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Kentucky basketball under Mark Pope: Transfer portal news, 2024 roster, targets, recruits from KY insiders

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Kentucky basketball under Mark Pope: Transfer portal news, 2024 roster, targets, recruits from KY insiders


The Kentucky Wildcats are one of college basketball’s blue blood programs, but will have an almost entirely new look next season. After 15 memorable seasons, John Calipari left Lexington to take the head coaching job at Arkansas. The Wildcats hired Mark Pope, a former standout guard on Kentucky’s 1996 national championship team, away from BYU to replace Calipari. Pope was tasked with building an entirely new Kentucky basketball roster and has managed to hit the ground running. The bulk of the new 2024 Kentucky basketball recruiting class followed Calipari to Arkansas, but Pope was still able to add a pair of in-state high school recruits to his Kentucky basketball lineup.

The Wildcats have hit the Spring Transfer Portal hard and continue to be in contact with multiple available players. If you love the Wildcats, or just want the latest roster updates and college basketball transfer portal news, be sure to see what the proven team of insiders are saying at CatsPause, the 247Sports affiliate that covers Kentucky.

The team of insiders at CatsPause.com are providing up-to-the-minute scoop on the latest intel surrounding the Kentucky basketball coaching transition and roster changes. CatsPause has built a solid reputation over its 20+ years covering the Wildcats, and has deep-rooted sources inside and around the Kentucky athletic department. And right now, CatsPause is offering 50% off the first year of an annual subscriptions*, so now is the time to sign up.

The team at CatsPause has full coverage of who is coming and who is going on the Kentucky basketball roster. Head to CatsPause now to see all the insider info.

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Kentucky basketball roster departures 

No sooner had Calipari departed Kentucky that a number of Wildcats from last year’s roster were on the move as well. Aaron Bradshaw was the first to commit to a new team when he joined the Ohio State Buckeyes, while Zvonimir Ivisic became the first player from last season to follow Calipari to Arkansas. Calipari is also reportedly encouraging Bradshaw’s high school teammate, D.J. Wagner, to join the Razorbacks.

The transfer portal isn’t the only reason the Wildcats roster will look different next season. Antonio Reeves and Tre Mitchell, who were two of Kentucky’s top scorers last season, are both graduating. Meanwhile, Justin Edwards, Rob Dillingham and Ugonna Onyenso have all declared for the 2024 NBA Draft. There is also movement within the recruiting class, so Pope’s roster is clearly far from solidified for the 2024-25 season. Join CatsPause to see the latest on all of Kentucky’s roster changes. 

Kentucky basketball news, roster

Pope has already added eight transfer players, giving Kentucky the No. 5 transfer class in the country, according to 247Sports. One of the Wildcats’ first additions was former Oklahoma State center Brandon Garrison, who was ranked as a five-star prospect in the Class of 2023, to get things started. The 6-foot-11, 245-pound big man averaged 7.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game during his freshman season, and will give the Wildcats a physically imposing presence in the paint.

Pope also added a pair of potential instant impact guards in former Dayton sharpshooter Koby Brea and for San Diego State point guard Lamont Butler Jr.. Brea developed into one of the premier long-range shooters in college basketball. In 2023-24, Brea connected on 49.8% of his 3-point attempts and averaged 11.1 points per game. He should fit seamlessly into Pope’s fast-paced offense that is heavily reliant on 3-point shooting. Butler was a key piece in the Aztecs’ run to the national championship game in the 2023 NCAA Tournament. Join CatsPause to get the latest on all of Kentucky’s roster additions. 

How to get insider Kentucky basketball roster updates

Pope could also be bringing at least one big-time BYU player with him, so be sure to join CatsPause to see who that is and get the rest of the insider roster news. 

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Who are the top names Kentucky basketball is pursuing under coach Mark Pope, and what former BYU player could land in Lexington? Go to CatsPause to see their insider information, all from a team of reporters with years of experience covering the Wildcats, and find out. And reminder, CatsPause is offering 50% off the first year of an annual VIP membership*, so subscribe now before it’s too late.

*Terms: This offer is only available for new members who sign up for a CatsPause annual subscription. After the first year, subscription will re-bill on an annual basis at the regular rate. 247Sports.com reserves the right to alter or cancel this promotion at any time. Please write support@247sports.com with any questions you may have.





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WATCH: Rep. Thomas Massie’s full concession speech after defeat in Kentucky GOP primary

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WATCH: Rep. Thomas Massie’s full concession speech after defeat in Kentucky GOP primary


Ed Gallrein won Republican nomination for U.S. House in Kentucky’s 4th Congressional District, beating incumbent Rep. Thomas Massie on Tuesday. Trump handpicked Gallrein after Massie broke with him over issues including the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files.

Watch Massie’s full concession speech in the video player above.

