Kentucky Basketball Roster Tracker: Dickinson to Kansas, Ware to the portal

by:KSR•05/04/23

It’s been a newsy day for Kentucky Basketball’s 2023-24 roster. Hunter Dickinson tipped things off by announcing his commitment to Kansas, ending weeks of speculation that he would be a Kentucky Wildcat. About 20 minutes later, Kentucky’s frontcourt took another hit when junior Lance Ware announced he was entering the transfer portal. While Ware played sparingly in his three seasons in Lexington, he was a reliable reserve, providing valuable minutes as an experienced enforcer.

Now, all eyes turn to Oscar Tshiebwe, who is still testing the waters of the NBA Draft. Even if he returns to Kentucky, the Cats could use more depth on the inside to accompany rising sophomore Ugonna Onyenso and incoming freshman Aaron Bradshaw. That could come in the form of 6-11, 235 lbs. North Dakota State transfer Grant Nelson, whom the staff reportedly reached out to earlier this week.

What about the rest of the roster? Given today’s events, the only players we know will be back are Onyenso, Adou Thiero, and Brennan Canada. Oscar, Antonio Reeves, and Chris Livingston continue to go through the NBA Draft process, while Daimion Collins and Ware are pursuing their transfer portal options. The portal closes on May 11, meaning that players must decide if they’re leaving their current schools in the next week. There is no deadline for players to commit to their next school, so we could be waiting for those decisions into June.

Here’s an updated look at where we stand with Kentucky’s 2023-24 roster and what Jack Pilgrim is hearing behind the scenes. Previous intel will be marked as such, with new updates highlighted in red.

Important Dates/Deadlines

April 23: NBA Early Entry Deadline
May 11: Transfer Portal closes (Date by which players must tell their school they’re leaving)
May 14-21: NBA Draft Combine
May 31: NCAA “Stay or Go” Deadline
June 22: 2023 NBA Draft

LEAVING (Confirmed)

Jacob Toppin (F, Sr.) – NBA DRAFT – On March 31, Toppin announced he is declaring the NBA Draft and forgoing his eligibility. In his senior season at Kentucky, Toppin moved into a starting role and flourished, doubling his point and rebounding totals. He is not listed on any of the major mock drafts.

2022-23 season: 12.4 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 2.2 APG, 31.5 MPG
2021-22 season: 6.2 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 17.7 MPG
2020-21 season: 5.2 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 17.1 MPG

Cason Wallace (G, Fr.) – NBA DRAFT – As expected, Cason Wallace announced on April 1 he will enter the draft and stay in. A projected lottery pick, Wallace was hampered by injuries throughout his freshman season, but still shined, especially after assuming the starting point guard role.

2022-23 season: 11.7 PPG, 4.3 APG, 3.7 RPG, 2.0 SPG, 32.1 MPG

Sahvir Wheeler (PG, Sr.) – TRANSFER PORTAL → Washington – Wheeler entered the transfer portal on March 27, bringing his two-year career in Lexington to an end. He committed to Washington on April 26. Due to injuries, he only played 21 games this season, eventually as a backup to Cason Wallace. John Calipari confirmed that Wheeler wants one more season elsewhere as a fresh start.

2022-23 season: 7.7 PPG, 5.6 APG, 2.3 RPG, 28.5 MPG
2021-22 season: 10.1 PPG, 6.9 APG, 2.6 RPG, 31.2 MPG

CJ Fredrick (G, R. Sr.) – TRANSFER PORTAL → Cincinnati – Fredrick announced on April 21 that he is entering the transfer portal. He committed to Cincinnati on April 24. After missing the 2021-22 season with a left hamstring injury, Fredrick battled injuries throughout the 2022-23 season too. The former Iowa transfer appeared in 27 games this season, missing time due to a dislocated finger and cracked ribs.

2022-23 season: 6.1 PPG (35.1% FG, 31.8% 3PT), 1.5 APG, 22.2 MPG

TRANSFER PORTAL

Daimion Collins (F, So.) – TRANSFER PORTAL – Collins entered the transfer portal on April 21. He was primed for a breakout sophomore season before life stepped in the way. In early November, Collins’ father, Ben, unexpectedly passed away while visiting his son in Lexington. After taking some time with his family, Collins returned to the team and slowly worked his way into the rotation.

