Kentucky

Kentucky Basketball Roster Tracker: And then there were none

Published

2 years ago

April 20, 2024

Kentucky Basketball Roster Tracker: And then there were none

Just like that, Mark Pope has a completely clean slate entering his debut season at Kentucky. Antonio Reeves and Tre Mitchell were already certainties, followed by Rob Dillingham, Reed Sheppard and Ugonna Onyenso all entering the draft while Adou Thiero, Aaron Bradshaw, Joey Hart, Zvonimir Ivisic and DJ Wagner all hit the transfer portal.

That left just one player from the 2023-24 roster under John Calipari: Jordan Burks.

The former three-star recruit then made what we all expected official on Friday, entering the portal and exploring his transfer options, bringing that leftover total down to zero.

To take it a step further, Jayden Quaintance, Boogie Fland, Karter Knox, Billy Richmond and Somto Cyril are all free agents again after backing away from their Kentucky commitments, Travis Perry remaining as the lone signee for Pope. You feel good about him sticking around — “There is a good chance he will not jump into the portal,” the new head coach said of the state’s all-time leading scorer at his introductory press conference — but he still technically has a decision to make on his future.

The one guarantee? 2022 four-star guard Collin Chandler, who announced his commitment to Kentucky on April 16. The former top-40 prospect is coming off a two-year mission and will make his college debut in 2024-25.

Now it’s time for Pope to fill out the rest of the roster his way, bringing in his own talent from the transfer portal. The rest of Calipari’s pool is looking elsewhere.

GONE (GRADUATED/NBA DRAFT): Antonio Reeves, Tre Mitchell, Justin Edwards, Rob Dillingham, Ugonna Onyenso, Reed Sheppard

TRANSFER PORTAL: Adou Thiero*, Aaron Bradshaw*, Joey Hart, Zvonimir Ivisic, DJ Wagner, Jordan Burks

* Also testing NBA Draft waters

IMPORTANT DATES

April 27: NBA Early Entry Eligibility Deadline (11:59 p.m. ET)
May 1: Transfer Portal Closes
May 12: NBA Draft Lottery
May 13-19: NBA Combine
May 29: NCAA early entrant withdrawal deadline (11:59 pm ET)
June 16: NBA Draft Early Entry Entrant Withdrawal Deadline (5 p.m. ET)
June 26: NBA Draft 2024 First Round
June 27: NBA Draft 2024 Second Round

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UPDATES

April 20: Kentucky contacts Duke’s Sean Stewart

Kentucky joins Kansas State, Indiana, Arkansas, USC, Florida State, Cincinnati, Georgetown, Arizona State, Miami, Michigan, Ohio State, Baylor, Texas A&M, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Cal, Stanford, South Carolina, Washington, Howard, UCSB and Harvard to express interest
Was the No. 12 overall prospect in the 2023 recruiting cycle
The 6-9 freshman out of Windermere, Florida averaged 2.6 points and 3.2 rebounds in just 8.4 minutes per game this season for the Blue Devils

April 20: Drexel star Amari Williams begins official visit to Lexington

The 6-10, 265-pound forward will make the trip to Lexington from April 20-22
Kentucky is a finalist, joining St. John’s and Mississippi State
Mark Pope met with Williams on Thursday

April 19: Jordan Burks enters the transfer portal

Averaged 1.9 points and 1.7 rebounds in 7.2 minutes per outing as a freshman
Was a three-star recruit in high school out of Overtime Elite
The 6-8 forward only saw at least 10 minutes in seven of his 20 games played

April 19: Adou Thiero cuts list to five, includes Kentucky

Previously entering the portal on March 28, the 6-8 forward is now considering Kentucky, North Carolina, Pitt, Indiana and Arkansas

April 19: Kentucky makes final six for Villanova’s TJ Bamba

April 19: Tennessee transfer Jonas Aidoo hears from the Wildcats

April 18: Reed Sheppard declares or the NBA Draft

The star guard is the No. 7 overall prospect in ESPN’s list of best available draft prospects
He has decided to forgo the remainder of his college eligibility
“I’m going all-in,” Sheppard told ESPN. “The opportunity I have is great. I’ve gotten really good feedback showing where I can be in the draft. I had an unbelievable year at Kentucky. It was such a fun year. It’s not easy leaving the fans and the school I dreamed of playing at. I need to do what’s best for me, and that’s heading to the NBA.”

