Kentucky views Chaz Lanier as the missing piece. What happens if he doesn’t pick the Cats?
The Kentucky Wildcats scored another transfer pledge Thursday, landing Fairleigh Dickinson forward Ansley Almonor.
Almonor will be a valuable reserve player on Mark Pope’s opening roster, but Kentucky still has a huge fish it hopes to catch in the next few days. The main targets are guards Wooga Poplar of the Miami Hurricanes, Chaz Lanier of North Florida, and Jaxson Robinson of BYU. Since all three are experimenting with the NBA Draft, it may take a few weeks before judgments are made in relation to the NCAA withdrawal deadline on May 29.
We have information on all three transfers in the meantime.
First off, according to Jon Rothstein, Poplar is visiting Villanova and intends to travel to Oregon. One of the favorites, if not the front-runner, for the Philadelphia native is thought to be Villanova.
Adam Zagoria was recently informed by Poplar’s father that although his son had intended to visit Kentucky, it had not yet occurred. It’s not like Poplar needs to travel to Lexington for the Cats to have a chance, either; Kentucky managed to sign players like Lamont Butler and Brandon Garrison without their presence.
After Chaz Lanier finishes his own pro day, which is taking place elsewhere today, maybe some action will follow.
Kentucky and Tennessee seem to be the front-runners, and if Lanier decides to go back to school, this is a real toss-up.
Jamie Shaw of On3 provided an update on Lanier’s recruitment and explained why Kentucky has been putting a lot of effort into luring the elite shooter.
“Speaking of Kentucky, sources close to the recruitment tell me that the Wildcats have gone all in on Lanier. Some have suggested he is their top option left on the board. Sources have indicated that the staff likes Lanier’s ability to score and feels he is the missing piece to the roster they have built,” Shaw wrote.
Who will ultimately win out? As of now, Shaw does think Kentucky may have a slight edge, but again, it’s far too close to call and could easily go in favor of the Vols.
“While I am told Tennessee carried the early momentum, Kentucky prioritizing Lanier has made up a lot of ground during his hiring. Although one source close to the recruitment and recency bias would give Kentucky the tiny advantage in this case, other sources would argue that it is now too close to call,” Shaw said.
You might be wondering why, given Jackson Robinson’s continued presence, Kentucky appears to be fully committed to Lanier. He is, after all, a player that Pope actually directed for two seasons and who won the Big 12 Sixth Man of the Year award in 2024.
Now, here’s the situation. Robinson wants to play in the NBA, and it appears increasingly likely that he will be selected in the second round of what is generally considered to be a historically weak draft class.
He tested quite well for a guard and is presently participating in the NBA Draft Combine.
Robinson is certain to remain in the draft; yet, should he decide to return to school, will Kentucky be selected?
Not necessary, since Robinson is now receiving a lot of support from Kansas. Following Riley Kugel’s departure, the Jayhawks are seeking to recruit another perimeter player. Having played against Robinson in the Big 12 the previous two seasons, Bill Self is well acquainted with the player.
So Kentucky isn’t the sure thing it once was, even if Robinson decides to return to college.
My current prediction is that Robinson will remain in the draft.
