Who the Kentucky MBB staff has contacted in the transfer portal

by:KSR•04/21/25

Kentucky head coach Mark Pope - Dr. Michael Huang, Kentucky Sports Radio

With Kentucky’s 2024-25 season now in the books, Mark Pope and his staff shift all of their attention to the offseason. The college basketball transfer portal officially opened on Monday, March 24, and Division I players have been jumping in like never seen before. Over 1,000 names have been entered into the portal since it opened last Monday.

As the roster currently stands, there are 12 players on board for the 2025-26 season. More additions (and potentially more losses) will be made through the portal.

Below is a running list of every transfer portal prospect Kentucky has shown interest in. For more in-depth intel on which UK coach is leading the charge, how serious the interest is, when possible visits might happen, and more, make sure to head on over to KSR+ where Jacob Polacheck has all the latest scoop.

[Official KSR Basketball Transfer Portal Thread (2025)]

UPDATE: April 21 – Florida transfer guard Denzel Aberdeen commits to Kentucky. As a result, Kansas transfer guard Rylan Griffen canceled his visit to Lexington, and Bosnian guard Harun Zrno took the Cats off his list.

Portal Commits (6)

Kam Williams – SF – Tulane – 9.3 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 1.3 APG, 48.5% FG, 41.2% 3PT | Committed 3/28

One of the best available shooters in the transfer portal, Kam Williams committed to the ‘Cats on the morning of the Sweet 16 — Friday, March 28. After one season at Tulane as a full-time starter, the 19-year-old freshman hit 41.2 percent of his outside shots in 2024-25 on 153 attempts. Clocking in at 6-foot-8, the Louisiana native also brings some juice on defense (1.3 steals, 1.0 blocks per game) and is already on the NBA Draft radar going into his sophomore season. Williams is a true 3-and-D prospect and an excellent first portal pickup for Mark Pope.

Jaland Lowe – PG – Pittsburgh – 16.8 PPG, 5.5 APG, 4.2 RPG, 37.6% FG, 26.6% 3PT | Committed 4/5

Lowe committed to Kentucky on April 5, four days after entering the transfer portal. The 6-3 guard played two seasons at Pitt, averaging 9.6 points per contest in year one before emerging as the go-to scoring threat for the program in year two, playing 35.5 minutes per game. He wraps up his career with 836 points, 278 assists, and 221 rebounds under Jeff Capel and earned Third Team All-ACC honors in 2024-25. He will have two seasons of eligibility remaining.

Mouhamed Dioubate – F – Alabama – 7.2 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 1.1 APG, 61.7 FG%, 46.2 3PT% | Committed 4/7

Dioubate committed to Kentucky on April 7, three days after entering the transfer portal. The 6-7 forward has two years of eligibility remaining. Dioubate finished with eight points on 2-for-5 shooting with eight rebounds, three assists, and one steal in Alabama’s win over Kentucky on Jan. 18 and 13 points and 8 rebounds in the Crimson Tide’s win over the Cats in the SEC Tournament. A physical player with a knack for rebounding and defense, Dioubate will bring some toughness to next year’s squad.

Jayden Quaintance – PF – Arizona State – 9.4 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 2.6 BPG, 52.5 FG% | Committed 4/8

Quaintance was originally committed to Kentucky out of high school but changed course when John Calipari went to Arkansas. One year later, he is returning to the program after a year at Arizona State. Quaintance underwent surgery to repair a torn ACL in his right knee in March. ESPN’s Jonathan Givony reported that Quaintance is “already ahead of schedule” and “should be cleared for contact in September.” He is a projected top-ten pick in the 2026 NBA Draft (he isn’t eligible for this year’s draft due to age restrictions).

Andrija Jelavic – PF – KK Mega Basket (Serbia) – 10.8 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 1.4 APG, 50.3 FG%, 32.3 3PT% | Committed 4/12

Committing out of nowhere (not technically through the portal, but we’re including him anyway), Jelavic is considered one of the best international college prospects. A 21-year-old incoming freshman, the 6-foot-11 Croatian big man with a 7-foot-5 wingspan can stretch the floor and play both frontcourt positions. Jelavic is already drawing comparisons to what Andrew Carr did during his lone season at Kentucky. He opted for the college route instead of jumping into the 2025 NBA Draft. With his addition, Pope has what will be one of the best frontcourt rotations in the entire country.

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Denzel Aberdeen – G – Florida – 7.7 PPG, 1.7 RPG, 41.8 FG%, 35 3PT% | Committed 4/21

Aberdeen entered the transfer portal on April 18 after three seasons at Florida and committed to Kentucky on April 21. The 6’5″ 190 lbs. combo guard is coming off his most productive season, averaging 7.7 points and shooting 35% from the three-point line playing behind Walter Clayton and Alijah Martin. He combined for 36 points, 11 rebounds, and two assists in Florida’s six NCAA Tournament games this season, including seven points and two rebounds in the title game. After three seasons in the SEC and a national championship run, Aberdeen brings valuable experience to next year’s roster.

