Alexander Brown
The Kentucky Wildcats have a new coach for the first time in 15 years, hiring former Kentucky player Mark Pope following John Calipari’s departure to Arkansas. Pope was captain of Lexington’s 1996 national title team and is the 23rd coach in program history. He has been a head coach for nine years, with stints at Utah Valley and BYU, winning at least 20 games in six of the last seven seasons. However, he has a new challenge on his hands as he tries to build a new Kentucky basketball roster from the college basketball transfer portal.
Kentucky lost its entire roster from last season after Calipari moved to Fayetteville, giving Pope a blank slate to work with. He has already added several key transfers and basketball recruits from Kentucky, but there are several other players who could commit in the coming days. If you love the Wildcats or just want the latest roster updates and news from the college basketball transfer portal, be sure to See what the proven team of experts is saying at CatsPause, the 247Sports affiliate covering Kentucky.
The team of insiders at CatsPause. with are providing up-to-date information on the latest information regarding the Kentucky basketball coaching transition and roster changes. CatsPause has built a solid reputation over its 20-plus years covering the Wildcats and has deeply rooted sources in and around the Kentucky athletic department. And now, CatsPause is offering 50% off your first year of annual subscription*, so now is the time to sign up.
The CatsPause team has complete coverage on who’s making and who’s making the Kentucky basketball roster. Head to CatsPause now for all the insider info.
Kentucky Basketball Roster Matches
Kentucky’s 2024-25 basketball roster is quickly starting to take shape, with Pope signing another key player earlier this week. San Diego State transfer Lamont Butler, last season’s Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year, committed to Kentucky as one of the top players in 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 played in 11 career NCAA Tournament games.
Kentucky’s defense already looks like a strong point, 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 two recruits signed, Travis Perry and Collin Chandler, and will welcome several visitors in the coming days. Join CatsPause for the latest on all of Kentucky’s roster changes.
Kentucky Basketball News, Roster
Commitments are pouring in for Pope now, as a trio of high-profile Kentucky basketball transfers chose the Wildcats over the weekend. San Diego State guard Lamont Butler joined Kentucky on Friday, while Oklahoma guard Otega Oweh committed on Saturday. Wake Forest forward Andrew Carr capped off an emotional weekend in Lexington by announcing his decision on Sunday.
Pope now has six players on his starting roster, as he has already made commitments from Drexel transfer Amari Williams and two recruits, Travis Perry and Collin Chandler. Butler and Williams were both recipients of the Defensive Player of the Year award in their respective conferences last season. Meanwhile, Carr averaged 13.5 points in 32.5 minutes last season, shooting 37.1% from 3-point range. Join CatsPause for the latest on all of Kentucky’s roster additions.
How to Get Insider Kentucky Basketball Roster Updates
Pope could also bring at least one big BYU player with him, so be sure to join CatsPause to see who it is and get the rest of the insider news.
Who are the top names Kentucky basketball is pursuing under coach Mark Pope, and which former BYU player could land in Lexington? Go to CatsPause to Get your inside scoop, all from a team of reporters with years of experience covering the Wildcats, and find out. And remember: CatsPause is offering 50% off the first year of an annual VIP membership*, so sign up now before it’s too late.
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