.jpg)
3 hours ago
1
The Kentucky basketball program is coming off a solid first year under head coach Mark Pope. The Wildcats reached the Sweet Sixteen, where they fell to the Tennessee Volunteers—despite having beaten them twice during the regular season. With most of their roster graduating, Pope knew his top priority this offseason was to aggressively target the transfer portal.
The goal in the portal is to bring in players who will elevate your roster from the previous season, and it's safe to say Kentucky has done just that. The Wildcats secured Jayden Quaintance early in the portal process, which, according to reports, came down to finances.
“And you know he’ll ask for a major NIL package, likely in the $2+ million range, which could complicate things for Kentucky, who has already recruited and missed out on another big man,” wrote Jason Marcum.
This is particularly relevant given Kentucky’s most recent commitment, Denzel Abderdeen, who also reportedly wanted a larger financial package. That was the main reason he left Florida, despite being in line to start for the defending national champions.
“Denzel Abderdeen's departure had little to do with the addition of Princeton transfer PG Xaivian Lee and was far more about finances/NIL,” Jeff Goodman wrote.
With Abderdeen’s commitment, Pope and his staff have wrapped up their recruiting for this cycle, finalizing next season’s roster.
“Barring any portal defections, Kentucky has ended its pursuits of all other portal targets, sources told CBS Sports. Getting Aberdeen today meant they've moved off Andrej Stojakovic, Rylen Griffen, etc. Otega Oweh going through pre-draft process—but I expect him back in Lex,” Matt Norlander posted.
Pope is aiming to take Kentucky beyond the Sweet Sixteen in year two, and he’s making his intentions clear by assembling one of the deepest rosters in the SEC. Since arriving in Lexington, Pope hasn’t allowed the Wildcats to miss a step following John Calipari’s departure.
English (US)