss games against the Thunder. He was also criticized for a disappointing NBA Finals performance against the Knicks.
Johnson etched himself in the record books by winning the NBA Sixth Man of the Year award. Coming off the bench, he averaged 13.2 points and 5.4 rebounds during the regular season. Johnson had four games in double-figures in the Western Conference Finals, but didn’t score more than seven in any game against the Knicks when competing for the Larry O’Brien Trophy.
Before the 2025 NBA champion Thunder saw their bid for a repeat title shut down by the Spurs in Game 7, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander enjoyed another dominant regular season and captured his second straight MVP award.
Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 31.1 points per game, second in the league behind only Luka Dončić. The former Wildcat also averaged 6.6 assists (14th-best in the NBA) and 4.3 rebounds.
Cason Wallace, meanwhile, recorded 8.6 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game. Wallace was also named to the 2026 All-Defensive Second Team after leading the league with 150 steals (1.9 per game).
Other stars across the NBA
Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers: Maxey averaged 28.3 points per game, which was fifth-best across the NBA. He dished out 6.6 assists to go with 4.1 rebounds per contest. Maxey led the 76ers to a playoff series win over the Boston Celtics before they were swept by the Knicks in the second round. He was named an NBA All-Star during the regular season and ultimately landed on the All-NBA Third Team.
Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns: Booker put up 26.1 points, 6.0 assists and 3.9 rebounds on average this season. He helped lead the Suns back to the playoffs despite the offseason departure of Kevin Durant via trade. Booker was named an NBA All-Star for a fifth time in his career.
Jamal Murray, Denver Nuggets: Murray averaged 25.4 points and 7.1 assists to help take the Nuggets back to the playoffs, where they fell in the first round to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Due to an outburst in scoring, the former Wildcat guard was named an NBA All-Star for the very first time in his career.
Bam Adebayo, Miami Heat: Adebayo’s 2025-26 season will be best remembered for his 83 points in one game against the Washington Wizards on March 10. That’s the second-highest single-game total in NBA history, surpassing Kobe Bryant’s 81 in 2006 and sitting only behind Wilt Chamberlain’s 100 in 1962. Adebayo averaged 20.1 points and 10 rebounds for Miami, which finished 10th in the Eastern Conference.
Julius Randle, Minnesota Timberwolves: Randle averaged 21.1 points, 6.7 rebounds and 5.0 assists for the Timberwolves, whose impressive postseason run ended with a Game 6 loss to the Spurs in the Western Conference semifinals. He set a new career high with 41 points against the Portland Trail Blazers on Feb. 11.
Around the league
Shaedon Sharpe, Portland Trail Blazers: Sharpe appeared in just 50 games, dealing with a stress fracture in his left fibula. He averaged 20.8 points per game when he was healthy.
Tyler Herro, Miami Heat: Herro dealt with a variety of injuries, including to his ribs and ankles. The Heat guard only appeared in 33 games, but he averaged 20.5 points when healthy.
Reed Sheppard, Houston Rockets: Following an injury to teammate Fred VanVleet, Sheppard was given a much bigger role in his second season. He ended up averaging 13.5 points, 3.5 assists and 2.9 rebounds, highlighted by a career-high 31 points in a win over the Golden State Warriors.
Anthony Davis, Dallas Mavericks/Washington Wizards: Davis is another former Wildcat who was riddled with a finger injury this year. He appeared in just 20 games with the Mavericks, where he averaged 20.4 points before being traded to the Wizards.
Immanuel Quickly, Toronto Raptors: Quickly averaged 16.4 points in 70 games and helped the Raptors finish fifth in the East before losing to the Cavaliers in the playoffs.
PJ Washington, Dallas Mavericks: Washington averaged 14.2 points and 7.0 rebounds on a Mavericks team currently looking to rebuild. He played in 56 games.
Malik Monk, Sacramento Kings: Monk found himself on a Kings team that only won 22 games. He averaged 12.9 points and 3.0 assists in 62 contests.
Oscar Tshiebwe, Utah Jazz: Tshiebwe also found himself on a squad that collected 22 wins. The former Kentucky forward averaged 7.8 points and 6.6 rebounds in 27 games.
Isaiah Jackson, Indiana Pacers/Los Angeles Clippers: Jackson played a role off the bench before and after being moved in a midseason trade to the Clippers. He averaged 6.7 points and 5.3 rebounds in 55 games.
Rob Dillingham, Minnesota Timberwolves/Chicago Bulls: Dillingham was traded from Minnesota to Chicago in a February swap that sent Ayo Dosunmu to the Timberwolves. The second-year guard averaged 6.3 points and 2.2 assists in 65 games.
Justin Edwards, Philadelphia 76ers: Edwards emerged as a key bench player for the Sixers, averaging 6.0 points and 1.5 rebounds in 64 games.
Jarred Vanderbilt, Los Angeles Lakers: Vanderbilt came off the bench and appeared in 65 games for the Lakers, averaging 4.4 points and 4.5 rebounds.
Nick Richards, Chicago Bulls: Richards played in just above half of the season, checking into 48 games. He averaged 5.8 points and 5.1 rebounds.
Amari Williams, Boston Celtics: Williams appeared in 22 games, averaging 1.4 points and 1.8 rebounds per outing.
TyTy Washington Jr., Los Angeles Clippers: Washington played in 16 games, in which he averaged 1.3 points and 1.1 assists.
Koby Brea, Phoenix Suns: Brea saw action in 12 games and averaged 3.8 points per contest.
Antonio Reeves, Charlotte Hornets: Reeves saw the floor in 10 games and averaged 2.7 points.
Olivier Sarr, Cleveland Cavaliers: Sarr played in only four contests, averaging 3.5 points and 2.8 rebounds, before he suffered a ruptured left Achilles’ tendon.
Jacob Toppin, Atlanta Hawks: Toppin checked into five games and averaged 1.6 points.
Reach sports trending writer Alaina Morris at amorris@gannett.com and follow her on X at @alainammorris.
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