New Kentucky basketball coach Mark Pope continues to fill out his Kentucky basketball coaching staff, as Alvin Brooks III became the fourth official member last week. Brooks, a longtime assistant at Baylor, joins a staff that includes Cody Fueger, Jason Hart and Mark Fox. All three are permitted to engage in off-campus Kentucky basketball recruiting and they will have their hands full over the next few months. The entire Kentucky basketball roster departed after John Calipari left for Arkansas, so Pope is aggressively targeting players from the college basketball transfer portal.
The first spring evaluation period is just three weeks away, which means some of the attention will turn to future recruiting classes as well. Pope also has one spot remaining on his staff for a coach who will not have off-campus recruiting duties. If you love the Wildcats, or just 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 the first year of an annual subscriptions*, so now is the time to sign up.
The team at CatsPause has full coverage of who is coming and who is going on the Kentucky basketball roster. Head to CatsPause now to see all the insider info.
Kentucky basketball roster departures
Kentucky has officially lost Joey Hart, a 6-foot-5 guard who entered the transfer portal after last season. Hart was a finalist for Indiana's Mr. Basketball in his senior season and has transferred back to his home state, playing for Ball State University. Hart only appeared in seven games as a freshman at Kentucky, but could have seen an expanded role with the totally revamped roster at Kentucky.
Reed Sheppard, the reigning SEC Rookie of the Year, highlights the four Kentucky basketball players who have declared for the 2024 NBA Draft. Ugonna Onyenso, Rob Dillingham and Justin Edwards have also declared. Antonio Reeves, the team's leading scorer, is out of eligibility and will also go pro. Pope hasn't had any time to ease into returning to his alma mater as he continues to try to fill Kentucky's roster for a program with lofty expectations every season. Kentucky has made the NCAA Tournament the last three seasons and 29 of the last 33 years and those expectations won't change for fans with Pope taking over. Join CatsPause to see the latest on all of Kentucky's roster changes.
Kentucky basketball news, roster
One player who will not be on Kentucky's roster is BYU guard Richie Saunders, who withdrew from the transfer portal. Saunders visited Lexington at the beginning of the week, but decided to stay in Provo. He averaged 9.6 points and 4.1 rebounds while shooting 52.3% from the floor last season, so he would have been a nice addition to Pope's initial roster.
The Wildcats have already added former BYU commit Collin Chandler and Drexel transfer Amari Williams. Kentucky Mr. Basketball winner Travis Perry, who signed with Calipari in November, said he is sticking with his decision to play for Kentucky as well. Pope is set to host multiple visitors over the next week, so the roster is likely going to change quickly. Join CatsPause to get the latest on all of Kentucky's roster additions.
How to get insider Kentucky basketball roster updates
Pope could also be bringing at least one big-time BYU player with him, so be sure to join CatsPause to see who that is and get the rest of the insider roster news.
Who are the top names Kentucky basketball is pursuing under coach Mark Pope, and what former BYU player could land in Lexington? Go to CatsPause to see their insider information, all from a team of reporters with years of experience covering the Wildcats, and find out. And reminder, CatsPause is offering 50% off the first year of an annual VIP membership*, so subscribe now before it's too late.
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