Kentucky basketball may be headed for a much busier summer, and Mark Pope could end up with a little more room to work.
The NCAA Division I Men’s and Women’s Basketball Oversight Committees introduced a legislative package Monday that would let programs schedule up to three dates of summer competition against other four-year schools in the United States. The ideas are not locked in yet and could be adjusted before the committees vote in December. If they clear that hurdle, the changes could go into effect in April.
For Pope and Kentucky, the appeal is obvious: more chances to get the roster into live action before the season starts. The proposal would give teams a menu of options on those dates, including an exhibition game, scrimmage, joint practice, 3-on-3 or 5-on-5 competition. Those sessions could be held privately or open to the public.
The three competition dates could also take place domestically or as part of a foreign tour overseas.
That flexibility could matter a lot for Kentucky, where roster turnover has become a constant feature of college basketball. Extra competition would give Pope another way to sort through new faces, test different lineups and build chemistry before opening night.
There’s another change on the table, too. The men’s basketball committee is proposing a jump from eight to 10 hours of summer athletically related activities per week, pointing to roster turnover and the added time needed for player and team development. The competition on those three designated dates would not count against that weekly total.
Nothing is finalized yet, but if the package makes it through the NCAA process, Kentucky could have a new offseason tool to help prepare its team.
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