April 18: BYU’s Aly Khalifa commits to Louisville over Kentucky

The 6-11, 270-pound center out of Alexandria, Egypt announced three finalists on Sunday: Kentucky, Louisville and BYU
Khalifa averaged 5.7 points, 4.0 assists and 3.7 rebounds in 19.4 minutes per game on 38.6/31.5/62.1 shooting splits
Originally entered portal on April 12 with a ‘do not contact’ tag, visited Louisville this week
He will be redshirting in 2023-24 while rehabbing a knee injury

April 18: Kentucky reaches out to Texas Tech’s Pop Isaacs

April 18: Former McDonald’s All-American Brandon Garrison plans visit to Lexington

April 17: Kentucky “will be involved” for Duke’s Jeremy Roach

Roach has appeared in 130 games throughout his career at Duke, including 108 starts. He was a team captain as a junior and senior.
He averaged 14 points, 3.3 assists, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.1 steals in 32.7 minutes per outing this season on 46.8/42.9/84.4 splits
Jeff Goodman reports Baylor is the favorite to land his commitment

April 17: Belmont’s Cade Tyson hears from Mark Pope

One of the top shooters in the portal
Averaged 16.2 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 1.6 APG on 49.3% FG, 46.5% 3PT this year
Tyson previously heard from Kentucky’s staff under John Calipari

April 16: Utah State’s Great Osobor contacted by Kentucky

On3’s Joe Tipton reports that Osobor has been in contact with the Wildcats
Checks in at 6-foot-8, 250 pounds. Averaged 17.7 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game in 2023-24
Was tabbed the Mountain West Player of the Year this past season

April 16: Oklahoma’s Otega Oweh hears from Pope

Pope reached out to Oweh this week, according to KSR+’s Jacob Polacheck
The 6-foot-4, 210-pound combo guard averaged 11.4 points and 3.8 rebounds, playing in 32 games for Oklahoma as a sophomore in 2023-24
He started in 28 games and averaged 24.8 minutes per contest
Oweh is set to visit Oregon on April 19 and Texas A&M on April 23

April 16: Kentucky contacts Dayton transfer Koby Brea

Pope reaches out to Brea on Tuesday evening, the combo guard tells Jacob Polacheck of KSR+.
6-foot-5, 175-pound combo guard who averaged 11.1 points and 3.8 rebounds in 33 games as a junior in 2023-24.
Started four games while averaging 29.1 minutes per outing. Shot 49.8 percent from deep on 201 attempts this past season.
Also heard from the likes of Kansas, UConn, Duke, Indiana, Arkansas, Louisville, and many more.

April 16: Pope reaches out to Stanford’s Andrej Stojakovic

The son of former NBA All-Star Peja Stojakovic has heard from Kentucky, he told KSR+’s Jacob Polacheck
Stojakovic averaged 7.8 points and 3.4 rebounds per game while shooting 40.9% from the field and 32.7% from three as a freshman at Stanford
He is currently scheduled to visit Cal this weekend

April 16: Collin Chandler commits to Kentucky

The 6-4 scorer is rated as the No. 34 overall prospect and No. 6 combo guard in the final 2022 On3 Player Rankings
Chandler spent two years on mission ahead of his college basketball debut in 2024-25
2022 Utah Gatorade Player of the Year, averaged 21.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.7 steals as a senior in high school
Committed to BYU over Arizona, Gonzaga, Oregon, Stanford and Utah, among others

April 15: Ugonna Onyenso declares for the NBA Draft

“I’m ready to go to the next level,” Onyenso told ESPN’s Jonathan Givony. “I’m not thinking about coming back to play college basketball. I’m 100% focused on the NBA.”
Onyenso averaged 3.6 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.8 blocks in 19 minutes per contest this past season
The 7-foot center is the No. 47 overall prospect in ESPN’s list of best available draft prospects
He signed with an agent, but did not officially shut the door for a return to college, despite making it clear he has no interest in coming back to school

April 15: Zvonimir Ivisic transfers to Arkansas

“I made the lifetime decision to come to college for a few reasons,” Ivisic announced. “Main one’s to win a national championship and go to the NBA. Monumental part of that decision was Coach Cal, and no one does both of those at the same time than him. That’s why I am excited to announce that I am committing to Coach Cal and the Arkansas Razorbacks!”
Ivisic racked up 15 total appearances in Lexington, averaging 5.5 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game while shooting 57.7% from the field and 37.5% from three.

