KSR Today: Campus arrivals, NBA Finals Game 1, and state tournaments

Good morning, folks! The summer season doesn’t officially begin until later this month, but the 2025-26 Kentucky men’s basketball team is getting a head start on summer workouts.

Joining Arizona State transfer Jayden Quaintance, who has been in Lexington for a couple of weeks now, on campus earlier this week were a couple of high-profile transfer additions. Pitt’s Jaland Lowe and Florida’s Denzel Aberdeen both arrived in the Bluegrass State on Wednesday. They spend some time settling into their new homes for at least the next year before gearing up for workouts with the team, which begin soon.

Most of the team is expected to arrive in the coming days as the offseason grind is about to begin. International commit, Andirja Jelavić, said his final farewells to his team overseas on Wednesday as he begins the process of making his way to the States.

The path to number nine is underway, BBN.

.@jalandlowe has arrived 👏 pic.twitter.com/YyJmiePP2J

— Kentucky Men’s Basketball (@KentuckyMBB) June 4, 2025

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SGA begins NBA Finals run

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander can cap off one of the best individual seasons we’ve ever seen from an NBA player with an impressive run in the Finals. His chance to go down in history begins tonight as the Oklahoma City Thunder open up the championship series at home against the Indiana Pacers. SGA is looking to become the first player since LeBron James (2013) to win the regular season MVP and NBA Finals MVP in the same season. OKC is considered a massive favorite to receive the Larry O’Brien Trophy.

Joining SGA in the Thunder will be another former Wildcat, Cason Wallace, who will have his hands full as one of the few rotating defenders on Indiana star Tyrese Haliburton. Another Kentucky alum, Isaiah Jackson, is a member of the Pacers, but he hasn’t played since the fall after suffering an Achilles injury.

I’m going with Thunder in 6 as Gilgeous-Alexander cruises to the Finals MVP award. Regardless of the outcome, a former ‘Cat is getting a ring.

• Game 1: Pacers at Thunder (Thu. June 5, 8:30 ET, ABC)
• Game 2: Pacers at Thunder (Sun. June 8, 8 ET, ABC)
• Game 3: Thunder at Pacers (Wed. June 11, 8:30 ET, ABC)
• Game 4: Thunder at Pacers (Fri. June 13, 8:30 ET, ABC)
• Game 5: Pacers at Thunder (Mon. June 16, 8:30 ET, ABC)*
• Game 6: Thunder at Pacers (Thu. June 19, 8:30 ET, ABC)*
• Game 7: Pacers at Thunder (Sun, June 22, 8 ET on ABC)*
  * if necessary

[BBNBA Finals Preview: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander looks to cap off historic season with a title]

KHSAA State Baseball/Softball Tournaments begin today

The 2025 KHSAA State Baseball and Softball Tournaments begin today on the University of Kentucky campus and continue over the next couple of weeks.

The first rounds of the tournament will take place on Thursday and Friday, followed by quarterfinal action on Saturday. The plan is to play four games over each of the next three days, but inclement weather can always force a change of plans. The semifinals will be next Friday, followed by the championship games on Saturday. You can see the brackets for both sports below.

KHSAA Baseball State Tournament bracket

KHSAA Softball State Tournament bracket

Tay Kinney starts Louisville OV today

Top 20 high school recruit Tay Kinney, a top Kentucky recruit and native of the Bluegrass, begins his official visit to Louisville today. The 6-foot-2 guard, who is about to enter his second year with Overtime Elite, is considered the No. 17 overall prospect from the class of 2026.

So far, Kinney has taken just one official visit, which was to Purdue back in January. He’s also currently slated to visit Oregon in September. A trip to Kentucky is expected either in the summer or the fall, although one has not been publicly announced at this time. Kinney has already taken several unofficial visits to Lexington.

It’d be a shame if his trip to see the Cardinals went poorly. A real shame…

Otega Oweh is putting in offseason work

After receiving plenty of feedback from the NBA Draft process, Otega Oweh knows exactly what he needs to improve on/polish up in order to make the leap into being a first-round pick this time next year. One of the areas that needs some work? His jump shot, which he showed off in what has to be the first-ever highlight tape created via Blink camera.

The hitch in his jumper from last season is still there, but the actual shooting motion appears to be sped up just a bit more than usual. It looks pretty.

simple work pic.twitter.com/JJ8hnUFSBk

— Otega Oweh (@OtegaOweh) June 4, 2025

CBS Sports says Kentucky is a national title contender

Kentucky’s 14-deep roster for the 2025-26 season has the national media high on the Wildcats as Mark Pope enters year two as head coach. CBS Sports recently put UK in the highest possible tier as we’re still several months out from the start of the season: title contender.

“Mark Pope’s squad should be much-improved defensively with Dioubate, Otega Oweh and Aberdeen locking up on the perimeter,” Isaac Trotter wrote. “When Quaintance gets healthy, Kentucky will have a special defender at all three levels of the floor. This roster appears more athletic and dynamic than Pope’s first Kentucky club. 

“Lowe is a strong candidate for the massive efficiency spike that Lamont Butler experienced under Pope’s watchful eye, and he should thrive in Kentucky’s deadly transition-heavy attack. Oweh, Lowe and Aberdeen is a veteran, nasty backcourt trio, but can Pope weaponize this amount of depth?”

You can watch Malachi Moreno play on Friday in Lexington

The 2025 Kentucky/Indiana All Star Game is headlined by a future Wildcat. 7-foot-1 center Malachi Moreno will suit up for the Bluegrass. The incoming freshman will participate in a meet-and-greet before the KY/IN All-Star Game tips off at Lexington Catholic on Friday starting at 5:00 p.m. ET. The Girls’ game tips off at 5:30 with the Boys’ game beginning at 7:30.

2025 Kentucky All-Stars

• Malachi Moreno (Great Crossing)
• Maddox Huff (Harlan County)
• Jordan Mabe (South Laurel)
• Ty Price (Butler County)
• Jonah Butler (Calloway County)
• Julian Miles (South Oldham)*
• Melo Boone (Woodford County)
• Vince Dawson (Great Crossing)
• Austin Sperry (Breathitt County)
• Andy Johnson (Cooper)
• Jaden Stewart (Pike County Central)
• Aaron Gutman (Walton-Verona)

*Injured

Coach: Bowling Green’s D.G. Sherrill

2025 Indiana All-Stars

• Braylon Mullins (Greenfield-Central)
• Chase Barnes (FW Wayne)
• Dezmon Briscoe (Crispus Attucks)
• Michael Cooper (Jeffersonville)
• Julius Gizzi (New Palestine)
• Justin Kirby (Fishers)
• Brady Koehler (Cathedral)
• Dominique Murphy (East Chicago Central)
• Kellen Pickett (FW Blackhawk Christian)
• Azavier Robinson (Lawrence North)
• Tre Singleton (Jeffersonville)
• Mark Zackery IV (Ben Davis)

Coach: Chesterton’s Marc Urban

Tickets for the 2025 Kentucky/Indiana All-Star Game at Lexington Catholic High School on Friday, June 6, can be purchased HERE. You must purchase a ticket to participate in the meet-and-greet opportunity with Moreno — your last chance to see the McDonald’s All-American before he begins his freshman season at Kentucky.

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