Mark Pope has built this roster with one thing in mind: shot-making. The offseason additions were made to fit his system, and the common thread runs straight through the arc. Milan Momcilovic, Alex Wilkins, Ousmane N'Diaye, Kam Williams and Justin McBride all bring real shooting ability, giving the team a group that can stretch defenses in a hurry.
N'Diaye has been one of the early surprises. Better known for his athleticism than his jumper, the 7-footer has looked willing from deep and has not backed away from open looks. Asked Friday how much freedom he’s giving him, Pope made his stance plain: "We'll never turn down an open shot."
He expanded on that idea by making clear that the green light applies across the board. "Ousmane is a terrific shooter.
He was always in the 75-plus percentage range in our summer shooting," Pope said. "All of our guys, like, we shoot every open shot.
We'll never turn down an open shot. You have to have that in order to get to the 35 threes (per game) that we love to chase.
The quality of shots matters. You know, there's a difference between shots off the bounce and shots that are a space shot.
There's a difference between shots off the run and shots that are catch and shoots. There's a difference between shots that you can own and finish, and those that you can't.
And so there's some discretionary space in there. But he's going to shoot it.
Like we need him to shoot it. We're going to encourage him to shoot it."
Momcilovic, meanwhile, is still the name that stands out as the team’s elite shooter. Through three games, and aside from overtime against UCF, he has not been as aggressive in creating his own attempts, but Pope said the staff is actively working to get him more chances from deep.
"I don't have to tell Milan much of anything. He's pretty self-sustaining," Pope said of Momcilovic.
"It's It's fun to have a guy that you kind of just stay out of his way more than anything else. We're continuing to try, like, I'd love to get him more shots.
That's where we're living, is how can we find more creative ways to get him shots? How can we earn them just when we're in our secondary offense, our flow offense and how can we earn him shots out of play calling and it's not hard because he's such an aggressive shooter, he makes really tough shots."
For now, the message is simple: this group is going to fire away from deep, and nobody is being asked to hesitate when the ball comes to them with space. The bigger question is how Pope and his staff keep manufacturing those clean looks, especially for a shooter like Momcilovic.
In Other News...
Former Kentucky Players Are Making Some Departures Look A Lot Different
Kentuckys roster turnover has become easier to judge with a little distance, and the 2026 season is offering a revealing look at what some of those departures have meant elsewhere. The list of 38 former Wildcats now playing for other FBS programs shows just how widely the talent has scattered, with players turning up at new schools at every position and carving out roles that range from depth pieces to steady contributors.
For Kentucky, the interesting part is not just where those players landed, but how much they are playing once they got there. The article tracks their current schools, positions and production, and the range of impact makes the exodus look different depending on the name involved. Some departures have barely registered, while others have become much more noticeable reminders that roster management does not stop when a player leaves Lexington. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessees Biggest Question Before Kentucky Still Has No Clear Answer
Tennessee heads into its bye week with the same quarterback uncertainty that has hovered over much of the season. Faizon Brandon and George MacIntyre have both gotten starts and neither has settled the job, with the offense sputtering at times and the turnovers piling up enough to keep the Vols near the bottom of the SEC in several key passing categories.
Josh Heupel said both quarterbacks are practicing well, but he stopped short of signaling any immediate change, leaving the competition open as Kentucky approaches. For Tennessee, the off week is a chance to sort through the options and try to find some stability before a game that could go a long way toward defining the rest of the season. [Read more 🡒]
What An Opposing Coach Already Sees In This Kentucky Team
Johnny Dawkins got a close look at Kentucky in an exhibition setting, and the former Duke star and current Central Florida coach came away impressed. He said the Wildcats already have the kind of talent, coaching and chemistry that can make them a much better team as the season unfolds, and he pointed to their length and versatility as traits that stand out right away.
For Kentucky, that kind of early read from an opposing coach matters because it suggests the ceiling is still ahead of them. Exhibition games only tell part of the story, but Dawkins view was clear enough: this group has the pieces to grow into something more dangerous once the season gets rolling, even if the best version of the Wildcats is still to come. [Read more 🡒]