Sad State of Bearcat Basketball

[swilsonsp4]

If Miller does not come back as coach, will Kayden Allen come to UC for the 2026-27 season?

Per Chad Brendel, if CWM is gone, Allen will take to the portal.

[leeraymond372@gmail.com]

That depends on the definition of “successful”. Minimum should be to make the tourney. Here are the top high school signees for each B12 team (with 247sports.com recruiting rankings) [2026 still in HS; almost all top players signed early, just a few stragglers] Bold type for teams presently on their way to The Dance. These teams either have top HS talent or paid for quality transfers:

• AZ: [2024] Carter Bryant (28); [2025] Brayden Burries (9), Koa Peat (11), Dwayne Aristode (29); [2026] Cameron Holmes (29)
• ASU: [2024] Jayden Quaintance (9), Joson Sanon (24) {both were injured, then hit portal}; [2025] no Top 50 players [2026] no Top 50 players
• Baylor: [2024] VJ Edgecombe (5) {NBA}, Rob Wright (23) {@ BYU}; [2025] Tounde Yessoufou (14); [2026] Elijah Williams (30)
• BYU: [2025] AJ Dybantsa (2), Xavion Staton (37); [2026] no Top 50, will buy transfers
• UC: [2024] no Top 50 players; [2025] Shon Abaev (22); [2026] Kayden Allen (49)
• CO: [2024] no Top 50 players; [2025] no Top 50 players; [2026] no Top 50 players
• UH: [2024] no Top 50 players (stacked team; no playing time); [2025] Chris Cenac (7), Isiah Harwell (16), Kingston Flemings (20); [2026] Arafan Diane (16)
• ISU: [2024] no Top 50 players (all key additions via portal) [2025] Jamarion Batemon (42); [2026] no Top 50 players
• KU: [2024] Flory Bidunga (14), Bryson Tiller (42), Rakease Passmore (50); [2025] Darryn Peterson (1); [2026] Taylen Kinney (13)
• KSU: [2024] no Top 50 players; [2025] no Top 50 players; [2026] no signees at all
• OSU: [2024] no Top 50 players [2025] no Top 50 players; [2026] Latrell Allmond (24)
• TCU: [2024] no Top 50 players; [2025] Kayden Edwards (49); [2026] no Top 50 players
• TT: [2024] no Top 50 players (JT Toppin & others via portal); [2025] no Top 50 players (just transfers); [2026] DaKari Spear (46)
• UCF: [2024] Moustapha Thiam (43) {@ UC}; [2025] no Top 50 players (just transfers); [2026] no Top 50 players
• UT: [2024] no Top 50 players; [2025] no Top 50 players (just transfers); no Top 50 players
• WV: [2024] no Top 50 players; [2025] no Top 50 players; [2026] Miles Sadler (31)

If Miller does not come back as coach, will Kayden Allen come to UC for the 2026-27 season?

[leo from jersey]

Nelson and Blount talking to some old guy wit a beard about winning on youtube search bearcat legends documentary with Huggs

[red_n_black_attack]

Not all of them start, and just a few move to the NBA after year one.

I understand the reality doesn't match those kids' unrealistic expectations. Perhaps Shon just tried to hard instead of letting the game come to him. He is talented, and will mature with another season.

[swilsonsp4]

I don't believe we need Top 25 Recruits to be successful. I would prefer the 50/150 range player's! We've done well with 3 & 4 Star Recruits who tend to stick around 4yrs.

Josh Reed & Skillings are perfect examples! The PROBLEM is Wes, he's over his head in this league!

What would Mick or Huggs be able to do with this current roster? Same result, or do u think this team would be more competitive?

That depends on the definition of “successful”. Minimum should be to make the tourney. Here are the top high school signees for each B12 team (with 247sports.com recruiting rankings) [2026 still in HS; almost all top players signed early, just a few stragglers] Bold type for teams presently on their way to The Dance. These teams either have top HS talent or paid for quality transfers:

