After four seasons at Utah Valley and five at BYU, Mark Pope returned home as the head coach of the Kentucky Wildcats for the 2024-25 season. Pope helped lead Kentucky to a national championship while playing for Tubby Smith in 1996 and went on to spend six seasons in the NBA before beginning his coaching career in 2009. After leading Kentucky basketball back to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2019, Pope will look to the college basketball transfer portal to improve the Kentucky basketball roster once again.
The portal opened on March 24 and will remain open until April 22, leaving Pope a few more weeks to prove that his eye for talent last season in the portal was no fluke. The top nine players in Kentucky’s rotation were all transfers and he’ll have to land more experienced players to his Kentucky basketball lineup to complement his top-10 haul in the Class of 2025. If you love the Wildcats, or want the latest roster updates and college basketball transfer portal news, be sure to see what the proven team of insiders are saying at CatsPause, the 247Sports affiliate that covers Kentucky.
The team of insiders at CatsPause.com are providing up-to-the-minute scoop on the latest intel surrounding the Kentucky basketball coaching transition and roster changes. CatsPause has built a solid reputation over its 20+ years covering the Wildcats, and has deep-rooted sources inside and around the Kentucky athletic department. And right now, CatsPause is offering 50% off annual subscriptions*, so now is the time to sign up.
CatsPause already has news out on who is coming and going on the Kentucky basketball roster. Head to CatsPause.com now to see the latest updates.
Kentucky basketball roster news
As one of the true blue bloods in college basketball, it’s no surprise that Kentucky has deep pockets and the chance to cash in with a sizable NIL payday while playing for one of the nation’s elite programs should be enough to get Pope’s foot in the door just about anywhere. With zero scholarship players left after John Calipari’s departure last season, Pope built his first Kentucky basketball roster almost entirely through the portal. He’ll have a handful of scholarship players returning in 2025-26 and has signed three elite recruits in the Class of 2025 while hoping to add more.
However, the portal is the best place to find players that you can plug right into the lineup and there are a handful of Kentucky basketball transfer targets that have already emerged. Tulane forward Kam Williams has already committed to play in Lexington next season and the Wildcats are also hot on the trail of Nevada center Nick Davidson, Indiana forward Mackenzie Mgbako and Georgia guard Silas Demery Jr. Pope has already been in contact with Davidson, he hosted Mgbako for an on-campus visit on Tuesday and he visited Demery in his home on March 29. Get the latest Kentucky basketball roster news at CatsPause.
How to get insider Kentucky basketball roster updates
Pope is expected to go after some big names in the transfer portal, and the CatsPause staff has all the latest news involving incoming and outgoing transfers. You can only see the latest updates at CatsPause.com.
Who are the top names Kentucky basketball is pursuing under coach Mark Pope? Go to CatsPause.com to see their insider information, all from a staff who has deep-rooted ties inside the Kentucky program, and find out.
And remember, CatsPause.com is offering 50% off an annual VIP membership for a limited time, so subscribe now before it’s too late.
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