The college basketball world needs to stop disrespecting the Kentucky basketball brand

The Kentucky basketball brand is one of the strongest in college basketball.

University of Kentucky’s new men’s basketball coach Mark Pope points to the championship banners as he speaks about the victories he will soon be adding to display. / Clare Grant/Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK

One of the strongest brands in college basketball is the Kentucky basketball program. Kentucky is one of the best programs of all time. It has been an elite brand for a long time, and that isn't going to stop anytime soon.

The reason this conversation has come up of late has to do with former Kentucky coach John Calipari. Coach Calipari recently landed a five-star guard at Arkansas. The reaction to Coach Cal landing this recruit was people saying that Coach Calipari landed all of the talent at Kentucky because of himself, and the Kentucky brand had nothing to do with it.

At the end of the day, that just isn't true. Coach Calipari is due his flowers as he is the best recruiter in college basketball history, but the Kentucky basketball program and brand are going to be just fine with him moving on.

With Coach Pope as Kentucky's head basketball coach, the Wildcats will still be seen on prime-time TV for almost every game they are in, and they will also be playing in big-time games like the State Farm Champions Classic.

This was the conversation on the most recent version of the Wildcats Today Podcast. Hosts Andrew Stefaniak and Carson Nash explained why Kentucky's brand is so strong and why this will not change anytime soon. The two believe that Coach Pope will still be able to land elite talent via high school, thanks to the brand's strength in Lexington.

Check out the most recent version of the Wildcats Today Podcast down below!