Unbelievable:Antonio Reeves is back to Kentucky wisely with full commitment mark Pope…
Unbelievable:Antonio Reeves is back to Kentucky wisely with full commitment mark Pope…
The commitments in the transfer portal keep coming for new Kentucky coach Mark Pope after the Wildcats landed BYU transfer Jaxson Robinson on Thursday just hours after the sharpshooter withdrew from the 2024 NBA Draft. Robinson spent two seasons playing under Pope with the Cougars but opted to return to college to finish his career a Wildcat under his long-time coach, giving UK yet another major addition from the transfer portal.
Robinson joins a growing list of transfers set to join BBN led by Koby Brea, Kerr Krissa and Brandon Garrison, all of whom should upgrade the UK roster with depth and experience.
Kentucky also landed Oklahoma’s Otega Oweh and Wake Forest’s Andrew Carr from the transfer portal last weekend and added San Diego State star guard Lamont Butler to the 2024-25 roster from the transfer portal last week.
Butler, the 2023-24 Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year, was the second transfer portal commitment Pope landed this month. Earlier this month, Drexel star forward Amari Williams committed to the Wildcats. Williams, a three-time CAA Defensive Player of the Year, was the second newcomer UK landed since Pope’s arrival after Collin Chandler flipped his commitment from BYU to Kentucky.
Chandler, a member of the 2022 recruiting cycle, spent the last two years on a Mormon mission. He was Pope’s highest-rated signee (No. 33 overall) during his tenure at BYU.
With Kentucky star freshman Reed Sheppard declaring for the NBA Draft and Joey Hart transferring to Ball State, the Wildcats have zero returning scholarship players remaining.
Four-star guard Billy Richmond decommitted from the Wildcats’ once-heralded recruiting class a few hours after Chandler committed to the Wildcats. Chandler’s commitment comes after several members of UK’s 2024 recruiting class re-opened their recruitments following the departure of coach John Calipari for Arkansas. Travis Perry remains committed to UK, but four top 50 prospects formerly pledged to the Wildcats are now on track to play elsewhere next season.
Pope, who spent the past five seasons as BYU’s coach, played at UK under Rick Pitino from 1994 to 1996 and was a key part of the program’s 1996 national title run. With most of Kentucky’s 2023-24 roster either out of eligibility, in the transfer portal, or headed to the NBA Draft, his first order of business is building a roster for next season.
CBS Sports is tracking the status of the Kentucky roster and recruiting class in real time. Here’s where every current UK player and commit currently stand.
Incoming transfers
Jaxson Robinson (Transfer from BYU)
GP: 33 | GS: 6 | PPG: 14.2 | RPG: 2.5
Despite starting in just six of his 33 game appearances last season and playing fewer minutes than the season prior when he was a year-long starter, Robinson broke out in a big way as BYU’s leading scorer and free-throw shooter while hitting 35.4% from 3-point range on big volume. He should be a plug-and-play type addition for Kentucky given his familiarity with Pope’s system and his ready-made skill set as a shooter.
Amari Williams (Transfer from Drexel)
GP: 32 | GS: 32 | PPG: 12.2 | RPG: 7.8
The three-time CAA Defensive Player of the Year is a valuable addition for Kentucky. Williams brings experience (79 career starts) and will be one of the best defensive players in the SEC from Day 1. Williams has averaged at least 1.8 blocks per game during the last three seasons. Williams shot 51.7% from the floor on 8.4 attempts per game during the 2023-24 campaign. Williams ranked No. 57 in the CBS Sports Transfer Portal Rankings.
Lamont Butler (Transfer from San Diego State)
GP: 37 | GS: 37 | PPG: 9.3 | APG: 3.0
Butler is responsible for one of the biggest shots in Final Four history. Butler hit a game-winning jumper at the 2023 Final Four against FAU to help his school advance to the national title game. Butler is a proven veteran who excelled on the defensive end in the Mountain West. Butler and Williams will give the UK two of the top defenders in the SEC.
Otega Oweh (Transfer from Oklahoma)
GP: 32 | GS: 28 | PPG: 11.4 | RPG: 3.8
Oweh made 28 starts this past season for the Sooners and averaged a career-high 11.4 points. Oweh’s calling card is his defense, and he’s shown an ability to guard multiple positions. Williams, Butler, and Oweh should help the Wildcats transform into a competent unit on that end of the floor after last year’s squad allowed 79.7 points per game. That mark ranked fourth-worst among all Power Six programs.
Andrew Carr (Transfer from Wake Forest)
GP: 35 | GS: 35 | PPG: 13.5 | RPG: 6.8
Carr is an experienced veteran who started his career at Delaware in 2022 before transferring to Wake Forest ahead of the 2022-23 campaign. Carr set career highs in points, blocks, and rebounds last season. The 6-foot-10 forward has shown an ability to stretch the floor and connected on 37.1% of his 3-pointers on just under three attempts (2.8) per game. Carr has 112 starts in 117 appearances in his college career.
Brandon Garrison (Transfer from Oklahoma State)
GP: 32 | GS: 29 | PPG: 7.5 | RPG: 5.3
The former McDonald’s All-American made 29 starts during his freshman season with Oklahoma State before hitting the transfer portal. Garrison was ranked as the No. 24 available player in the transfer portal by CBS Sports’ David Cobb. Garrison adds to the theme of defense for Pope, as he averaged 1.5 blocks in only 22.7 minutes per night.
Koby Brea (Transfer from Dayton)
GP: 33 | GS: 4 | PPG: 11.1 | RPG: 3.8
Brea led Division I by shooting 49.8% from 3-point range on just over six attempts per game last season. He should fit in perfectly in Pope’s offense, which favors players who can shoot at a high volume from outside.