Portal Targets (6)

HAVE ALREADY MET AND/OR PLAN TO MEET FOR ZOOM/VISIT

Andrej Stojakovic – G – Cal – 17.9 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 1.8 APG, 42.7 FG%, 31.8 3PT%

Kentucky pursued Stojakovic, the son of longtime NBA veteran and three-time All-Star Peja Stojakovic, in the transfer portal last season, but he chose Cal instead. “Baby Peja” had a standout sophomore season with the Golden Bears, averaging 17.9 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per contest in the ACC. Kentucky is presumed to be involved with the former McDonald’s All-American this go around as well, with Joe Tipton listing the Cats as a team to watch.

NO ZOOM MEETINGS/VISITS CURRENTLY OR PREVIOUSLY SCHEDULED

Chad Baker-Mazara – G – Auburn – 12.3 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 2.7 APG, 44.8 FG%, 38.1 3PT%

Baker-Mazara entered the transfer portal after his second season at Auburn. The 25-year-old was the Tigers’ second-leading scorer and will be entering his sixth season of college basketball. He started at Duquesne in 2020-21, followed by San Diego State in 2021-22, Northwest Florida State (JUCO) in 2022-23, then Auburn from 2023-25. Baker-Mazara had 25 games scoring in double figures this past season at Auburn, including a season-high 22 points in a 94-78 win at Kentucky back on March 1.

Jaiden Glover – G – St. John’s – 2.2 PPG, 0.2 RPG, 0.3 APG, 34.7 FG%, 33.3 3PT%

Glover spent his freshman season playing for Rick Pitino at St. John’s, averaging 2.2 points in 6.4 minutes per contest before suffering a season-ending wrist injury. The 6’4″ guard was a four-star recruit in the 2024 class and made just 10-30 threes in his first season of college basketball, but he has the physical tools to be a developmental piece.

April 16: Jon Rothstein reports that Kentucky is among the schools that have reached out to Glover.

Jamir Watkins – G – Florida State – 18.4 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 2.4 APG, 42.7 FG%, 32.1 3PT%

Watkins averaged 18.4 points and 5.7 rebounds per game in his senior season at Florida State. He entered the portal on April 9 with a “do not contact” tag while also declaring for the NBA Draft, but has one season of eligibility remaining if he returns to college. He is considered the 5th-best player to enter the transfer portal this offseason by On3.

April 16: Jeff Goodman said Kentucky “could be in the mix” for Watkins, along with Louisville and Illinois.

Cade Tyson – G – North Carolina – 2.6 PPG, 1.1 RPG, 40.3 FG%, 29.2%

A rising senior with one year of eligibility remaining, the 6-foot-7 wing appeared in 31 games for the Tar Heels this past season but averaged just 2.6 points in 7.9 minutes per outing. Prior to his stint at UNC, Tyson was named Second-Team All-MVC as a sophomore at Belmont when he averaged 16.2 points and 5.9 rebounds while shooting 46.5 percent from deep — second only in the country to Dayton’s Koby Brea.

April 14: On3’s Jamie Shaw reports that Kentucky is among a dozen-plus schools that have expressed some level of interest in Tyson.

High School Targets (1)

Braydon Hawthorne – SF – Huntington Prep (WV) – 4-star, No. 48 overall

A four-star small forward from the 2025 recruiting class, Braydon Hawthorne plans to take an official visit to Kentucky on Wednesday, April 16. Clocking in at 6-foot-8, 185 pounds, he decommitted from West Virginia following Darian DeVries departure to Indiana. Hawthorne, ranked No. 48 overall in his class, will visit the new West Virginia staff and is also in talks with Virginia Tech and Michigan.

April 16: Took an official visit to Kentucky

International Targets (1)

Dame Sarr – G – FC Barcelona (Spain) – 5.8 PPG, 1.7 RPG, 0.7 APG, 52.1 FG%, 42.9 3PT%

Italian wing Dame Sarr is a draft-eligible prospect also considering college playing for FC Barcelona. At the Nike Hoop Summit, he told NBA Draft analyst Krysten Peek that he was hearing from Kentucky among other schools. The 6-8 guard with a 7-0 wingspan is considered one of the top rising international prospects in the world, projected to go in the late first or early second round in the 2025 NBA Draft if he keeps his name in.

