KSR Podcast – Hour 1 (April 7, 2026)
Host: Matt Jones
Co-hosts: Ryan Lemond and crew
Theme: The Transfer Portal Era, UK Basketball After the Championship, and the Changing Landscape of College Sports
Episode Overview
This lively episode of Kentucky Sports Radio (KSR) dives deep into the aftermath of last night’s men’s basketball national championship. Matt, Ryan, and company reflect on how Michigan’s victory and their transfer-heavy roster mirrors Kentucky’s aspirations under Mark Pope. They dissect portal strategy, talk about key comings and goings for UK basketball, share inside info on transfer targets, and debate the new normal in college sports. There’s some local color—from political campaign apparel to Lexington’s storage tycoons—plus rich banter on NIL realities, the future for Kentucky women’s hoops, and more.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Michigan’s Title: Mirror for Kentucky?
[05:22 – 09:40]
-
Michigan’s Portal Roster vs. Kentucky Aspirations
- Michigan wins the natty in year two under Dusty May, with "five transfers, a lot of size, very efficient offensively"—the model Mark Pope aimed for at UK.
- Several Michigan standouts (Yaxel, Demery, Mullins, Mara) were UK recruiting targets.
- Matt Jones [06:52]:
“Depending on who you ask, Kentucky either spent the most money on their roster or some people think the second to Michigan.” - Reflection: Did UK identify the right strategy but miss on execution (not landing the right transfers)?
-
How Should Fans Feel?
- “Mark Pope had the right game plan, just the wrong execution.”
– Matt Jones [07:40] - “Still the right coach.” (Ryan Lemond, [07:45])
- “Mark Pope had the right game plan, just the wrong execution.”
2. Transfer Portal Impact: Hope and Headaches
[11:53 – 13:12]
- The portal can rapidly turn around a program ("you can recover overnight”)—both a blessing and a challenge.
- Blue Bloods (like UK, UConn) are still advantaged, but it’s getting “harder to just pick whatever coach you want”—and the competition for top transfers is fiercer than ever.
- “We need to take advantage of our advantage.” – Matt Jones [12:18]
3. Roster/NIL Updates: Malachi Moreno & Diabate News
[13:12 – 16:10], [22:06 – 23:56]
- Malachi Moreno (“Cat” for under market value)
- Returns to Kentucky, reportedly at less than his highest NIL offers, signaling that “it’s not all money.”
- “He wanted to feel wanted...I think there were some hurt feelings for a little while.” – Ryan Lemond [15:34], [15:49]
- Diabate in the Portal
- Kentucky loses Mo Diabate, with a consensus that while he brought needed toughness, Pope’s roster needs more shooters and possibly better fit for his system.
- Salary/fit realities: “You couldn’t bring him back at $2 million a year.” – Matt Jones [22:48]
4. The Insider Angle: Portal Recruitment Tactics
[25:36 – 27:10]
- How Programs Use (or Don’t Use) Media/Agents
- Most staffs leak info to national/local reporters to gather intel (“reporters as middlemen”).
- Pope’s staff reportedly working more discreetly; most portal rumors are agent/player-driven, not from UK staff.
- “It’s hard to know what Mark Pope wants because Mark Pope’s people as of this point really aren’t saying much.” – Matt Jones [26:16]
5. Point Guard Target: Dean Thomas from LSU
[27:10 – 28:41]
- Top Target: Thomas Dean, lefty PG from LSU, “top three point guard in the portal,” fits Pope’s needs if healthy but missed half the season with a foot injury.
- The team weighs gambling on yet another recently-injured point guard.
- “Do you run it back for a third straight year and cross your fingers on a healthy point guard?” – Matt Jones [28:14]
- “I don’t love going after an injured guy...You can’t just go get another injured person.” – Drew Franklin [28:38]
6. Additional Portal Targets
[29:52 – 30:25]
- Devin Vanderpool (Florida Atlantic):
- “Best player on the floor” (per a rare viewing by Matt), meeting with UK via Zoom.
- Donnie Freeman (Syracuse):
- Callers and hosts acknowledge UK’s interest; vast portal possibilities make forecasting difficult.
7. Kentucky Women’s Program & NIL
[39:02 – 42:47]
- Discussion about whether UK’s women’s basketball has enough NIL money to compete for top transfers. UK has “a dedicated stream” for the women’s program, but it likely lags national powers (South Carolina, Texas).