Kerr Kriisa (Transfer from West Virginia)
GP: 23 | GS: 23 | PPG: 11.0 | APG: 4.7
The former Arizona and West Virginia guard will be at his third school in three years this season. Kriisa led the Pac-12 in assists (5.1) during the 2022-23 season before transferring to West Virginia. Kriisa should be firmly in the mix to win the starting point guard job.
Kentucky underclassmen
Brennan Canada
GP: 5 | GS: 0 | PPG: 0 | RPG: 0.4
Canada appeared in 25 total games over his five-year career with Kentucky. He made five appearances this season.
Kareem Watkins
GP: 6 | GS: 1 | PPG: 0 | RPG: 0.2
Watkins has appeared in 20 games over the last four seasons with Kentucky. He made six appearances this season.
Walker Horn
GP: 4 | GS: 0 | PPG: 0 | RPG: 0
Horn has made eight appearances over the last two seasons for Kentucky.
Grant Darbyshire
GP: 4 | GS: 0 | PPG: 0 | RPG: 0
Darbyshire made four appearances for Kentucky this season.
Kentucky players not expected to return
Reed Sheppard (Declared for NBA Draft)
GP: 33 | GS: 5 | PPG: 12.5 | RPG: 4.1
Sheppard was named CBS Sports Freshman of the Year after putting up one of the most efficient stat lines in the country. Sheppard made only five starts in 33 games but had an impact whenever he stepped onto the court. Sheppard finished the season shooting 53.6% from the floor, 51.1% on 3-pointers (on 4.4 attempts), and 83.1% from the charity stripe. Sheppard finished five steals shy (82) of breaking the single-season record set by Rajon Rondo during the 2004-05 season. On Thursday, Sheppard officially declared for the NBA Draft.
Zvonimir Ivišić (Transferring to Arkansas)
GP: 15 | GS: 0 | PPG: 5.5 | RPG: 3.3
While Ivišić didn’t play a ton during his freshman season, he definitely made an impact when he played. Hours after he was ruled eligible by the NCAA on Jan. 20, Ivišić recorded 13 points, five rebounds, and a pair of assists in his collegiate debut.
Days after Ivišić entered the transfer portal, he announced he would follow Calipari and had committed to Arkansas.
Ugonna Onyenso (Declared for NBA Draft
The top shot-blocker on last season’s Kentucky team averaged 18.6 minutes per night. Onyenso made 14 starts after playing less than seven minutes as a freshman the year before, but has declared for the NBA Draft.
D.J. Wagner (Transferring to Arkansas)
GP: 29 | GS: 28 | PPG: 9.9 | RPG: 1.9
Within a few days after Calipari’s departure, his hiring at Arkansas and Pope’s arriving at UK, Wagner entered the transfer portal. Wagner ranked as the No. 6 player coming out of high school and was one of the prized recruits from his class. The Wagner family has deep ties to Calipari, as D.J.’s father, Dajuan Wagner, played for Calipari when he was the coach at Memphis. Wagner committed to Arkansas.
Rob Dillingham (Declared for NBA Draft)
GP: 32 | GS: 1 | PPG: 15.2 | RPG: 2.9
The top-ranked player in CBS Sports’ NBA Draft prospect rankings is turning pro. Dillingham was named SEC 6th Man of the Year after putting up big numbers in his first season at Kentucky. The 6-3 guard made only a single start but was one of Kentucky’s best players the entire season. Dillingham is a crafty guard with a quick burst that can get to the rim whenever he pleases. Dillingham has received buzz over the last few months as a potential No. 1 overall pick.
Aaron Bradshaw (Transferring to Ohio State)
GP: 26 | GS: 10 | PPG: 4.9 | RPG: 3.3
Bradshaw was the first player from Kentucky’s top-ranked 2023 recruiting class to enter his name in the transfer portal. Bradshaw missed the start of the season due to injury and appeared for the first time on Dec. 2 against UNC Wilmington. Bradshaw was the No. 5 recruit coming out of high school. Bradshaw is expected to transfer to Ohio State, according to 247Sports.
Adou Thiero (Transferring to Arkansas)
GP: 25 | GS: 19 | PPG: 7.2 | RPG: 5
Thiero entered his name into the transfer portal last month and is the No. 53 player available in David Cobb’s transfer portal rankings. Thiero saw a larger role during his second season in Lexington, making 19 starts and 25 appearances while averaging career-highs in almost every statistical category. Thiero committed to Arkansas.
Joey Hart (Transfering to Ball State)
GP: 7 | GS: 0 | PPG: 0.4 | RPG: 0
Hart will enter the transfer portal after playing sparingly as a freshman. The former three-star recruit committed to Kentucky out of high school over UCF, Ball State, Drake and Northwestern among others. Hart committed to Ball State on Thursday.
eligibility)
GP: 33 | GS: 33 | PPG: 20.2 | RPG: 4.2
The leading scorer on Kentucky last season is out of eligibility. Reeves transferred to Kentucky in 2022 after spending the first three seasons at Illinois State. Reeves never entered his name into the transfer portal last summer but reportedly took summer classes at Illinois State, where he began his career. He finished his college career with a career-high in points and rebounds.
Tre Mitchell (Out of eligibility)
GP: 27 | GS: 24 | PPG: 10.7 | RPG: 7.2
Like Reeves, Mitchell is out of eligibility. Mitchell transferred to Kentucky for his final college season after stops at UMass, Texas, and West Virginia. Mitchell provided a valuable veteran presence for a young roster and started 24 out of the 27 games he appeared in.
