Active Kentucky Transfers: Where Are They Now?

In John Calipari’s time as head coach on the College of Kentucky (2009-present), 19 completely different gamers have transferred to a unique faculty to complete their taking part in careers. Three of these transfers (Sacha Killeya-Jones, Dillon Pulliam, and Tai Wynyard) by no means even noticed the courtroom for his or her new faculty.

Of the transfers who did see the courtroom at their new colleges, Kyle Wiltjer and Johnny Juzang would go down as the 2 most profitable. Wiltjer, who was named SEC Sixth Man of the Yr after his sophomore season within the Commonwealth, blossomed right into a Consensus Second Staff All-American upon transferring to Gonzaga. Wiltjer was named to the WCC First-Staff and gained WCC Match MOP each of his years in Spokane.

Juzang, a four-star recruit from Los Angeles, performed only one season in Lexington. Caught behind All-SEC guards Tyrese Maxey and Immanuel Quickley, Juzang rejuvenated his profession upon transferring house to UCLA. The 6’6″ stretch-guard led the Bruins on an inconceivable Closing 4 run in 2021 and was named First Staff All-Pac-12 in 2022.

Seven Kentucky transfers are nonetheless at present lively in faculty basketball, some doing higher than others.

Zan Payne (Louisville)

The least heralded of the seven transfers, Zan Payne adopted his father Kenny to rival Louisville final offseason.

Payne noticed the ground in 11 completely different video games throughout his time at Kentucky, averaging 0.9 PPG & 0.4 RPG. His greatest sport as a Wildcat got here on November 16, 2021, the place he scored 4 factors in Kentucky’s 80-55 victory over Mount St. Mary’s.

Upon transferring to Louisville, it was anticipated that Payne would see the courtroom just a bit greater than he did at Kentucky. Whereas that’s true, his numbers don’t actually present it. The redshirt senior guard is averaging 0.3 PPG, 0.7 RPG and 0.1 APG in 15 video games performed beneath his father. His greatest sport as a Cardinal got here on November 22, 2022, the place he scored three of Louisville’s 38 whole factors in a 32-point beatdown by the Texas Tech Pink Raiders.

Poor Louisville.

Dontaie Allen (Western Kentucky)

A fan-favorite within the Bluegrass, Pendleton County’s personal Dontaie Allen by no means panned out at Large Blue.

Allen averaged 3.9 PPG in 41 video games performed at Kentucky. His greatest moments got here towards Mississippi State in the course of the 2020-21 COVID season, the place he lit the Bulldogs up for 23 factors of their common season and SEC Match matchups. 13 of Allen’s 38 3-pointers made at Kentucky got here in these two video games.

Final season, Allen noticed his position utterly diminished by the top of the season. Seeing the writing on the wall, he would make a lateral transfer three hours down the street to Western Kentucky, the place success was anticipated of the previous Kentucky Mr. Basketball.

In 15 video games performed this season, Allen has didn’t make a lot of an impression at The Hill. The redshirt junior is averaging 6.0 PPG, 1.9 RPG, and 0.3 APG. He made headlines earlier this season when he was held out of Western Kentucky’s sport towards Akron as a consequence of eligibility points throughout his time at Kentucky. Allen’s greatest sport at WKU got here in a drumming of Kentucky State on November 12, 2022, the place he scored 15 of Western’s 127 whole factors. Allen was certainly one of six Hilltoppers to attain in double figures.

Cam’Ron Fletcher (Florida State)

Cam’Ron Fletcher, a consensus four-star ahead from St. Louis, had a bizarre profession at Kentucky.

Fletcher, part of that 2020 recruiting class, made an prompt impression for the ‘Cats. In Kentucky’s first sport of the season towards Morehead State, he contributed 9 factors and 5 rebounds in 17 minutes of motion. He was anticipated to be a stable a part of the rotation, however this was not the case.

Kentucky would drop their subsequent six video games in a row, and Fletcher would play in solely three of their remaining 18 video games following the North Carolina sport incident. He scored extra factors in Kentucky’s season opener than he would the remainder of the complete season mixed. As anticipated, the 6’6″ ahead transferred following the conclusion of the season. Former Kentucky assistant coach Leonard Hamilton welcomed him in with open arms at Florida State.

In his first season as a Seminole, Fletcher averaged 6.8 PPG, 3.4 RPG, and 0.9 APG. He was anticipated to make the leap this season to an excellent participant within the ACC, however that was not the case. Simply 10 video games into the season, Fletcher suffered a season-ending proper knee harm within the Seminoles’ 62-57 loss to Virginia on December 3, 2022. His greatest sport as a ‘Nole occurred on November 21, 2022, only a week earlier than his season-ending harm. Fletcher scored 23 factors and grabbed six rebounds in a win over Mercer.

Jemarl Baker (Fresno State)

Wait, Jemarl Baker is nonetheless in faculty?

Baker was the lowest-rated recruit in Kentucky’s Class of 2017, which featured guys like Nick Richards, P.J. Washington, Kevin Knox, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Gilgeous-Alexander is at present within the midst of his fifth NBA season, and Baker is within the midst of his sixth season of faculty basketball.