- Worry that head coach Kenny Brooks is a target for Virginia (his alma mater); hosts argue that losing Brooks would be a “huge deal.”
- Commentary on the changing hierarchy in SEC women’s basketball—Tennessee’s decline, South Carolina’s rise.
- Richest person in Kentucky? Discussion about Tamara Gustavson (storage unit mogul, Spendthrift Farm owner) and her potential as a donor for women's basketball.
8. Local Flavor/Lighter Moments
[13:41 – 17:17], [41:00 – 42:55]
- Ryan’s collection of campaign swag:
- “I have to be the only person in the world that is still wearing that shirt.” – Matt Jones [13:42]
- Jokes about political T-shirts from every gubernatorial candidate (except one who didn’t give him gear).
- Storage units and Kentucky’s local billionaires:
- “KSR presented by Public Storage has a nice ring to it.” – Ryan Lemond [46:49]
- Carolyn Peck trivia and banter about Lady Vols, UK women's basketball, and horse farms.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- Turning Point for UK?
“There’s two ways you can look at this...you can say Mark Pope had the right game plan, just the wrong execution. Which one would you all be in that regard?” – Matt Jones [06:52] - Hope for Quick Turnarounds:
“In the Portal era, you’re never like, the program is never going to be in a place where it can’t recover. You can recover overnight.” – Matt Jones [11:53] - Big Money Reality:
“There are going to be guys who teams would like to have that other teams are willing to pay top dollar for that. You want to pay third or fourth dollar.” – Matt Jones [22:57] - Portal Ins and Outs:
“We didn’t get any of them [top transfers]...Can he get them in the future? We certainly spent the money, but we just didn’t get them.” – Matt Jones [08:52] - On Losing Mo Diabate:
“I loved what Diabate did...But with Pope’s offense, he needs a shooter in that spacing. So seeing him go, would I have liked him back? Sure—as a six man. But I’m hopeful Pope can go find something better that fits the puzzle....” – Drew Franklin [22:17] - Women’s Hoops NIL Challenge:
“There’s a dedicated stream of money of donors of UK women who give for UK women. I don’t know if it’s enough to get, like, who South Carolina, Texas and UConn can get, but I think they’re in there to compete at the next tier.” – Matt Jones [39:55] - SEC Women’s Shift:
“Right now we have three McDonald’s All-Americans and Claire Strack coming back...That’s a great roster.” – Ryan Lemond [40:06]
Important Timestamps
- 03:03 — Start of actual show & camera upgrade banter.
- 05:22 — National championship game recap and connection to UK.
- 10:57 — Hypothetical: What if UK had moved more quickly post-Oakland loss?
- 11:53 — Portal allows for rapid program turnarounds.
- 12:18 — Blue Bloods’ shifting advantage.
- 13:12 — Malachi Moreno’s return and NIL sacrifice.
- 22:06 — Diabate leaves; implications for portal dynamics & NIL.
- 25:36 — How portal rumors spread; Mark Pope’s info strategy.
- 27:10 — Dean Thomas (LSU) as point guard target, plus injury debate.
- 29:52 — Devin Vanderpool (FAU) and other targets.
- 39:02 — NIL for women’s hoops, Kenny Brooks’ status, and donor talk.
- 41:00 — Kentucky’s richest woman and implications for UK sports.
- 46:27 — Spendthrift Farm, storage riches, and local economy color.
Tone, Language & Style
- Conversational, self-deprecating, and full of Kentucky-specific color.
- Plenty of playful ribbing, with Matt and Ryan riffing on each other’s quirks and local knowledge.
- Informative but accessible, often addressing listeners directly and taking calls.
Takeaways
- Kentucky’s basketball program stands at a pivotal moment where transfer portal savvy—and targeted NIL spending—are essential.
- Michigan’s championship illuminates both the opportunity and thin margins of roster building in the new era.
- Despite setbacks, there’s faith that Mark Pope has the blueprint for success, but execution and player selection are under scrutiny.
- UK women’s basketball is on the rise but must compete for resources and fend off poachers like Virginia.
- In Lexington, fortunes are built everywhere—including storage units and campaign T-shirts.
For Listeners Who Missed the Episode
This episode blends serious basketball analysis, fan anxiety, and Kentucky-community fun while capturing the uncertainties and excitement of the transfer portal age. If you care about UK sports, NIL, and the real people behind the bluegrass headlines, this hour will catch you up, make you laugh, and keep you plugged in.