In announcing that he conceded defeat to Gallrein, Massie also made a jab at his opponent over the millions of dollars poured in to the race by pro-Israel groups to try to defeat the incumbent.

WATCH: After Massie defeat, Trump says it ‘doesn’t work out well’ when GOP members vote against him

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“I would have come out sooner, but I had to call my opponent and concede and it took a while to find Ed Gallrein in Tel Aviv,” Massie told the crowd.

Massie has voted against U.S. aid to Israel and faced accusations of antisemitism. He has denied the charges, arguing that he is generally against all foreign aid.

The race drew in millions of dollars against Massie from pro-Israel interest groups, including from the Republican Jewish Coalition Victory Fund.

The Kentucky congressman claimed in his speech after his defeat that young voters were still on his side.

“People that want somebody that will go along to get along, I’ve never heard of that strategy but that seems to be what the voters want,” Massie said. “But not the young voters.”

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The crowd was still energetic despite Massie’s loss, and started a chant of “No more wars!” that the congressman joined in on. Massie’s speech meandered through different topics and touched on other politicians before another chant started of “America First!”

“We stirred up something. There is a yearning in this country for someone who will vote for principles over party,” Massie said.

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Thomas Massie ousted in Kentucky and San Diego victims identified: Morning Rundown

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Thomas Massie ousted in Kentucky and San Diego victims identified: Morning Rundown


Rep. Thomas Massie’s loss in Kentucky solidifies Trump’s influence over the Republican Party. Relatives mourn the victims of the deadly mosque shooting in San Diego. And an American doctor with Ebola is evacuated to Germany for treatment.

Here’s what to know today.

Trump notches GOP primary wins, but midterm questions remain

President Donald Trump scored his biggest win yet in his mission to eliminate political enemies within his own party, as former Navy SEAL Ed Gallrein won the Republican primary in Kentucky’s 4th Congressional District over Rep. Thomas Massie. Gallrein, Trump’s chosen candidate, won 54% of the vote, aided by an extraordinary ad blitz fueled largely by pro-Trump and pro-Israeli groups.

In successfully ousting Massie — who opposed the president on key issues — Trump continues to prove that he can not only influence GOP voters but also attack Republicans who have opposed him without feeling like there are significant negative consequences.

But Trump did not outright win everything he touched. In Georgia’s race for governor, Trump-backed Lt. Gov. Burt Jones and billionaire Rick Jackson are headed to a runoff for the Republican nomination. (The winner of the runoff will face Democratic candidate and former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms.)

Despite the wins, it’s unclear how Trump’s GOP primary dominance will play out in the midterm general election. His low approval ratings and the war with Iran may raise red flags among voters who supported the president’s “America First” agenda. And his surprise endorsement of Texas state Attorney General Ken Paxton a week before the runoff against longtime Sen. John Cornyn has some wondering if the president should’ve kept quiet.

Read the full story here.

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More election results:

  • Democrats picked candidates for four key districts in Pennsylvania in the party’s battle for the House.
  • Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and state Treasurer Stacy Garrity will face off in the race for governor. The result wasn’t unexpected, but the outcome of the race could have a big impact nationwide.
  • Rep. Andy Barr won the Republican primary in the race for retiring Sen. Mitch McConnell’s seat in Kentucky.
  • Rep. Mike Collins and former football coach Derek Dooley are heading to a Senate Republican primary runoff in Georgia, vying to take on Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff.
  • Sen. Tommy Tuberville won the Republican primary for governor of Alabama, making him the clear favorite to win the general election.
  • In the race to succeed Tuberville, Rep. Barry Moore advanced to a Senate primary runoff, and two rivals are battling for the second spot.
  • State Sen. Christine Drazan won the Republican nomination for governor of Oregon, setting up a rematch against Democratic Gov. Tina Kotek.

More politics news:

  • The Senate voted to advance a resolution to end the war in Iran after GOP Sen. Bill Cassidy flipped his vote to “yes.”
  • Months before a $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund was announced, a Trump administration official told a GOP ally that big payouts were coming for Jan. 6 defendants.
  • The DOJ said the federal government won’t take legal action against Trump, his family members and companies as part of Trump’s settlement agreement with the IRS.

Steve Kornacki answers your questions live today

Steve Kornacki, points to his big board, with text that reads
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At 2 p.m. ET, NBC News’ chief data analyst will take questions from subscribers in a livestreamed Q&A. Ask Steve anything — go deeper into Tuesday’s election results, delve into burning questions about the midterms or learn more about his career and life in front of the Kornacki Cam. Submit your question here.

San Diego mosque shooting victims identified as investigators probe writings

A day after two gunmen killed three people at a San Diego mosque, loved ones remembered the victims as important pillars of the community while investigators looked into the suspects’ possible writings, filled with extremist material.

