Good morning. How are you? You look great, just in time for summer. Me? I’ve put on a few. Thanks for noticing. I can’t keep my hand out of the cookie jar. Anyway, let’s talk about sports, namely Kentucky sports, and all that’s happening around Big Blue Nation and beyond. Have a good Tuesday.
We’ll hear from Mark Pope today
The Kentucky Basketball staff sent white smoke from the Joe Craft Center, announcing a summer press conference with Mark Pope today. It was actually an email, but nonetheless, Pope will hold a Q&A today to discuss his new roster and the summer and 2025-26 season ahead. Given the wide range of topics, we expect a lengthy Tuesday discussion with Pope. Check KentuckySportsRadio.com and KSR’s YouTube channel later today for a thorough recap of all he has to say to the media. It’s been a while.
Kentucky Baseball’s home finale tonight
Need something to do tonight? How about Kentucky Baseball‘s final home game? Kentucky hosts Northern Kentucky at Kentucky Proud Park tonight, fresh off the Wildcats’ sweep of No. 14 Oklahoma last weekend. The first pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m., with a starting pitcher to be named later taking the mound against the Norse.
Kentucky needs to win to protect its NCAA Tournament standing before heading to Vanderbilt for the final SEC series of the regular season. The UK-Vandy series begins on Thursday in Nashville—first, one last ride at Kentucky Proud Park for the 2025 Cats.
Kentucky projected to make the NCAA Baseball Tournament
On Monday, On3’s NCAA Baseball Tournament projection had Kentucky in the Field of 64 after the Wildcats swept the Oklahoma series. The mock tournament field named Kentucky the No. 3 seed in the Oregon State Regional, playing No. 2 Arizona in Corvallis, Oregon, with Oregon State, the host team, earning the No. 13 overall seed in the tournament. San Diego was No. 4 in the regional.
Today, more NCAA projections will shed light on how comfortable Kentucky should feel as the season winds down. Still, UK needs to beat NKU and win a game or two at Vandy to solidify a place in the Big Dance before the SEC Tournament.
Oweh and Brea at the NBA Draft Combine
The NBA Combine is underway in Chicago, where, tomorrow, Otega Oweh and Koby Brea will compete in the 5-on-5 scrimmages. Kentucky’s two combine participants will undergo individual workouts, measurements, and interviews today, then showcase their talents on opposite teams on Wednesday.
KSR will share any combine updates today through the weekend, so stick around for the latest on Oweh and Brea in the pre-draft process.
Brea’s stock is rising, Oweh is expected to return to UK
Now that the NBA draft order is set (congratulations, Dallas), new mock drafts are rolling out to predict the future. Over at Yahoo, Kevin O’Connor projects Koby Brea going 34th overall (fourth pick in the second round) to the Charlotte Hornets. ESPN’s new mock slots Brea a little lower, going to the Indiana Pacers at No. 54. NBADraft.net has him at No. 58 to the Cleveland Cavs.
Otega Oweh is not named in any of the mock drafts, so the expectation is that he will return to Kentucky to cash in as the face of the team in his senior season.
KAT and the Knicks took a 3-1 lead
The Knicks are one win away from playing in the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2000. Last night, New York defended homecourt in the Garden, beating Boston as a 6.5-point home underdog. Jalen Brunson was spectacular, especially in the second half. He scored 39 points, 18 of which came in the third quarter, in the 121-113 win. Our guy Karl-Anthony Towns also played well, tallying 23 points and 11 rebounds.
Though exciting for Knicks fans, the final minutes put a damper on the night when Jayson Tatum suffered an injury. Boston’s star was rolled off in a wheelchair after scoring 42 points in the loss. The speculation is a torn Achilles.
Randle’s Wolves went up 3-1, too
KAT isn’t the only Wildcat one game shy of the Conference Finals. Julius Randle and Rob Dillingham are also knocking on the door in the West after beating Golden State in the second NBA game last night. Dillingham has not played in his debut playoff run as a rookie, but Randle shined for the Wolves again, scoring 31 points with five rebounds in the 117-110 Game 4 win. With Steph Curry out for the Warriors, it’s hard to imagine Minnesota not closing out the series.
Two Game 5s tonight
Tonight, Indiana takes its 3-1 lead into Cleveland to try to end the Cavs’ season. You can watch at 7 p.m. on TNT. Cleveland is a 7.5-point favorite.
Then, in the nightcap, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Cason Wallace host Jamal Murray‘s Nuggets in Oklahoma City. The Thunder-Nuggets series is all square heading into Game 5, where OKC is a 10.5-point favorite. Watch at 9:30 p.m. on TNT.
Find KSR at KSBar and Grille
We’re live from 10 a.m. to noon today, per usual. Go Cats.
The post KSR Today: Mark Pope speaks, KPP’s home finale, NBA things, and more appeared first on On3.