April 15: Aaron Bradshaw commits to Ohio State

Bradshaw took an official visit to Columbus over the weekend and announced his commitment to open the week on Monday.
The former top-five recruit was the first portal entry for the Wildcats to commit elsewhere
He originally entered the transfer portal on April 8 while also testing the draft waters
The 7-foot-1 freshman averaged 4.9 points and 3.3 rebounds per game this season while shooting 57.6% from the field.

April 15: DJ Wagner enters transfer portal

The 6-foot-3 former five-star recruit averaged 9.9 points, 3.3 assists, and 1.9 rebounds in 25.8 minutes per game for Kentucky this past season
247Sports’ Travis Branham says Wagner will consider a return to Kentucky and meet with Mark Pope while also considering entering the 2024 NBA Draft

April 15: Northern Illinois transfer David Coit hears from the Wildcats

Kentucky joins TCU, Louisville, Utah, Washington State and Oregon State as schools to reach out, according to The Portal Report
Averaged 20.8 points, 3.4 assists and 3.2 rebounds per game
40.7% FG, 33.7% 3PT, 88.5% FT

April 14: Kentucky schedules visit with Drexel transfer Amari Williams

Williams is a three-time CAA Defensive Player of the Year and a First Team All-CAA member in 2023-24
He averaged 12.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.8 blocks in 22.9 minutes per game as a senior, shooting 51.7% from the field and 65.5% at the line
He is considered the 18th-best available player in the On3 Industry Transfer Portal Rankings and will have one year of eligibility remaining as a graduate transfer

April 14: Kentucky reaches out to Oklahoma State transfer Javon Small

Kansas, Miami, Indiana, Texas and Louisville are other schools with mutual interest, sources tell KSR
Averaged 15.1 PPG, 4.7 RPG, and 4.1 APG, shooting 44% overall last season
Set to take official visit to Miami this week

April 12: BYU’s Jaxson Robinson becomes name to know for Kentucky

The 6-7 guard averaged a team-high 14.2 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.3 assists in 26.4 minutes per outing.
He shot 42.6 percent from the field, 35.4 percent from deep (6.9 attempts per game), and 90.8 percent from the free throw line.
KSR has learned Robinson is a potential portal addition with Kentucky seen as the likely destination should he enter, following Pope to Lexington

April 9: Rob Dillingham enters the NBA Draft, forgoes remaining eligibility

Dillingham’s time in Lexington comes to a close with a season average of 15.2 points, 3.9 assists and 2.9 rebounds per game while shooting 47.5% from the field and 44.4% from three.
He is currently the No. 4 overall prospect in ESPN’s list of best-available players in the 2024 draft

April 8: Joey Hart enters the transfer portal

The 6-5 sharpshooter out of Linton, IN plans to transfer as a redshirt freshman after playing just ten minutes in his debut season as a Wildcat.
He scored three points in Lexington — a made 3-pointer in Kentucky’s win over Marshall back on November 24.

April 4: Justin Edwards enters the NBA Draft

The former five-star wing becomes the first player to forgo his time at Kentucky and enter the NBA Draft
He is currently rated as the No. 30 overall prospect in ESPN’s list of best available players in the draft pool, good for third on the team behind Rob Dillingham and Reed Sheppard

March 28: Adou Thiero enters transfer portal, will test NBA Draft Waters

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Kentucky

Liberty Trees planted throughout Kentucky

Published

7 hours ago

May 11, 2026

Press Room

Liberty Trees planted throughout Kentucky

CAMPBELL COUNTY, Ky. (WXIX) – Liberty Trees are being planted across Kentucky in celebration og America 250.

FOX19 NOW’s Philip Krinsky went down to Campbell County, where a Liberty Tree dedication took place.

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Kentucky

2026 Kentucky Derby: The Sporting Event Expanded Its Partnerships

Published

19 hours ago

May 11, 2026

Press Room

2026 Kentucky Derby: The Sporting Event Expanded Its Partnerships

LOUISVILLE, KY.—Jockey Jose Ortiz rallied long shot Golden Tempo from way back in the pack to claim the 152nd Kentucky Derby on May 2, beating his older brother Irad Ortiz Jr. by a neck and making Cherie DeVaux the first woman to train a Derby winner.

Held at Churchill Downs Racetrack in Louisville, Ky., this year’s race averaged 19.6 million viewers on NBC and Peacock, making it the most-viewed Run for the Roses on record since Nielsen began tracking average audiences in 1988.

