In Lexington, time is running out, and Orlando Antigua ought to be contacted first.
Mark Pope has just 12 days to fully rebuild his coaching staff and develop a unified recruiting approach before the NCAA Transfer Portal formally opens on April 7. We already know with certainty that Jason Hart will not be returning. After failing to land the big fish for Kentucky, the young recruiting ace is bringing his skills to SMU in order to get closer to the West Coast, where the majority of his contacts are located.
However, Hart’s exit is only the start of the change. Alvin Brooks III, Cody Fueger, and Mark Fox are all presently without contracts.
According to sources, Pope wants Fox back on the bench, but the veteran coach has complete control over the situation because he can decide to withdraw from the game. I’m sure some people are surprised that Brooks and Fueger are currently seen as toss-ups. Pope and Fueger are very close, but Lexington’s pressure cooker might be too much. This implies that Kentucky will have to bring on at least one new assistant, and possibly as many as four.
These three names ought to be at the top of Pope’s call sheet and ready to go if he wants to raise Kentucky’s declining standards.
Orlando Antigua should return to Lexington
There were whispers that Orlando Antigua would have preferred to remain in Lexington when Mark Pope first took over the program. I have personally met him, and I can attest to his exceptional ability to put others at ease. When you have the kind of success he has, that can be uncommon. Mark Pope probably wishes he had kept him around after witnessing his outstanding recruiting help boost Illinois over the past two years while the Cats have languished.
Here, Antigua is the most obvious choice to recruit. He has a solid track record of bringing elite talent wherever he goes and is well-established in the global prospect market.
The fact that he is already familiar with the terrain, however, is what matters most. He has established connections with all of Lexington’s influential backers. He is well-versed in navigating the university and is aware of the tremendous strain of the market.
He should have never left.
Luring Kimani Young away from UConn
Dan Hurley has created an enormous powerhouse in Storrs, which is no secret. Playing well into March, UConn consistently acquires top-tier high school recruits and premium portal players. A major contributor to that ongoing domination is Kimani Young.
It would be extremely challenging to persuade a top assistant to leave the dominant college basketball team and come to Lexington, which is in the process of rebuilding. But with Champions Blue LLC, Kentucky has the financial resources to make it happen. Young might be persuaded to leave by offering a substantial salary increase, a more prestigious title, and the opportunity to become closer to a prominent head coaching position of his own.
It’s as simple as hiring the best if you want to outperform the best.
Ken Nakagawa is a rising recruiting star
It is imperative that you learn the name Ken Nakagawa if you haven’t already.
He has played a key role in making Arizona a recruiting powerhouse on the West Coast. He assisted the Wildcats in acquiring blue-chip prospects like Dwayne Aristode, Brayden Burries, and Koa Peat this past offseason. Arizona is a championship favorite in that class.
We all know how much Pope enjoys analytics, and Nakagawa demonstrated his analytical skills throughout his first three years as Director of Advanced Scouting. Before the 2024–2025 season, he was promoted to assistant coach.
He is a great link between traditional relationship recruiting and contemporary analytics, which is just what Mark Pope needs to support Keegan Brown in the front office.
He also hails from the incredibly solid Gonzaga coaching lineage. Mark Few has done a fantastic job out west, and hiring someone with experience in that setting will only benefit your employees.
These three men have the exact recruiting power needed to revitalize the Kentucky brand, while there will surely be more obscure figures that emerge in the days ahead. Pope had a little grace period because to the delayed portal opening, but the window will open in less than two weeks, thus the evaluation period has over. The hiring process is now underway.
