Breaking news;Kentucky basketball announce return of the roster with full commitment….
Breaking news;Kentucky basketball announce return of the roster with full commitment….
What could Kentucky basketball roster look like without John Calipari in Lexington?
LEXINGTON — Barring an unforeseen, 11th-hour breakdown, John Calipari will be the new coach at Arkansas, ending a 15-season run with Kentucky.
While Calipari begins brushing up on how to properly call the Hogs, however, what lies ahead for the Wildcats is unsettled. Especially its future roster. Until a new coach is hired, uncertainty will reign.
Still, given the current nature of college athletics, with the specter of the transfer portal and the ever-increasing importance of name, image and likeness (NIL) deals, it’s not difficult to deduce what the 2024-25 roster might be.
In short: expect a wholesale exodus from Lexington.
What will members of 2023-24 Kentucky basketball roster do?
Kentucky guards (from left) Rob Dillingham, Adou Thiero, Antonio Reeves and Reed Sheppard celebrate after a basket during the second half of a game against Mississippi State at Humphrey Coliseum on Feb. 27.
Two Wildcats from the 2023-24 squad were gone regardless: seniors Tre Mitchell and Antonio Reeves have no more eligibility remaining. Two more UK players, sophomore Adou Thiero and freshman Aaron Bradshaw have entered the transfer portal and the NBA draft, pondering remaining in this year’s pool pending feedback from pro scouts. Freshman wing Justin Edwards declared for the draft and hadn’t left open the possibility for a return to Kentucky — even before reports of Calipari’s departure began surfacing.
As a projected top-10 pick, it’s only a matter of time until freshman guard Rob Dillingham becomes UK’s latest one-and-done selection.
While others on the roster aren’t draft locks, it’s a safe bet roster churn will continue to push Wildcats to the transfer portal or draft.
It’s a group that includes two 7-footers (Zvonimir Ivišić and Ugonna Onyenso), three rising sophomores (Jordan Burks, Joey Hart and D.J. Wagner). The two big men, and Wagner (given his family’s relationship with Calipari, who also coached Wagner’s father, Dajuan Wagner, at Memphis), don’t seem candidates for another go-round in Lexington. Burks and Hart, who saw scant time last season, might elect to return if only because a path to playing time may be more feasible next season.
Then, of course, there’s Reed Sheppard. A projected lottery pick, the odds of him suiting up for a second season at Kentucky already seemed slim; given his passionate defense of Calipari following the NCAA Tournament loss to Oakland, it’s easy to conclude he’ll follow his now-former coach out the door.
But as an in-state hero, and son of two Kentucky basketball greats, does representing the program and lacing up the sneakers for the Bluegrass State’s most beloved team mean more to Sheppard than simply learning under Calipari? Even more than the riches that await in the NBA?
Sheppard and his family will have to tackle those questions in the days to come.
What will members of 2024 Kentucky recruiting class do?
Lyon County’s Travis Perry (11) reacts after hitting a clutch three-point shot against Ashland Blazer in the second half at the first round of the 2024 UK Healthcare KHSAA Boys’ Sweet 16 in Lexington. The UK signee finished with 16 points and five rebounds with five assists in the Lions’ 45-43 win Thursday. March 20, 2024
Prior to the Calipari-to-Arkansas news, the Wildcats were set to bring in yet another highly acclaimed recruiting class later this year. The five-man haul is ranked No. 2 nationally, per the 247Sports Composite rankings.
The five commits are:
When there’s a coaching change, the smart money always is on most, if not all, members of an incoming recruiting class being released from their national letters-of-intent to join the coach’s new school. Five-star small forward Karter Knox, whose older brother, Kevin Knox II, played under Calipari at Kentucky and was previously committed to the Wildcats, became the first to reopen his recruitment on Monday.
Given the plethora of playmaking guards Calipari has sent to the NBA, don’t be surprised if Fland becomes a Razorback. The same goes for Richmond, whose father, Billy Richmond Jr., played for Calipari at Memphis. Cyril might follow suit as well.
Of the five, the most likely to remain committed to UK is Perry, the all-time leading scorer in Kentucky high school history. Assuming the Wildcats’ next coach will have him, Perry staying in the Bluegrass and firing up the Rupp Arena crowd isn’t far-fetched.
Final thoughts on Kentucky basketball 2024-25 roster
Kentucky men’s basketball head coach John Calipari talks with Kentucky Wildcats guard Reed Sheppard (15) and Kentucky Wildcats guard D.J. Wagner (21) during the team’s win over Illinois State. Dec. 29, 2023
All 12 scholarship players, and the five commits, may wear different jerseys next season. Perhaps a few current Wildcats (Burks, Hart and Sheppard) and an incoming freshmen (Perry) will stick around to play for the new coach.
The best piece of advice for Kentucky fans next season: keep a program handy.
You’ll need it to learn all the new names and faces.