Kentucky basketball is the biggest winner in NCAA basketball transfer portal

While producing so many NBA draft picks through the years, Kentucky HC John Calipari keeps finding ways to reload his roster with talent.

Before the college basketball season was shut down because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Kentucky basketball was finding its stride and turning into a national contender right before the nation’s eyes. With the SEC regular-season championship locked up, the 2019-20 campaign was definitely a success for head coach John Calipari and his Wildcats.

While being atop the SEC is a fixture for Kentucky basketball, another norm in Lexington is losing a bunch of players to the NBA Draft every year. Players including Tyrese Maxey, Ashton Hagans, Nick Richards, Immanuel Quickley and EJ Montgomery are all headed to the next level.

Kentucky basketball doesn’t rebuild, they reload.

With all five starters leaving, coach Cal had to find a way to re-tool his roster for 2020-21. With the best recruiting class in 2020 according to 247Sports, the Wildcats will be just fine. In addition, Calipari has taken advantage of the transfer portal going into 2020-21. ESPN tabbed Kentucky as one of the biggest winners in the transfer portal.

Calipari picked up commitments from former Creighton guard Daivion Mintz and Wake Forest big man Olivier Sarr. Both players played key roles for their former teams and are expected to be big contributors for the Wildcats. Kentucky also picked up former Rhode Island forward Jacob Toppin, the brother of future lottery pick from Dayton, Obi Toppin.

Although Toppin is expected to sit out for next season, both Mintz and Sarr will play key roles as a veteran presence for a young Wildcats group. Combine those two who played high-level basketball in the Big East and ACC alongside six elite recruiting prospects, and Calipari has a whole new rotation.

Losing an entire roster year to year is always difficult. If there is anyone who can rebound and maintain elite status in college basketball despite this fact, Calipari is definitely a leading man who does the job better than most throughout the country.

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