After leading Kentucky to the Sweet 16 in his first season as the head coach of his alma mater, Mark Pope has been active in the transfer portal in recent weeks as he tries to rebuild a roster that is going to look much different next season.
With guards Jaxson Robinson, Lamont Butler and Koby Brea and bigs Andrew Carr, Amari Williams and Ansley Almonor exhausting their eligibility, plus guard Kerr Kriisa transferring to Cincinnati, Kentucky's roster is going to be turned upside down. Of the players who could return, guard Otega Oweh (16.2 PPG) would be the only one that averaged double-digit points per game during the 2024-25 season. Forward Brandon Garrison (5.9 PPG) and guards Trent Noah, Travis Perry and Collin Chandler, all of whom averaged 2.7 points per game, would give Pope some players that provided valuable minutes during Kentucky's Sweet 16 run.
That is a lot of roster overhaul, but Pope's early success in the transfer portal should have Big Blue Nation feeling optimistic about next season and the future of the program with him as the leader. Considering the post presence Kentucky is losing, getting some size and length inside is something Pope has been able to have his most success with so far — and he may not be finished yet with the offseason just getting started.
What does Kentucky's depth chart look like following its most recent commitment?
Andrija Jelavic, a 6-foot-11 power forward and one of the top European prospects in his class, committed to the Wildcats on Saturday, giving them plenty of size underneath as they look ahead to next season. He averaged 10.8 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.2 steals in 53 games for Belgrade, Serbia-based Mega Superbet. His 7-foot-2 wingspan, quickness and versatility should make him difficult to defend and give Kentucky someone that can run the length of the floor and be a dependable option on both ends.
Jelavic gives Kentucky an excellent frontcourt fit, but he is not the only newcomer to the program for the 2025-26 season. Arizona State forward Jayden Quaintance, Alabama forward Mouhamed Dioubate, Pitt guard Jaland Lowe and Tulane guard Kam Williams will all be making the trek to the Bluegrass State. In addition to the transfers, Pope has two players from the state of Kentucky, guard Jasper Johnson from Lexington and center Malachi Moreno from Georgetown, coming in from the high-school ranks, adding even more size and versatility to a roster that continues to look more complete as the days go.
Along with Tennessee and Duke, Kentucky is in the mix for Nate Ament, the top remaining uncommitted high school senior, who is a projected top-five pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. The only downside for Kentucky so far in the offseason has been guard Acaden Lewis decommitting from the Wildcats. Despite his decision to not come to Lexington, Kentucky currently has the fourth-ranked incoming class, per 247Sports. The Wildcats only trail Houston, Duke and UConn with the potential to add more before all is said and done.
There were several unknowns when Pope took over at Kentucky before the 2024-25 season, namely how he would do with recruiting following in the steps of John Calipari. It is still early, but it looks like Pope will not have any trouble getting players to come to Kentucky. Combined with the potential returners already on the roster, Kentucky looks like it may have one of the best rosters in the country going into the 2025-26 season, which speaks to the incredible job Pope has already done in Lexington.