Kentucky head coach Mark Pope has been getting hate from Big Blue Nation, the Wildcats’ boisterous and passionate fans, due to his underwhelming transfer portal activity so far.
Pope is feeling the pressure to deliver a talented roster and win after last season’s $22 million team failed to deliver on preseason expectations, losing in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
College Basketball World Clowns Mark Pope After Allen Graves Snubs Kentucky
Pope’s Wildcats had been linked to former Santa Clara forward Allen Graves, who declared for the NBA Draft and entered the transfer portal after a breakout freshman season. On Wednesday, Graves spoke to ESPN insider Jeff Borzello at the 2026 NBA Combine and revealed that Kentucky isn’t in his “top two” teams he’s considering if he returns to college.
“Former Santa Clara forward Allen Graves says the only two schools he’s had conversations with are LSU and Duke,” Borzello wrote. “He added that Kentucky has reached out to his agents, but Duke and LSU were his top two. Graves said he would prefer to stay in the NBA draft if he’s a first-rounder.”
This prompted some strong reactions from the college basketball world.
“Mark Pope WHIFF,” one Louisville podcaster wrote on X.
“Kentucky can’t stop catching strays,” added one college basketball writer and podcaster.
Radio host T.J. Walker argued that Pope must now shift his attention to Iowa State Cyclones forward Milan Momcilovic instead, tweeting, “Milan or bust.”
Fox Sports analyst Aaron Torres predicted Graves’ next destination.
“Would assume with what Duke has coming in, they are off the table. My guess on where Graves is playing next year: 1. NBA (Big gap) 2. LSU (Even bigger gap) 3. A non-Duke/LSU team getting involved,” Torres wrote.
Would assume with what Duke has coming in, they are off the table.
My guess on where Graves is playing next year:
1. NBA
(Big gap)
2. LSU
(Even bigger gap)
3. A non-Duke/LSU team getting involved https://t.co/fbYabhEde5
— Aaron Torres (@Aaron_Torres) May 13, 2026
One influencer speculated on the forward’s reluctance to join Kentucky, tweeting, “He hates Kentucky after the tournament. Don’t blame em honestly.”
This references the fact that Kentucky defeated Santa Clara 89-84 in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament, a game in which Graves contributed 17 points, 7 rebounds, and a block off the bench.
Last season for Santa Clara, Graves averaged 11.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 1.8 assists while shooting 51.2% shooting from the floor and 41.3% shooting from beyond the arc. The talented forward won both the WCC Sixth Man of the Year and WCC Freshman of the Year awards before declaring for the 2026 NBA Draft while maintaining his college basketball eligibility.
Outkick’s Trey Wallace revealed last month that 14 of the top-20 ranked prospects in the transfer portal had visited Kentucky, but none of them committed to Pope’s Wildcats. With five commitments so far, the Wildcats have the No. 12-ranked transfer portal class in the country, according to 247Sports.