In the week leading up to the first Saturday in May, Churchill Downs hosted a full roster of events, including 502’sDay, Winsday, Thurby, and the Kentucky Oaks (when fans watch 3-year-old fillies compete), which, for the first time, was contested in primetime and on network television.

As part of the racetrack’s ongoing renovations, the sixth-floor space, 10,000-square-foot ultra-VIP space known as The Mansion opened its private doors, revealing a $30-million refurbishment. There were improved amenities in the Finish Line Suites this year as well.

But that wasn’t the only newness happening. This year introduced several firsts, including the Derby’s first-ever beauty partnership with L’Oréal, an MLB activation where fans were able to put their pitching skills to the test, and a limited-edition Graeter’s ice cream flavor, Bourbon Backstretch Cherry.

Returning partners also evolved their experiences for 2026, including Old Forester serving up a new signature cocktail with a fruity twist called the Perfecta and Red Bull expanding its lounge area in the Infield, which included a custom Ford F150 DJ booth with custom Red Bull cocktails.

This updated partnership strategy is part of the racetrack’s efforts to attract younger fans and the Gen Z demo. “Reaching new and younger audiences is how the brand stays relevant after 152 years,” said Casey Ramage, senior marketing and partnerships consultant for Churchill Downs Racetrack.

“Churchill Downs does this by offering onsite fans brand experiences such as beautiful photo moments around our iconic Twin Spires and partner collaborations and merchandise brands that are relevant to this audience such as vineyard vines, lululemon, and Aviator Nation,” she said.

For the fans at home, the Churchill Downs team also turned more to social media to educate the viewing audience. This year, the Derby’s social media accounts saw a 59% increase during Derby Week, Ramage added.

As for the L’Oréal partnership, Ramage said it just made sense. “With fashion being one of the first things you think about for the Kentucky Derby experience, Churchill Downs has always wanted to partner with a beauty brand, and L’Oréal Paris is the perfect fit,” she explained.

The brand was the presenting partner of the Derby’s Green Room, where celebrities and VIPs were able to touch up their makeup and hair before walking the red carpet. L’Oréal also produced activations in the Woodford Reserve Paddock Plaza fan zone with product giveaways and surprise-and-delight makeup moments in the ladies’ restrooms.

Keep scrolling to see more from the 2026 Kentucky Derby and the brand activations and parties surrounding the historic event…

^{L’Oréal produced activations in the Woodford Reserve Paddock Plaza fan zone with product giveaways as well as surprise-and-delight makeup moments in the ladies’ restrooms.}^{Photo: Courtesy of Churchill Downs Racetrack}

^{Because of Churchill Downs’ strong partnership with NBC, the racetrack also highlighted the network’s new relationships with both the MLB and WNBA. The MLB hosted an interactive pitch activation, where fans were challenged to test their fastball and track their throwing speed in real time.}^{Photo: Courtesy of Churchill Downs Racetrack}

^{Attendees posed inside a WNBA bespoke photo moment.}^{Photo: Courtesy of Churchill Downs Racetrack}

^{The WNBA logo was made out of red and white roses, as a nod to the Derby race.}^{Photo: Courtesy of Churchill Downs Racetrack}

^{Apparel brand vineyard vines marked its 16th year as the Official Derby Style with on-site activations, including a fully branded stage in the Infield, featuring live entertainment and giveaways such as its fan-favorite whale hats, sunglasses, and more.}^{Photo: Courtesy of vineyard vines}

^{Fully wrapped F-150s and Broncos in a vineyard vines print were located at the track’s “First Turn.”}^{Photo: Courtesy of vineyard vines}

^{Sports Illustrated Resorts’ Club SI hosted guests across both Oaks and Derby Day at Churchill Downs. The exclusive hospitality suite offers a view of the paddock and paddock runway. SI Swim model Camille Kostek hosted Oaks Day, while commentator Nate Burleson led Derby Day.}^{Photo: Courtesy of Authentic Live, a Division of Authentic Brands Group}

^{Guests received custom caricature illustrations in the hospitality suite.}^{Photo: Courtesy of Authentic Live, a Division of Authentic Brands Group}

^{Sports Illustrated, in partnership with}J Wagner Group^{, closed out Derby weekend with its third annual late-night celebration, Revel at the Races presented by DraftKings, which was headlined by Tiësto and held at}Ice House^.^{Photo: Courtesy of Authentic Live, a Division of Authentic Brands Group}