Portal targets committed elsewhere

Donovan Dent – New Mexico – 20.4 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 6.4 APG, 49 FG%, 40.9 3PT% | Committed to UCLA on 3/28
Treysen Eaglestaff – North Dakota – 18.9 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 2.4 APG, 41.6% FG, 35.9% 3PT | Committed to South Carolina on 3/30
Nick Davidson – Nevada – 15.8 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 2.8 APG, 50.0% FG, 37.1% 3PT | Committed to Clemson 4/2
Adrian Wooley – Kennesaw State – 18.8 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 3.6 APG, 51.2% FG, 42.2% 3PT | Committed to Louisville on 3/31
Dedan Thomas – UNLV – 15.6 PPG, 2.0 RPG, 4.7 APG, 41.3% FG, 35.3% 3PT | Committed to LSU on 3/31
Dailyn Swain – Xavier – 11 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 2.6 APG, 53.2 FG%, 25 3PT% | Committed to Texas on 4/1
Morez Johnson – Illinois – 7.0 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 1.1 BPG, 64.2 FG% | Committed to Michigan on 4/1
Magoon Gwath – San Diego State – 8.5 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 0.7 APG, 50.6% FG, 37.8% 3PT | Returning to San Diego State on 4/1
Keyshawn Hall – UCF – 18.8 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 2.4 APG, 42.7% FG, 35.4% 3PT | Committed to Auburn 4/2
Silas Demary Jr. – Georgia – 13.5 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 3.1 APG, 39.6% FG, 37.4% 3PT | Committed to UConn on 4/3
Taylor Bol Bowen – Florida State – 8.0 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 1.5 BPG, 47.7 FG%, 41.4 3PT% | Committed to Alabama on 4/4
Ja’Kobi Gillespie – Maryland – 14.7 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 4.8 APG, 45.3% FG, 40.7% 3PT | Committed to Tennessee on 4/4
Yaxel Lendeborg – UAB – 17.7 PPG, 11.4 RPG, 4.2 APG, 52.2 FG%, 35.7 3PT% | Committed to Michigan on 4/5
Tyrone Riley IV – San Francisco – 9.6 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 1.0 APG, 50.2 FG%, 32.2 3PT% | Withdraws from Transfer Portal on 4/6
Reed Bailey – Davidson – 18.8 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 3.8 APG, 47.7 FG%, 41.5 3PT% | Committed to Indiana on 4/6
Vyctorius Miller – LSU – 8.9 PPG, 2.4 RPG, 1.2 APG, 44.7 FG%, 31.8 3PT% | Committed to Oklahoma State on 4/7
Abdi Bashir Jr. – Monmouth – 20.1 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 2.2 APG, 37.7% FG, 38.3% 3PT | Committed to Kansas State on 4/7
Alex Steen – Florida Southern (DII) – 17.9 PPG, 10.6 RPG, 2.5 BPG, 56.2 FG%, 28.6 3PT% | Committed to Florida State on 4/7
Frankie Collins – TCU – 11.2 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 4.4 APG, 42.2 FG%, 26.1 3PT% | Committed to Vanderbilt on 4/10
Jaron Pierre Jr. – G – Jacksonville State – 21.6 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 3.8 APG, 42.4 FG%, 38.2 3PT% | Committed to SMU on 4/14
Lamar Wilkerson – G – Sam Houston – 20.5 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 2.1 APG, 47.7% FG, 44.5% 3PT | Committed to Indiana on 4/15
Mackenzie Mgbako – F – Indiana – 12.2 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 1.1 APG, 43.7% FG, 32.9% 3PT | Committed to Texas A&M on 4/17
Alvaro Folgueiras – Robert Morris – 13.8 PPG, 8.9 RPG, 3.1 APG, 54.4 FG%, 41.5 3PT% | Committed to Iowa on 4/20
Treysen Eaglestaff – G – North Dakota – 18.9 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 2.4 APG, 41.6 FG%, 35.9 3PT% | Committed to West Virginia on 4/20
Rylan Griffen – G – Kansas – 6.3 PPG, 2.1 RPG, 1.4 APG, 37.2 FG%, 33.6 3PT% | Canceled visit to Kentucky after Denzel Aberdeen’s commitment on 4/21
Harun Zrno – G – KK Slavija (Serbia) – 17.5 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 3.6 APG, 50 FG%, 43.7 3PTG% | Removed Kentucky from consideration after Denzel Aberdeen’s commitment on 4/21

Returning players/incoming freshmen (7)

Otega Oweh – G – Rising Senior – 16.2 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 1.7 APG, 49.2% FG, 35.5% 3PT | Going through NBA Draft process
Brandon Garrison – C – Rising Junior – 5.9 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 1.9 APG, 50.9% | Confirmed return
Collin Chandler – C- Rising Sophomore – 2.7 PPG, 1.0 RPG, 0.7 APG, 36.1% FG, 34.7% 3PT | Confirmed return
Travis Perry – PG – Rising Sophomore – 2.7 PPG, 0.8 RPG, 0.6 APG, 31.3% FG, 32.1% 3PT
Trent Noah – F – Rising Sophomore – 2.7 PPG, 1.9 RPG, 0.4 APG, 45.1% FG, 33.3% 3PT
Malachi Moreno – C – Incoming Freshman – Great Crossing (Georgetown, KY)
Jasper Johnson – SG – Incoming Freshman – Overtime Elite (Lexington, KY)