The Kentucky Wildcats lost to Iowa State in the second round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament in what was a disappointing season, especially considering the roster cost a reported $22 million.
Wildcats head coach Mark Pope is looking to retool his roster with some new players, especially after losing several key pieces in the transfer portal.
Kentucky HC Mark Pope Rebuilds Its Roster Through Transfer Portal
Pope and the Wildcats got some good news recently when Zoom Diallo and Alex Wilkins announced that they are transferring to Kentucky.
Diallo averaged 15.7 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game across 33 games (29 starts) with the Washington Huskies last season. He shot 48.9% from the field and 31.5% from outside the 3-point arc.
Wilkins is coming off a strong freshman year with Furman in which he averaged 17.8 points, 4.7 assists, 2.0 rebounds, and 0.8 steals per game while shooting 46.0% from the field.
The 6-foot-5 guard had a number of standout games last season, including against the eventual national championship runner-up UConn in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, scoring 21 points on 8-of-15 shooting from the field. He also had two 30-point games for the Paladins last year.
While Diallo and Wilkins are joining the program, Kentucky has also lost quite a few players in the transfer portal:
- Jaland Lowe
- Denzel Aberdeen
- Jasper Johnson
- Brandon Garrison
- Mo Dioubate
- Andrija Jelavic
- Collin Chandler
Lowe, a 6-foot-1 junior, averaged 8.0 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game across 9 games before needing season-ending surgery,
Garrison averaged 4.7 points per game in 36 games (including 5 starts), while shooting 55.6% from the field and 23.5% from beyond the 3-point arc
Aberdeen was part of the Florida Gators’ national championship team before joining Kentucky. He averaged 7.7 points and 1.7 rebounds over 39 games before deciding to return to Todd Golden’s Florida squad.
Chandler averaged 9.7 points, 2.8 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 2.0 3-pointers, and 1.2 steals. He shot 43.5% from the field, 41.0% from 3-point range, and 83.3% from the free-throw line.
Given the amount of roster turnover, Pope still has his work cut out for him in the portal. Diallo and Wilkins are a good start, but Pope is currently trying to find additional reinforcements, with Donnie Freeman and Sebastian Rancik among the names being linked to the Wildcats. Last season, Kentucky posted a 22-14 overall record, including 10-8 in SEC play.
Kentucky is one of the top blue-blood programs in college basketball, so expectations are always extremely high. Now, all eyes are on Pope to see if he can assemble a juggernaut that can contend for a national championship.
