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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 recruits and transfers to aid him in getting that first win, and many more.
It’s not just a hope for Pope, it’s a mandate as thanks to eligibility expirations, declarations to the NBA Draft and the college basketball transfer portal, Pope inherited a Kentucky basketball roster with zero scholarship players. He’s fully embraced the transfer portal, but there’s still plenty of work to do to replace an entire Kentucky basketball lineup. If you love the Wildcats, or just want the latest roster updates and college basketball transfer portal news, be sure to see what the proven team of insiders are saying at CatsPause, the 247Sports affiliate that covers Kentucky.
The team of insiders at CatsPause.com are providing up-to-the-minute scoop on the latest intel surrounding the Kentucky basketball coaching transition and roster changes. CatsPause has built a solid reputation over its 20+ years covering the Wildcats, and has deep-rooted sources inside and around the Kentucky athletic department. And right now, CatsPause is offering 50% off the first year of an annual subscriptions*, so now is the time to sign up.
The team at CatsPause has full coverage of who is coming and who is going on the Kentucky basketball roster. Head to CatsPause now to see all the insider info.
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 9.3 points, 3.0 assists, 2.6 rebounds and 1.5 steals in 27.6 minutes per game and has played in 11 career NCAA Tournament games.
Kentucky’s defense is already looking like a strength, as three-time CAA Defensive Player of the Year Amari Williams also committed earlier this month. He averaged 12.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.8 blocks per game for Drexel last season. Pope also has a pair of recruits committed in Travis Perry and Collin Chandler and is hosting multiple visitors in the coming days. Join CatsPause to see the latest on all of Kentucky’s roster changes.
Kentucky basketball news, roster
Calipari wasn’t the only one to leave Lexington for Fayetteville, as five of his former Wildcats did the same. The latest was Adou Thiero, a former 5-star prospect who entered the college basketball portal in late March but still had returning to Kentucky as a possibility. While UK didn’t retain him, it did land the well-travelled Kerr Kriisa, who began his career at Arizona before playing last year at West Virginia. Kriisa led the Pac-12 in both assists per game and made 3-pointers in his last year with Arizona before averaging 11 points and 4.7 assists with WVU.
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 after originally committing to Pope at BYU. A guard who Big Blue Nation can all but rule out coming back to Lexington is former top-10 national recruit DJ Wagner. After making SEC All-Freshman with UK last year, Wagner put his name into the college basketball transfer shortly after Calipari left for Arkansas. After nearly a month there, CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein reports that Wagner will visit Calipari and Arkansas this weekend as it appears that returning to Kentucky is no longer an option. Join CatsPause to get the latest on all of Kentucky’s roster additions.
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.
Who are the top names Kentucky basketball is pursuing under coach Mark Pope, and what former BYU player could land in Lexington? Go to CatsPause to see their insider information, all from a team of reporters with years of experience covering the Wildcats, and find out. And reminder, CatsPause is offering 50% off the first year of an annual VIP membership*, so subscribe now before it’s too late.
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