In case you missed it, Mark Pope and Kentucky have officially lost out on Tyran Stokes. As the blue and white head coach begins his third season in Lexington, the magnitude of a “all-in” recruiting setback cannot be overstated.
Coach Pope is now compelled to move away from what was his best prospect for over a full year. Pope’s choice to recruit internationally appears to be returning to play for his comeback attempt, even though the transfer portal is somewhat limited due to the length of time he has been waiting.
According to Jacob Polacheck, Stokes’ negative decision was practically immediately followed by the Cats’ coach hitting the runway. In an apparent attempt to make up ground for Kentucky, Pope is reportedly traveling to Israel to see experienced big Márcio Santos.
Making Up Ground With Márcio Santos
Santos, who began playing professional basketball abroad back in 2018–19, would likely fit into the backup five spot to replace the anticipated return of Malachi Moreno. The 23-year-old most recently played in the Euroleague with Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv, where he defeated fierce opposition with seven points and two assists each game.
At first glance, this seems like a dull endeavor. However, if Santos is indeed the preferred player behind Moreno, his extensive foreign experience should transition effectively to college basketball, and a glance at his tape will show all the high-upside potential to win over BBN.
Santos’ 250-pound body and fiercely physical style more than make up for his slight undersize for the five at 6-foot-9. He has a jumper movement that allows him to step out and be somewhat threatening from a distance, and he is a wrecking ball in the paint.
Your second option in the paint would definitely benefit from his 51%/31% shooting split.
A Solid Second Option
The Wildcats also urgently need depth, but Kentucky needs a star to fill the position Pope had long earmarked for Stokes. Pope’s swift departure suggests that he has been keeping an eye on this issue for some time, as a significant amount of extra NIL is now back into play.
This is an excellent first step in the staff’s no-Stokes backup plan. Santos would be a more than reasonable addition to Kentucky’s increasingly powerful second unit as long as the state makes more moves going forward.
