LEXINGTON — After assuming the reins of his alma mater, coach Mark Pope had to build the Kentucky basketball roster from scratch. The dozen scholarship players who were part of the 2023-24 team? All of them left. Some because their college eligibility was up. Others departed for the NBA draft or transfer portal.
Pope shouldn’t have quite as much heavy lifting heading into Year 2.
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That’s because four players could return from last season.
Three already have publicly stated they’ll be back: Forward Brandon Garrison announced April 12 he’d return for his junior season, with rising sophomores Collin Chandler and Trent Noah doing the same April 17 and April 18, respectively. UK now is awaiting a decision from leading scorer Otega Oweh, who is going through the NBA draft process but could return to college.
The Wildcats have signed two high school prospects in the 2025 recruiting cycle — which had been three before four-star guard Acaden Lewis decommitted April 10. The class rose back to three once more April 12, when Croatian forward Andrija Jelavic gave his pledge.
UK must replace its seven-member senior class. Only one of them will play college hoops during the 2025-26 campaign, though: Kerr Kriisa revealed March 31 he would enter the transfer portal (and found his new team April 6).
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Pope and his staff already have six portal players in the fold for next season: Former Tulane wing Kam Williams committed March 28. Ex-Pittsburgh guard Jaland Lowe joined April 5. Then the Wildcats landed commitments on back-to-back days: Former Alabama forward Mouhamed Dioubate gave his pledge April 7, with former Arizona State forward Jayden Quaintance following April 8. Ex-Florida guard Denzel Aberdeen cast his lot with UK on April 21. And former Miami (Ohio) center Reece Potter pledged May 5.
Bookmark this page as The Courier Journal tracks offseason news related to UK’s 2025-26 roster.
Which Kentucky basketball players entered NCAA transfer portal?
Feb 19, 2025; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Kentucky Wildcats guard Kerr Kriisa poses for a photo after the game against the Vanderbilt Commodores at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images
G Kerr Kriisa (6-foot-5, 185 pounds, Fifth-year Sr.): Kriisa appeared in UK’s first nine games of the 2024-25 season … and that was all she wrote for the Estonian. A foot injury suffered in the team’s overtime win over Gonzaga on Dec. 7 simply never healed to the point he was cleared to return to the floor. While he said March 31 he’d put his name into the transfer portal, 11 days before that, Kriisa pondered the possibility of heading back overseas to start his professional career. Kriisa averaged 4.4 points, 2.4 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game for the Wildcats; his assist average ranked No. 2 on the team behind fellow point guard Lamont Butler (4.3). On April 6, on his personal Instagram account, Kriisa announced he had committed to Cincinnati. UC will be his fourth school in six seasons. Kriisa started his college career at Arizona (2020-21 through 2022-23) before moving on to West Virginia (2023-24) and then Kentucky.
G Travis Perry (6-foot-1, 188 pounds, Fr.): Perry was a consistent presence for the Wildcats last season, appearing in 31 of the team’s 36 games. When UK was hampered by injuries in the backcourt, the in-state star moved into the lineup, starting four times. But the all-time leading scorer in Kentucky high school basketball history found points harder to come by in his first season at the college level: Perry averaged 2.7 points per game. (In addition, he averaged 0.8 rebounds and 0.6 assists in 9.7 minutes per outing.) Coincidentally, his two best scoring performances came against the same team: Alabama. Perry had a career-high 12 points in a loss to the Crimson Tide on Feb. 22. Then he had 11 points against UA in a lopsided loss in the SEC Tournament on March 14. Perry put his name into the transfer portal on April 22, the final day the window was open. He committed to Kentucky (and former coach John Calipari) in November 2023. At that time, Perry picked UK over his four other finalists: Alabama, Cincinnati, Ole Miss and Western Kentucky. Prior to his transfer decision, Perry had been the only remaining connection linking the end of Calipari’s reign to the beginning of Pope’s tenure. Perry will remain in the SEC: He committed to Ole Miss on May 4.
Which UK basketball players have exhausted their college eligibility?
Kentucky’s Lamont Butler, right, and Andrew Carr watch the NCAA Tournament Selection Show inside Rupp Arena Sunday night. March 16, 2025
Here are the six Kentucky seniors who have played their final collegiate games:
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F Ansley Almonor (6-foot-7, 244 pounds)
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G Koby Brea (6-foot-7, 215 pounds)
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G Lamont Butler (6-foot-2, 208 pounds)
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F Andrew Carr (6-foot-11, 235 pounds)
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G Jaxson Robinson (6-foot-6, 192 pounds)
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C Amari Williams (7 foot, 262 pounds)
Which UK basketball players could be back next season?
