Dan Issel jokes Kentucky ‘can’t cheat like we used to,’ calls on Boogie Cousins to pledge NIL money
By Ethan Stone
Published:
Kentucky basketball hasn’t won a national title since 2012, when Anthony Davis, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Co. defeated Kansas in the championship game to finalize a 38-2 season.
A lot has changed since then. Former head coach John Calipari is now at Arkansas, and the Wildcats have suffered more postseason embarrassment than success in recent years as the Wildcats try to stay in the national discussion under Mark Pope.
On Wednesday, Wildcats legend Dan Issel, who played for Kentucky from 1967-1970 and owns the Cats’ career points record, joined Lou Williams, Michelle Beadle and Chandler Parsons on Run It Back to discuss Kentucky’s lack of recent success.
When asked directly why Kentucky can’t seem to break through anymore, Issel joked, “With NIL, we can’t cheat like we used to… we need Boogie (former Wildcat DeMarcus Cousins) to kick in more NIL money.”
Kentucky’s postseason struggles started around the same time as the pandemic. The Wildcats advanced to the Elite 8 in 2019 and were slated to be a high seed in the 2020 tournament before it was canceled. Kentucky missed the tournament in 2021 and failed to advance to the second weekend in 3 straight tournaments before Calipari announced his departure to Arkansas.
Pope has largely picked up where Calipari left off. The Wildcats fell to Tennessee in the Sweet 16 to start Pope’s tenure, then fizzled out in Round 2 after Otega Oweh’s heroics lifted the Wildcats past Santa Clara in the Round of 64.
Ethan Stone is a Tennessee graduate and loves all things college football and college basketball. Firm believer in fouling while up 3.
