Kentucky basketball head coach Mark Pope has had quite the busy start in Lexington.

After a monumental introductory press conference and landing Amari Williams — one of the top targets in the transfer portal — Pope has yet another full weekend of recruiting.

Pope and his staff are hosting Aidan Mahaney, Andrej Stojakovic, Andrew Carr, Deivon Smith and Otega Oweh.

Smith, a fifth-year player, has played for Mississippi State, Georgia Tech and most recently Utah. He really found his groove with the Utes, averaging over 13 points and seven assists per game.

Carr, similar to Smith, has one year of eligibility remaining. The former Delaware and Wake Forest big man had a career-best season last year, averaging over 13 points and six rebounds.

Oweh, a former Oklahoma Sooners guard, is coming off a much-improved sophomore season where he averaged over 11 points per game and saw an increase in both his field goal as well as three-point shooting percentages.

Mahaney, a former Saint Mary’s guard, is also entering his third year of college basketball. He averaged just under 14 points per game each of the last two seasons and started every game this past year.

Stojakovic is the youngest of the group, opting to transfer from Stanford after just one season. He averaged over seven points per game and has the potential to be a multi-year player that could excel in Pope’s offensive system.

While this group is rather guard-heavy, that’s okay. Kentucky is unlikely to land all of them, but if Pope can secure Carr and two or three of the guards then his roster will be in much better shape than it currently sits.

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No surprise here.

Headlines

Cats in the NFL Draft – UK Athletics

A number of former Wildcats are expected to be taken in this week’s NFL Draft.

Brian Robinson Passes More Than Just The SEC Look Test – Vaught’s Views

He has such a high ceiling.

Alvin Brooks III Joins Kentucky Men’s Basketball Staff – UK Athletics

Alvin Brooks III, regarded as one of the nation’s best assistant coaches, has joined the Kentucky men’s basketball coaching staff as associate head coach it was announced on Thursday.

Bears select QB Caleb Williams with No. 1 pick in NFL draft – ESPN

Like we expected.

Reed Sheppard Has What NBA Teams Like And Want – Vaught’s Views

Will really miss him wearing Kentucky blue.

59 Wildcats on SEC Winter Academic Honor Roll – UK Athletics

A total of 59 University of Kentucky student-athletes earned a place on the 2023-24 Winter Sports Southeastern Conference Academic Honor Roll.

Vikings trade up with Jets, get J.J. McCarthy 10th at NFL draft – ESPN

Again, like we expected.

Amari Williams “like a man among boys on court” – Vaught’s Views

Appears to be a home run.

Michael Penix Jr. taken by Falcons in NFL draft surprise – ESPN

Surprise of the draft.

Bio Blast: Oklahoma transfer Otega Oweh – KSR

Everything you need to know.

Broncos make Bo Nix sixth QB picked in first round of NFL draft – ESPN

Former Auburn Tiger heads to Denver.

Joe Tipton Kentucky 4-25-24

Before a huge recruiting weekend officially begins on Friday for Kentucky men’s basketball head coach Mark Pope and his newly hired staff, the Wildcats had a familiar visitor on campus. After playing under Pope at BYU, Richie Saunders visited Lexington.

That visit ended without a commitment after Pope personally welcomed the transfer to town at the Lexington airport. Richie Saunders announced on Thursday night that the junior has withdrawn his name from the transfer portal and will return to BYU in 2024-25.

The 6-foot-5 wing averaged 9.6 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game while shooting 52.3 percent from the field and 36.4% from three as a sophomore at BYU. After a mission trip following high school, Saunders will be the age of a fifth-year player next season but still has two seasons of eligibility remaining. As time goes on, it looks like Collin Chandler could be the only BYU player who follows Pope to Lexington.

Aly Khalifa was considered a Kentucky lean at one point but ultimately committed to Louisville and announced that he will take a redshirt next season as he recovers from injury. Starting point guard Dallin Hall quickly entered the transfer portal and Kentucky is currently not pursuing. Jaxson Robinson entered the NBA Draft and has not entered the transfer portal yet. The Wildcats worked swiftly to get Saunders on campus, but the bench player in the Big 12 last season is returning to Provo for another year.

Oklahoma wing Otega Oweh and Wake Forest big Andrew Carr are each visiting Kentucky this weekend. Stanford wing Andrej Stojakovic is finalizing his visit plans with Kentucky. Some other win options are emerging for the Cats after Saunders decided to stay at BYU.

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LEXINGTON, Ky. — Kentucky has hired Baylor assistant Alvin Brooks III as associate head coach, bringing in a 20-year coaching veteran who helped build the Bears into the 2021 national champions during eight seasons with the program.

Recently-hired Wildcats head coach Mark Pope cited Brooks’ experience as a recruiter, strategist and relationship builder who has been mentored by some of college basketball’s best coaches — including longtime Baylor coach Scott Drew, who turned down the job before the school hired Pope nearly two weeks ago.

Brooks said he was excited to join Pope’s staff in a release Thursday and added, “I’m very appreciative of the opportunity to join a storied program, with such a passionate fan base as we chase banners together.”

The Houston native previously coached at Kansas State before joining Drew’s staff at Baylor and has also worked at Sam Houston State, Bradley and Arkansas-Fort Smith, where he won the 2006 NJCAA Division I title. Brooks earned another junior college title the next season at Midland.

Brooks’ father, Lamar coach Alvin Brooks II, was Kentucky’s director of operations under Billy Gillispie from 2007-09. Pope recently hired former Georgia and Cal coach Mark Fox as associate coach along with Jason Hart and Cody Fueger as assistants.