Kentucky basketball under Mark Pope: Transfer portal news, 2024 roster, targets, recruits by top UK experts
CatsPause has covered the Wildcats for years and reveals all the latest news about the Kentucky basketball roster under new head coach Mark Pope
Even with the Kentucky Derby in the rearview mirror and the PGA Championship taking place in Louisville next week, Kentucky Wildcats basketball is still the main driver of conversation in the Bluegrass State. The Kentucky Wildcats roster changed from longtime coach John Calipari to alum Mark Pope, with the latter departing his post at BYU. While Pope won a national championship at UK as a player in 1996, he’s never won an NCAA Tournament game in nine years as a head coach. He’s hoping to stockpile the Kentucky basketball team with top Kentucky basketball transfers and recruits to help him secure that first victory—as well as many more.
It’s not just a wish for Pope; it’s a requirement, as he inherited a Kentucky basketball team devoid of scholarship players due to eligibility expirations, NBA Draft declarations, and the college basketball transfer site. Although he has embraced the transfer portal to the fullest, replacing an entire Kentucky basketball squad will take time and effort. If you’re a die-hard Wildcat supporter or simply want to stay up to date on roster changes and college basketball transfer portal news, check out what the knowledgeable staff of insiders at CatsPause, a 247Sports affiliate that covers Kentucky, has to say.
The experts at CatsPause.com are giving fans the most recent information on the coaching change at Kentucky basketball and the adjustments to the team’s roster. Over the course of its more than 20 years of following the Wildcats, CatsPause has established a strong reputation and has deep connections within the Kentucky athletic department. It’s also the perfect moment to sign up because CatsPause is currently offering 50% off the first year of an annual subscription*.
The CatsPause staff is fully informed about the arrivals and departures from the Kentucky basketball team.Visit CatsPause right now to get all the exclusive content.
Kentucky basketball roster departures
The 2024-25 Kentucky basketball roster is quickly starting to take shape, as Pope landed another key player earlier this week. San Diego State transfer Lamont Butler, the Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year last season, committed to Kentucky as one of the top players from the college basketball transfer portal. He averaged has participated in 11 NCAA Tournament games in his career, averaging 9.3 points, 3.0 assists, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.5 steals in 27.6 minutes per game.
With the addition of three-time CAA Defensive Player of the Year Amari Williams earlier this month, Kentucky’s defense is already beginning to appear strong. During the previous season, he averaged 12.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.8 blocks per game for Drexel. Pope is also expecting a number of guests in the next few days, including two recruits who have committed, Travis Perry and Collin Chandler.Get up to date on all of Kentucky’s roster changes by subscribing to CatsPause.
Kentucky basketball news, roster
Not only did Calipari move to Fayetteville from Lexington, but five of his former Wildcat teammates did the same. Adou Thiero, a former 5-star prospect, was the most recent. He registered on the college basketball portal in late March and was still considering going back to Kentucky. Although UK did not keep him, it did sign the experienced Kerr Kriisa, who started his career at Arizona and played at West Virginia the previous year. Before averaging 11 points and 4.7 assists with WVU, Kriisa topped the Pac-12 in both assists per game and 3-pointers made during his final season with Arizona.
Kriisa will be complemented in the backcourt by a pair of freshmen in Travis Perry, who is the No. 6 point guard in 247Sports’ Class of 2024 rankings, and Collin Chandler, who is actually in the Class of 2022 but served a two-year mission following his initial BYU commitment to Pope. DJ Wagner, a former top-10 national recruit, is a guard that Big Blue Nation can very much count out returning to Lexington. Shortly after Calipari left for Arkansas, Wagner, who had been named an SEC All-Freshman with UK the previous year, entered the college basketball transfer list. Wagner has been in Arkansas with Calipari for about a month now, and it looks that he will not be going back to Kentucky this weekend, according to Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports.Get up to date on all of Kentucky’s roster additions by subscribing to CatsPause.
How to get insider Kentucky basketball roster updates
Pope could also be bringing at least one big-time BYU player with him, so be sure to join CatsPause to see who that is and get the rest of the insider roster news.