Mar 21, 2025; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Kentucky Wildcats guard Otega Oweh (00) gestures during the second half against the Troy Trojans at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images
This section will be updated as Kentucky players announce whether they plan to return to Lexington for the 2025-26 season.
Here are the four players who might be back with the Wildcats:
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G Collin Chandler (6-foot-5, 202 pounds)
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F Brandon Garrison (6-foot-11, 250 pounds)
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G Trent Noah (6-foot-5, 220 pounds)
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G Otega Oweh (6-foot-4, 215 pounds)
What to know: Garrison became the first member of the above quintet to make an official proclamation regarding his intentions for next season, posting a video on his personal Instagram account April 12 that he’d be back with the Wildcats. Included with the video was a hashtag that read, “Unfinished business.”
On April 17, Chandler posted on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. His post included a GIF of Keanu Reeves, in his role as John Wick, with the caption, “Yeah, I’m thinking I’m back.”
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Noah previously had made the most definitive statement of the freshman triumvirate.
“Kentucky, this is my dream school,” he told The Courier Journal on March 28, shortly after the team’s season-ending loss to Tennessee. “I don’t want to put on any other jersey besides this one. So, yeah, (being back next season) is the plan, for sure.”
True to his word, Noah announced April 18 on X he’ll return for his sophomore season, posting a highlight reel of some of his best plays from the 2024-25 campaign. Playing over the highlights was a Drake song, “9.” In this case, the song title had a double meaning: Noah wears No. 9, and the Wildcats are pursuing their their ninth national championship — which the video referenced at the end, as the words, “Still chasing 9” flashed across the screen.
A rising senior, Oweh announced April 15 he was declaring for the NBA draft while maintaining his college eligibility.
Which players are joining Kentucky basketball from transfer portal?
Mar 15, 2025; Fort Worth, TX, USA; Memphis Tigers guard Colby Rogers (3) controls the ball as Tulane Green Wave guard Kam Williams (3) defends during the first half at Dickies Arena. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Images
G Denzel Aberdeen (6-foot-5, 190 pounds): Abeerden played in 83 games the past three seasons at Florida, with five starts — all of which came in consecutive fashion — in February 2025 (Feb. 4-18, in 2024-25. Included in that stretch was his best performance as a collegian, scoring a game- and career-high 22 points in an 88-67 win over South Carolina on Feb. 15. Aberdeen has posted year-over-year gains in points, rebounds and assists per game in his three seasons with the Gators. A native of Orlando, Florida, Aberdeen was a three-star prospect in the 2022 class, per the 247Sports Composite, ranking 150th nationally and 20th among recruits in the Sunshine State. Aberdeen was the fifth transfer portal player to pledge to UK, committing April 21.
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F Mouhamed Dioubate (6-foot-7, 215 pounds): Dioubate was a key component off the bench for the Crimson Tide the past two seasons. Every game he appeared in, 70 in all, were as a reserve. In those two seasons, Alabama combined to go 53-21, advancing to the first Final Four in program history in 2023-24 and bowing out in the Elite Eight this past season. While he averaged only 2.9 points and 2.4 rebounds per game as a freshman, Dioubate improved on those figures as a sophomore, contributing 7.2 points and 5.9 rebounds per outing. Hailing from Queens, New York, Dioubate was a four-star prospect in the 2023 class, per the 247Sports Composite rankings. He was the No. 25 power forward nationally that year. Dioubate announced his commitment to UK on April 7.
G Jaland Lowe (6-foot-3, 175 pounds): Lowe showcased his scoring prowess with regularity the past two seasons at Pittsburgh. In 63 appearances during that span, he totaled 10-plus points 43 times. That includes a dozen 20-plus-point outings, with a high of 28 in an overtime win at Ohio State. But he’s far more than just a scorer, as he posted only the sixth triple-double in the Panthers’ record book after totaling 11 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists in a win over VMI. Lowe netted All-ACC third-team laurels in 2024-25 after averaging 16.8 points, 5.5 assists, 4.2 rebounds and 1.8 steals per game. He committed to UK on April 5.
C Reece Potter (7-foot-1, 215 pounds): Potter appeared in 56 games in two seasons at Miami of Ohio, with 11 starts. All of those starts occurred during his freshman campaign (2023-24), however, as he came off the bench in the 30 games he participated in last season. He finished his time with the RedHawks with averages of 6.3 points and 3.4 rebounds in 15.7 minutes per outing. His height belies his long-range touch, as he’s a knock-down shooter beyond the 3-point arc. Potter has made 39.8% (37 for 93) of his 3-point attempts as a collegian, including 45.5% (15 of 33) in 2023-24. He committed to the Wildcats on May 5. It will be a homecoming for Potter: He’s from Lexington and was a standout for Lexington Catholic High School. He averaged 17.9 points and 8.7 rebounds per game during his senior season, guiding the team to a 32-3 overall record. A statewide vote of boys basketball coaches placed Potter on the The Courier Journal’s Kentucky All-State first team for the 2022-23 KHSAA season.