2022-23 season: 1.9 PPG, 1.9 RPG, 0.4 BPG, 7.9 MPG
2021-22 season: 2.9 PPG, 2.0 RPG, 0.7 BPG, 7.5 MPG

Pilgrim’s Intel (4/21): Despite the month-long wait, a transfer has been the expectation with Collins from the beginning. He developed a strong support system in Lexington and if it were a basketball decision alone, he would have returned. But after losing his dad to open the season, then his grandfather this offseason, this is bigger than basketball and family comes first. A move home to Texas puts him in position to be there for his mother and sisters.

Houston and Texas are the early favorites, but he’ll have a long list of interested suitors.

Lance Ware (F, Jr.) – Ware surprised many in the BBN when he entered the transfer portal on May 4. In his third year at Kentucky, Ware continued to play a reserve role as Kentucky’s enforcer and was named a team captain alongside Jacob Toppin in the postseason.

2022-23 season: 2.0 PPG, 2.0 RPG, 9.9 MPG
2021-22 season: 1.5 PPG, 1.9 RPG, 6.3 MPG
2020-21 season: 2.0 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 12.1 MPG

Pilgrim’s Intel: Averaging just 9.2 minutes per contest across three seasons at UK, opportunity is the name of the game with Ware, as John Calipari made clear in his goodbye message to the junior forward. He’s welcome back to Lexington “if he doesn’t find the opportunity he’s looking for,” just like we saw with Ugonna Onyenso. A four-star recruit out of high school, Ware originally chose Kentucky over Miami, Michigan, Ohio State and Providence.

He spent three years being the ultimate team player and positive locker room presence. For his final two seasons of eligibility, though, he’d like to find an expanded role elsewhere.

TESTING

Oscar Tshiebwe (C, Sr.) – Oscar announced on April 7 he will test the waters of the NBA Draft. The reigning national player of the year returned to Kentucky for a senior year, but a preseason knee procedure prevented him from reaching full health until midway through. That said, we still got glimpses of his dominant form, and, of course, huge heart. Although his NBA stock is not high, Oscar was Kentucky’s biggest NIL earner this past season.

2022-23 season: 16.5 PPG, 13.7 RPG, 1.6 SPG, 1.6 APG, 1.0 BPG, 33.5 MPG
2021-22 season: 17.4 PPG, 15.1 RPG, 1.8 SPG, 1.6 BPG, 31.9 MPG

Pilgrim’s Intel: Kentucky’s star center is still in the midst of testing the draft waters, currently working out for NBA teams with a few more to go. From there, Tshiebwe will sit down and make a final decision. He has wanted to turn pro if the right opportunity presented itself, but early feedback has been lukewarm, at best. Teams believe he could find a role on a roster thanks to his niche as an elite rebounder, but it’d be a grind to get there. A guaranteed deal could move the needle in favor of the NBA, but that’s not likely at this point.

Meanwhile, Hunter Dickinson is headed to Kansas and there is a clear spot available for Tshiebwe in the Kentucky frontcourt. Making seven figures with NIL, he’d make more back in Lexington next season than he would in the NBA based on current projections — undrafted with an outside shot at the late second round. There won’t be any financial or role guarantees, but both sides are growing more open to the possibility of a third and final season at UK for the former national player of the year.

Antonio Reeves (G, Sr.) – Reeves announced on April 4 he will test the waters of the NBA Draft, leaving open the option to return. In his first season in Lexington, the Illinois State transfer was Kentucky’s second-leading scorer and, by season’s end, carried the Cats offensively on more than one occasion.

2022-23 season: 14.4 PPG (41.6% FG, 39.8% 3PT), 2.1 RPG, 1.1 APG, 27.9 MPG

Pilgrim’s Intel: John Calipari has encouraged the 22-year-old to explore the draft and receive feedback from NBA franchises, a process that is well underway. The expectation remains that the dynamic scorer will be strongly encouraged to consider a return to Kentucky. And that’s a path Reeves and those around him are happy to take advantage of.