^{As the official apparel partner, Ted Baker presented a branded photo moment.}^{Photo: Courtesy of Authentic Live, a Division of Authentic Brands Group}

^{Verizon served as the exclusive wireless partner, offering expedited entry via a dedicated fast lane and ticket access through Verizon Access.}^{Photo: Courtesy of Authentic Live, a Division of Authentic Brands Group}

^{As the official bourbon partner, Maker’s Mark served up premium cocktails.}^{Photo: Courtesy of Authentic Live, a Division of Authentic Brands Group}

^{HydroJug provided on-site custom engraving, delivering a personalized takeaway for guests.}^{Photo: Courtesy of Authentic Live, a Division of Authentic Brands Group}

^{The Derby experience starts long before the bugle sounds at Churchill Downs, so Delta turned the journey to the Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport into a spirited ride. On May 1 and 2, in partnership with Brown-Forman, Delta offered travelers in the Atlanta and JFK Delta Sky Clubs a bespoke Mint Julep syrup. Once onboard their flights, passengers could pair it with Woodford Reserve bourbon to craft a cocktail.}^{Photo: Courtesy of Delta}

^{The airline also surprised travelers with arrival and departure goody bags on April 30 and May 3 at the Louisville airport.}^{Photo: Courtesy of Delta}

^{Crew members donned fascinators to close out the weekend.}^{Photo: Courtesy of Delta}

^{Herradura returned with its official cocktail, the Horseshoe Margarita. The brand also collaborated with Q Mixers on a new track-wide cocktail featuring Herradura Reposado called the Paddock Paloma.}^{Photo: Courtesy of Herradura}

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Kentucky

2026 Kentucky Wildcats football position preview: Safety

Published

1 day ago

May 10, 2026

Press Room

2026 Kentucky Wildcats football position preview: Safety

As we continue to go position group by position group and project what each unit will look like for the 2026 Kentucky Wildcats, we will now look at the safety room. This position is led by two of the most experienced safeties in the conference with Ty Bryant and Florida transfer Jordan Castell. The safety position is heavily relied upon in defensive coordinator Jay Bateman’s scheme. Having experience is paramount for this group, as Coach Bateman will call creative looks for disguised coverages which will create plenty of safety rotations pre-snap and post-snap.

Starters

I think it is safe to assume that the new staff made it a priority to retain Ty Bryant and Willie Rodriguez more than any other returning players on the roster. Bryant was voted second team All-SEC by coaches last season and is one of the best safeties in the conference. He was the team’s leading tackler a year ago with 76 total and led the SEC with four interceptions. Bryant is a do-it-all safety that has a nose for the football and is expected to be the leader of the defense this fall.

Jordan Castell transferred over from the Florida Gators, where he started over 30 games in his career. Castell is a long, rangy safety that knows what it takes to play at an SEC level. He started as a true freshman at Florida and earned freshman All-SEC honors in 2023. Over his three seasons with the Gators, Castell has totaled 169 tackles, 13 pass breakups and three interceptions.

If things go as planned, these two will rarely come off the field this season. Bryant has natural playmaking ability on the back end as a ball hawking safety and is coming off the best season of his career. Castell has ideal length for the position and has shown the ability to make big time plays in this conference. Bryant and Castell form one of the best safety tandems in the SEC and will be a key to the defensive success in 2026.

Backups

Dyllon Williams
Jesse Anderson

Dyllon Williams is a 6’2, 191-pound redshirt freshman that got his feet wet last season in limited snaps. Williams only saw action against Eastern Michigan, Florida and Vanderbilt a year ago. Ideally, I don’t expect him to see much of an increase in playing time this season but it will be interesting to see how he progresses when he does get on the field. Coach Bateman does like to throw three safety looks at opposing offenses, but that will likely be manned by the slot corner position group.

Jesse Anderson is a transfer from Pitt that brings some experience to the depth of this room. In three seasons at Pitt, he has received snaps in 23 games as a rotational safety. I wouldn’t expect his role to change, he will be a rotational guy in this group as well and brings much needed experience in a backup role. Anderson is on the smaller side at 6’0, 186-pounds.

Like I previously mentioned, Coach Bateman likes to keep offenses off balance with three safety looks in coverage. However, I expect the slot corners to be heavily involved in those formations, which will be Aaron Gates and Jaden Smith. We will group the slot corners in with the cornerbacks when we preview that position group. Overall, this safety room is a strength of the team although it is hinged on the experienced duo of Bryant and Castell.

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