Baker missed the 2017-18 season after present process knee surgical procedure in October 2017. He was granted a medical redshirt and noticed his first sport motion at Kentucky in December 2018. Baker would seem in 28 video games for the ‘Cats, averaging 2.3 PPG. His greatest efficiency got here towards Wofford within the 2019 NCAA Match, the place Baker’s eight factors off the bench helped propel the ‘Cats to the Candy 16.

Baker transferred to Arizona following the 2018-19 season, the place he would common 7.4 PPG, 2.5 RPG, and a pair of.1 APG in two seasons in Tucson. After graduating from the College, Baker transferred as soon as once more. He would take his skills to Fresno State, the place has been for the final two seasons.

In his sixth and ultimate season of faculty basketball (we predict), Baker is averaging 10.9 PPG, 2.4 APG, and a pair of.4 RPG. His greatest sport of the season got here in a return to the SEC, the place he scored 22 factors in Fresno’s 67-59 loss to Vanderbilt on November 24, 2022.

Devin Askew (California)

Oh boy.

Devin Askew was the third-highest recruit in Kentucky’s 2020 recruiting class, which was unanimously ranked #1 within the nation. Issues, nonetheless, didn’t go to plan.

The 2020-21 group was the worst within the historical past of Kentucky Basketball, and a piece of that blame fell on the purpose guard.

In only one season at UK, Askew averaged 6.5 PPG and a pair of.9 APG. He struggled a lot of the yr, resulting in his benching within the final two video games of the season. Though the freshman confronted tons of opposition, he repeatedly reiterated his want to remain in this system. In an interview with KSR in March 2020, Askew mentioned, “I reside on the West Coast, however I don’t play like a West Coast participant in any respect. Nope. I play like an East Coast child. I wish to be bodily, that’s simply my sport. Regardless that these are all nice gamers (Johnny Juzang, Jemarl Baker and Kyle Wiltjer) and so they all had enjoyable whereas they have been at Kentucky, they simply needed to do one thing that was higher for them. However I’m completely different.”

That was not the case.

After Askew’s father repeatedly mentioned that he was “locked in” for the 2021-22 season, Devin entered the switch portal on April 5, 2021. Askew was headed to the College of Texas, and no person was extra excited than former Longhorn coach Chris Beard (…).

“I do know he’s the most effective younger gamers in faculty basketball,” Beard mentioned in October 2021. “There’s going to be a serious position for him on this yr’s group. … I don’t need to put all the load on his shoulders, however I’ve acquired no drawback telling you if he stays the course, he’ll find yourself being one of many all-time greats.”

Askew didn’t pan out in Austin, averaging simply 2.1 PPG and 1.3 APG in 34 video games performed within the 2021-22 season. Final offseason, Askew transferred once more, this time to Cal. Though Devin is averaging profession highs in factors (15.5), rebounds (3.4), and assists (3.0), the Golden Bears are a lowly 3-18. His greatest sport this season got here on December 4, 2022, the place he scored 25 factors in an 81-68 loss to Arizona.

Bryce Hopkins (Windfall)

The one which acquired away.

After the dreadful 2020-21 season, a change needed to be made. Seven new Wildcats have been added to final season’s roster, trying to proper the wrongs from a season earlier than. Bryce Hopkins, a 6-foot-7 ahead from Oak Park (IL), impressed in preseason exercises however struggled to carve out a job behind Daimion Collins, Jacob Toppin, and Keion Brooks Jr.

B-Hop performed in 28 video games at Kentucky, averaging 2.1 PPG and 1.4 RPG. His shining second got here towards LSU on February 23, 2022, the place he offered a much-needed spark with 13 factors off the bench to assist knock off the Tigers at Rupp.

It was a foregone conclusion, however Hopkins introduced his intent to switch on April 7, 2022. He took his skills to the Large East, the place he would shine.

In 22 video games performed this season for Windfall, Hopkins is averaging a close to double-double with 16.4 PPG, 9.1 RPG, and a pair of.3 APG. He’s fourth within the league in scoring and second in rebounding, placing himself properly within the operating for Large East Participant of the Yr and making a case to be named an All-American. Hopkins has blossomed right into a star and has the Friars firmly planted within the upcoming NCAA Match (Joe Lunardi has them listed as a six-seed as of 1/31).

Keion Brooks Jr. (Washington)

Final however not least, Keion Brooks Jr.

When it’s all mentioned and finished, Keion shall be remembered by the faculty basketball world as a Kentucky Wildcat.

Brooks spent three seasons in Lexington, averaging 8.3 PPG, 4.4 RPG, and 0.8 APG. His efficiency towards Kansas final season was nothing wanting legendary, scoring 27 factors in Kentucky’s 80-62 rout of the eventual nationwide champions. Following final season’s devastating loss to St. Peters, the consensus was that Brooks would take his skills to the NBA.

After declaring for the 2022 NBA Draft, he rescinded his title and introduced that he could be transferring to Washington.

Brooks has skilled a profession renaissance in Seattle, averaging 17.9 PPG, 7.1 RPG, and 1.3 APG in 21 video games performed for the Huskies this season. Brooks ranks second in scoring and eighth in rebounding within the Pac-12, placing himself in place to be named First or Second Staff All-Pac-12 on the conclusion of the season. His determination to switch has little question opened extra eyes on his path to skilled basketball.