Reeves is not interested in grinding things out in the G-League with minimal financial return, certainly not when NIL is available in Lexington with one final year of eligibility. NBA teams are pessimistic the 6-foot-6 guard will be drafted and would struggle to find a two-way deal, a reality Reeves embraces. The draft process, though, will allow him to learn what he needs to work on before ultimately returning to Kentucky. And assuming NIL makes sense and a similar role remains on the table, all sides involved expect that to be the final decision for the native of Chicago.

Make good money, develop with another season under Coach Cal, and make a push for the draft next summer in a weak class overall. That’s the ongoing expectation.

Chris Livingston (F, Fr.) – Livingston declared for the Draft on April 12, with UK adding that he will maintain his eligibility as he goes through the evaluation process. Livingston’s development was one of the storylines of the second half of the season. The five-star freshman hit his stride in February, playing at least 32 minutes in 11 straight games to finish the season and scoring in double figures in five of those contests. By season’s end, he was one of the key pieces of Kentucky’s lineup and could be again next year.

2022-23 season: 6.3 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 0.7 APG, 22.4 MPG

Pilgrim’s Intel: Livingston’s decision has been a battle between Kentucky’s optimism and pessimism among NBA teams and those in national basketball circles regarding the chances he returns for a sophomore campaign. The Wildcats have been recruiting him back to school from the start of the offseason and have always felt they had a shot to get him back. Basically everyone else, though, believed his goal was to keep his name in the draft or enter the transfer portal.

Which side will win out? Things had been quiet in recent weeks, but whispers of a potential return to Lexington have grown — even if by a hair — on Kentucky’s side. Outside parties remain skeptical, but it’s the start of some movement one way or the other.

In conversations with those close to Livingston, it was made clear that the former five-star is more productive than he was able to show in his debut season in Lexington. And should he decide to return to Kentucky, some assurances would likely need to be made that the same loyalty Calipari has shown to other returning players in the past would also be offered to him. Now or next offseason, his priority is turning his NBA dreams into reality.

The college withdrawal deadline is scheduled for May 31.

STAYING

Brennan Canada (G, Sr.) – Canada announced on March 30 he will use the NCAA’s extra year of eligibility for COVID relief to return for a super-senior season. After three and a half seasons as a walk-on, the Mt. Sterling (KY) native earned a scholarship from John Calipari in January 2023. He provides invaluable leadership as a teammate in practice and off the court.

Ugonna Onyenso (F, Fr.) – Onyenso entered the transfer portal on April 5 but removed his name on April 12, announcing he will return to school. He was a late addition to the roster and came to Lexington with the intent of using his freshman year to learn under Oscar Tshiebwe and Kentucky’s other bigs to prepare for the 2023-24 season. Onyenso never really cracked Kentucky’s rotation but when he did play, showed flashes of promise.

2022-23 season: 2.5 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 1.0 BPG, 6.9 MPG

Pilgrim’s Intel (4/13): The 6-foot-11 center officially withdrew from the transfer portal and announced his return to Kentucky on April 12, a major win for the Wildcats after a difficult back-and-forth with those in Onyenso’s camp. At the end of the day, the freshman out of Owerri, Nigeria wanted to be in Lexington all along and believes in John Calipari’s vision for his future. Those around Onyenso explored NIL possibilities elsewhere in hopes of cashing in on the standout defender’s upside, but quickly realized the money he was already making at Kentucky, along with the anticipated role he’s expected to have in year two, simply didn’t compare.

Adou Thiero (G, Fr.) – Thiero is the son of Almamy Thiero, who played for John Calipari at Memphis (2002-05). A late bloomer, the four-star prospect caught Calipari’s eye in March 2022 and committed to Kentucky in May. Thiero played sparingly this season but was thrust into a featured role late in the year due to injuries in the backcourt. It’s assumed he will return to Kentucky for a sophomore season, but nothing has been announced.

2022-23 season: 2.3 PPG, 1.9 RPG, 0.5 SPG, 0.4 APG, 9.7 MPG

Pilgrim’s Intel:: The freshman guard’s father, Almamy Thiero, previously told KSR his son is expected to return to Kentucky for his sophomore campaign. No official announcement has been made, but Kentucky expects Thiero back in 2023-24.