• AZ: [2024] Carter Bryant (28); [2025] Brayden Burries (9), Koa Peat (11), Dwayne Aristode (29); [2026] Cameron Holmes (29)
• ASU: [2024] Jayden Quaintance (9), Joson Sanon (24) {both were injured, then hit portal}; [2025] no Top 50 players [2026] no Top 50 players
• Baylor: [2024] VJ Edgecombe (5) {NBA}, Rob Wright (23) {@ BYU}; [2025] Tounde Yessoufou (14); [2026] Elijah Williams (30)
• BYU: [2025] AJ Dybantsa (2), Xavion Staton (37); [2026] no Top 50, will buy transfers
• UC: [2024] no Top 50 players; [2025] Shon Abaev (22); [2026] Kayden Allen (49)
• CO: [2024] no Top 50 players; [2025] no Top 50 players; [2026] no Top 50 players
• UH: [2024] no Top 50 players (stacked team; no playing time); [2025] Chris Cenac (7), Isiah Harwell (16), Kingston Flemings (20); [2026] Arafan Diane (16)
• ISU: [2024] no Top 50 players (all key additions via portal) [2025] Jamarion Batemon (42); [2026] no Top 50 players
• KU: [2024] Flory Bidunga (14), Bryson Tiller (42), Rakease Passmore (50); [2025] Darryn Peterson (1); [2026] Taylen Kinney (13)
• KSU: [2024] no Top 50 players; [2025] no Top 50 players; [2026] no signees at all
• OSU: [2024] no Top 50 players [2025] no Top 50 players; [2026] Latrell Allmond (24)
• TCU: [2024] no Top 50 players; [2025] Kayden Edwards (49); [2026] no Top 50 players
• TT: [2024] no Top 50 players (JT Toppin & others via portal); [2025] no Top 50 players (just transfers); [2026] DaKari Spear (46)
• UCF: [2024] Moustapha Thiam (43) {@ UC}; [2025] no Top 50 players (just transfers); [2026] no Top 50 players
• UT: [2024] no Top 50 players; [2025] no Top 50 players (just transfers); no Top 50 players
• WV: [2024] no Top 50 players; [2025] no Top 50 players; [2026] Miles Sadler (31)

[leo from jersey]

The majority of donors want to be associated with a winning program. The program under CWM is not there and likely won’t get there.

Yes I agree, but it just takes one to turn it around. My take being IU was the worse and then Mark Cuban wrote a check. Now they are National Champs. Of course there was a coaching change.

[London 'Cat]

I believe this roster is more than good enough to be in the top half of the league under a competent coach. After 5 years it is clear that Miller is definitely the constant that is the problem. Additionally no rich alum is going to invest more $$'s into the sinkinig ship that is Miller.

The majority of donors want to be associated with a winning program. The program under CWM is not there and likely won’t get there.

[Gmann]

I don't believe we need Top 25 Recruits to be successful. I would prefer the 50/150 range player's! We've done well with 3 & 4 Star Recruits who tend to stick around 4yrs.

Josh Reed & Skillings are perfect examples! The PROBLEM is Wes, he's over his head in this league!

What would Mick or Huggs be able to do with this current roster? Same result, or do u think this team would be more competitive?

I believe this roster is more than good enough to be in the top half of the league under a competent coach. After 5 years it is clear that Miller is definitely the constant that is the problem. Additionally no rich alum is going to invest more $$'s into the sinkinig ship that is Miller.

[longtimefan]

Nobody stays 4 years anymore. Now that agents run the show, holding onto top guys more than one season will be very difficult. Even if players like it here, the agents are out there working on the next job.

[BearKatz]

I don't believe we need Top 25 Recruits to be successful. I would prefer the 50/150 range player's! We've done well with 3 & 4 Star Recruits who tend to stick around 4yrs.

Josh Reed & Skillings are perfect examples! The PROBLEM is Wes, he's over his head in this league!

What would Mick or Huggs be able to do with this current roster? Same result, or do u think this team would be more competitive?

[leo from jersey]

Absolutely Rufus. UC is not going to do it with nickels and dimes from us ordinary folks or even their ballyhooed NIL program.UC has many billionaire alum. All you have to do is Google it. That is where the athletic department needs to be focusing their attention.A little help from the Kelce brothers could get the ball rolling.

It would be nice if one of their fiancés' would become a major fan. U of Mich has Larry Ellison whose wife is an alum

[bearcatlifer]

Absolutely Rufus. UC is not going to do it with nickels and dimes from us ordinary folks or even their ballyhooed NIL program.UC has many billionaire alum. All you have to do is Google it. That is where the athletic department needs to be focusing their attention.A little help from the Kelce brothers could get the ball rolling.

[Rufus]

I'm not privy to how much or how involved Fifth / Third is in UC athletics besides that of naming the arena on campus. But in light of how Mark Cuban is heavily involved in Indiana football and Cignetti, and the big donors mentioned above involved at St.Johns enabling them to bring in Pitino and even Papa John's relationship to Louisville, that's how UC is going to have to do things. As we know everything revolves around money today so we need to find money enough to attract / keep a reputable coach.

All that's needed is to find the right rich donor who would love to see his alma mater win a championship!

[longtimefan]

P.S. - with the exception of Abaev, most top 30ish players are looking to start in year 1 and move to the NBA quickly if highly successful in their freshman year.

Not all of them start, and just a few move to the NBA after year one.

[red_n_black_attack]

This is exactly what the basketball GM said is their recruiting philosophy. They will will only recruit high school players who can contribute in year 1 and fill out the rest of the roster via the portal. I took this to mean we could sign 5-7 high school guys if they are all top 50 guys, but probably only getting 1-3 in any given year, if any.

P.S. - with the exception of Abaev, most top 30ish players are looking to start in year 1 and move to the NBA quickly if highly successful in their freshman year.