.jpg)
3 hours ago
1
The Kentucky Wildcats basketball team ended last season with a loss to their rival, Tennessee. It was their only defeat in three meetings with the Volunteers. That loss sent new head coach Mark Pope on a mission to upgrade his roster through the transfer portal—something Kentucky is well-positioned to do, thanks to one of the best NIL collectives in college basketball.
Pope’s first big addition from the portal was former Kentucky commit Jayden Quaintance, who is projected to be a top-10 pick in next year’s NBA Draft.
“We always liked Kentucky. He was committed there before John Calipari left for Arkansas, which is the reason we ended up at Arizona State. We were always hoping they’d come back around and recruit him. It didn’t make sense for Coach Pope last time, trying to take on one of Cal’s guys, but this time it really felt like he wanted him to be there,” his father told ESPN.
A major factor in Kentucky’s portal success is their strong NIL support. In today’s college basketball landscape, that makes a huge difference.
“I'm not sure anyone is gonna touch Kentucky's NIL payroll this season ... not even BYU,” Jeff Goodman wrote.
However, the final piece of the puzzle came when Otega Oweh announced he would be returning. Pope shared an emotional reaction when Oweh told him the news.
Follow The Sporting News on WhatsApp
“I think the pilot was about to throw me out — Tears came down my face. I knew how excited you are and how much you wanna play in that league, it’s a dream of a lifetime, that’s special stuff man. Now we’re back baby. He was super hyped until he heard about the conditioning tests,” Pope said.
Oweh broke out last season, establishing himself as one of Kentucky’s go-to players. This year, he’s aiming to lead the Wildcats to a standout season—both for the team and for his own development. Pope knows just how vital Oweh is to the program, and their strong bond clearly means a great deal to both of them.
English (US)