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F Jayden Quaintance (6-foot-9, 225 pounds): Quaintance is no stranger to UK and its fan base: In November 2023, he committed to the Wildcats, at a time when longtime coach John Calipari still held the keys to the program. But once Calipari relinquished his post to take over at Arkansas, Quaintance’s interest in Kentucky dissipated. He received a release from his national letter of intent and signed with Arizona State. One of the most highly regarded prospects in the 2024 class, Quaintance played up to the billing last season — when healthy. Multiple injuries limited him to only 24 games during the 2024-25 campaign. But he excelled when he was on the court, leading the Big 12 in blocks per game (2.6) and topping the Sun Devils in rebounds per outing (7.9) en route to netting All-Defensive Team and All-Freshman Team laurels from conference head coaches. Quaintance played all of last season as a 17-year-old, making him the youngest player in college hoops. His immense potential makes him one of the most captivating players in the sport next season; ESPN has Quaintance going off the board among the top five picks in the 2026 NBA Draft. He was UK’s fourth transfer portal commitment this offseason, giving his pledge April 8.
G/F Kam Williams (6-foot-8, 195 pounds): Williams became the first transfer commitment for the Wildcats’ 2025-26 squad on March 28, hours before the team’s Big Dance battle versus Tennessee. An uber-athletic wing, Williams averaged 9.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 1 block per game for Tulane during the 2024-25 season. He also was an All-American Athletic Conference Freshman Team selection after pacing the Green Wave in 3-point percentage (41.2; 63 for 153).
Which recruits have committed to Mark Pope and UK basketball?
Great Crossing’s Malachi Moreno (24) jumped in to a section of fans after the won the KHSAA Boys Basketball Championship game Saturday night. March 29, 2025
F Andrija Jelavic (6-foot-11, 220 pounds): One of the NBA draft’s best international prospects who played in Europe in 2024-25, the 20-year-old Jelavic joined UK’s 2025 recruiting class April 12. A Croatian, Jelavic has spent the past two seasons with Mega Superbet, a Serbian team that is part of the Adriatic League. During his 53 appearances with Mega Superbet, he averaged 10.8 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.2 steals in 30 minutes per game. Last season, Jelavic connected on more than half of his field-goal attempts (50.3; 92 for 183), with a conversion rate of 32.3 (21 of 65) on 3-pointers.
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G Jasper Johnson (6-foot-4, 174 pounds): Johnson, a Lexington native, is a UK legacy. His father, Dennis Johnson, once starred for the Wildcats’ football team along the defensive line. (The elder Johnson now is Woodford County’s athletics director and head football coach.) Jasper Johnson committed to Kentucky on Sept. 5 during a ceremony at Woodford County High. Jasper led Woodford County to the KHSAA Sweet 16 in 2023 — the school’s first appearance in the event since 1986 — before transferring to national prep powerhouse Link Academy. He finished his last season of high school basketball competing in the Overtime Elite league in Atlanta. Johnson is considered a five-star prospect by ESPN, while Rivals, 247Sports and On3 gave him four stars. Per the 247Sports Composite, Johnson ranks No. 18 nationally — and No. 5 among shooting guards — in the 2025 cycle.
C Malachi Moreno (6-foot-11, 230 pounds): Moreno got the Wildcats’ 2025 recruiting class off the ground Aug. 19, announcing his commitment during a ceremony at Great Crossing High in Georgetown. Now a McDonald’s All-American, Moreno was named Kentucky’s 2025 Mr. Basketball after averaging 21.5 points, 14.8 rebounds, 3.6 blocks and 3.5 assists per game during the regular season. He then propelled the school to its first state title in boys basketball, tallying 24 points, 15 rebounds and three blocks against Bowling Green in the championship game of the UK HealthCare Sweet 16 at Rupp Arena. Not surprisingly, Moreno won the Sweet 16 MVP award. Moreno entered the Sweet 16 with 2,392 points and 1,896 rebounds during his high school career, which began when he still was an eighth grader. Moreno clocks in as the No. 27 player nationally in 2025, per the 247Sports Composite — and the No. 2 center.
Reach Kentucky men’s basketball and football reporter Ryan Black at rblack@gannett.com and follow him on X at @RyanABlack.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Kentucky basketball transfer portal moves, Mark Pope recruiting news