COMING IN

Aaron Bradshaw (C, HS) – Bradshaw committed to Kentucky during his visit to Big Blue Madness in October 2022. The versatile 7-footer is teammates with fellow future Cat DJ Wagner and showed off some impressive shooting skills in practices at the McDonald’s All-American Game, which could back up his comments that John Calipari plans to use him at the three-position at Kentucky.

2022-23 season (HS): 12.0 PPG, 9.4 RPG, 2.4 BPG

Pilgrim’s Intel: There were role and style of play concerns for Klutch during Kentucky’s pursuit of Hunter Dickinson, leading to some behind-the-scenes speculation that Bradshaw could ultimately decide to explore his other options. The Michigan transfer’s commitment to Kansas should put some of those worries to rest.

Robert Dillingham (CG, OTE) – Dillingham is taking a different path to Lexington than his fellow freshmen. The five-star combo guard left Kanye West’s Donda Academy for Overtime Elite in November 2022. As such, he wasn’t eligible to play in the all-star circuit with the rest of the signees.

2022-23 season (OTE): 14.7 PPG, 4.9 APG, 3.5 RPG, 2.5 SPG

Pilgrim’s Intel: Dillingham has been certified as an academic qualifier by the NCAA, pending high school graduation. OTE received official paperwork indicating the five-star guard’s transcripts have been approved, clearing the way for his enrollment at Kentucky.

Justin Edwards (SF, HS) – Edwards chose Kentucky over rival Tennessee last July. The crafty wing led Imhotep Charter to its second straight state championship. He is the highest-ranked member of Kentucky’s 2023 class per the On3 Industry Ratings and hasn’t shied away from high expectations for next year’s team, telling reporters at the McDonald’s All-American Game that the incoming freshmen believe they can lead the Cats to a title.

2022-23 season (HS): 17.9 PPG (57.8% FG, 34.1% 3PT), 7.5 RPG

Reed Sheppard (CG, HS) – The North Laurel star and son of former Kentucky Basketball greats Jeff and Stacey Sheppard became the program’s first 2023 commit in November 2021. Since then, he led North Laurel to two straight Boys’ Sweet 16s and made the all-star circuit. A skilled combo guard, Sheppard can score at all three levels and seems ready to follow in his parents’ footsteps in Lexington.

2022-23 season (HS): 22.1 PPG (48.6% FG, 39.3% 3PT), 8.5 RPG

DJ Wagner (CG, HS) – Wagner was the final commit of the 2023 class, but was the first John Calipari pursued. Calipari coached Wagner’s father Dajuan Sr. at Memphis in 2001-02 and remains close with the family. Those ties and Kentucky’s stature helped the Cats hold off a push from Kenny Payne and Louisville, which hired DJ’s grandfather Milt to the staff in an advisory role. Wagner won East Team MVP honors at the McDonald’s All-American Game on March 28.

2022-23 season (HS): 22.5 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 2.9 APG

TRANSFER PORTAL TARGETS

Grant Nelson (PF, North Dakota State) – Nelson put his name in the transfer portal on May 2, and it didn’t take long for Kentucky to reach out to the 6-11, 235 lbs. power forward. As a junior, Nelson led North Dakota State in scoring and rebounding at 17.9 points and 9.3 boards per game, which helped earn him All-Summit League first-team honors while also receiving a spot on the conference’s All-Defense team. He will have two seasons of eligibility remaining should he opt to use his COVID year from the 2021 season.

2022-23 season: 17.9 PPG, 9.3 RPG, 1.7 BPG
2021-22 season: 11.6 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 1.3 BPG
2020-21 season: 6.3 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 0.9 BPG

Pilgrim’s Intel: Early speculation indicates Nelson hopes to keep his name in the draft, with Arkansas emerging as a strong option among college choices. With Lance Ware entering the transfer portal and Hunter Dickinson committing to Kansas, Kentucky will need to add at least one frontcourt piece and potentially two. The dynamic big man is the only confirmed name of interest for the Wildcats at this point.