The victims were identified as: Security guard Amin Abdullah, whose daughter called him her best friend and said he was so dedicated to his job that he would skip lunch to stay on duty. Mansour Kaziha, a community leader who managed the mosque store for nearly 40 years. Imam Taha Hassane said he was the mosque’s handyman, cook, caretaker and storekeeper. “He was everything,” Hassane said. And Nadir Award, who rushed to protect the school when he heard the shooting and is being remembered for his generosity and presence in the community. More about the victims.

Meanwhile, investigators are trying to authenticate a document posted online that purportedly details the motivations of the gunmen. The 75-page document has sections apparently written by Caleb Vazquez, 18, and Cain Clark, 17, and includes material that espouses anti-Islamic, antisemitic and anti-LGBTQ views and promotes white supremacist ideology. More about the documents.

American doctor with Ebola evacuated to Germany

The Stafford Family. Photograph has been blurred by Serge News.
The Stafford Family. Photograph has been blurred by Serge News.Courtesy Serge

The American surgeon who contracted Ebola in Congo was barely able to stand on his own as he departed the country to be flown to Germany for treatment, according to two leaders of the Christian missionary group where he worked.

Dr. Peter Stafford “looked really tired and really sick,” said Dr. Scott Myhre, the East and Central Africa area director for the group, called Serge.

Stafford’s wife, Rebekah Stafford, is also a doctor and treated the same patient thought to have infected Stafford. She and the couple’s four young children remain in Congo, where they are being monitored.

How Stafford is thought to have contracted the virus.

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There are now more than 600 suspected cases and 139 suspected deaths from the virus, the head of the World Health Organization said today.

Read All About It

  • A U.S. indictment of former Cuban President Raúl Castro, 94, is expected in Miami.
  • Meta is expected to announce today a company reorganization that includes moving 7,000 employees into roles focused on AI and layoffs affecting 10% of the company, a source said.
  • The NAACP launched a campaign calling on Black student-athletes to boycott Southern colleges after a Supreme Court decision that weakened the Voting Rights Act.
  • A Minnesota woman paid $99,000 to an insurance company to generate retirement income for life. Then, the company collapsed.
  • Tens of thousands of people flocked to the streets of North London late Tuesday after soccer club Arsenal clinched its first English Premier League title in 22 years.

Staff Pick: Amid prospect of ICE at World Cup games, vendors weigh their livelihoods against safety

Henrry Josue uses tongs to grab hotdogs on a tray outside
Vendor Henrry Josue sells hot dogs outside of the Charlie Puth concert at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, Calif., on April 29 2026.Damon Casarez for NBC News

The upcoming World Cup will bring some of soccer’s biggest stars to the U.S., but at the site of one of the stadiums hosting multiple games, a sense of unease is palpable. This story from breaking news reporter Marlene Lenthang examines the feelings of Latino vendors in and around SoFi Stadium in Inglewood amid the possibility of ICE agents working games — a gamble between their safety and a potentially lucrative payday.

The Los Angeles region was rocked last year by sprawling immigration raids targeting day laborers and factory workers. While the glitz and glamor of soccer’s most prestigious competition coming to town has generated excitement in some quarters, Marlene’s interviews with vendors highlights the worry that continues to linger for others. Rudy Chinchilla, breaking news editor

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Sign up to The Selection newsletter for hands-on product reviews, expert shopping tips and a look at the best deals and sales each week.



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Trump-endorsed Ed Gallrein unseats Rep. Thomas Massie in Kentucky GOP primary

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Trump-endorsed Ed Gallrein unseats Rep. Thomas Massie in Kentucky GOP primary


Former Navy SEAL Ed Gallrein has won the Republican primary in Kentucky’s 4th Congressional District over Rep. Thomas Massie, NBC News projects, notching another win for President Donald Trump in his push to eliminate political rivals and roadblocks within his own party.

Gallrein beat Massie in the most explosive fight of Trump’s political pressure campaign, which wended its way from Indiana and Louisiana to Kentucky this month, all featuring primary challengers he endorsed. Gallrein was aided by an extraordinary advertising blitz fueled largely by pro-Trump and pro-Israel groups.

Massie, first elected to the House in 2012, had become an ever-present thorn in Trump’s side. Trump traveled to the district in March to throw his political weight behind Gallrein and slammed Massie as a “disaster.”

Known as an anti-war libertarian and deficit hawk, Massie drew ire from Trump and his allies for opposing the war in Iran, as well as Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” spending package. Massie, along with Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., also was one of the chief proponents of releasing the Justice Department’s files related to investigations of the late sex offender — and onetime Trump friend — Jeffrey Epstein.

Massie’s prospects of outmaneuvering Trump became even more tenuous over the final days of the race.

Rep. Thomas Massie and challenger Ed Gallrein
Rep. Thomas Massie and challenger Ed GallreinGetty Images; AP

In Louisiana, Sen. Bill Cassidy, a Republican who similarly got crosswise with Trump, failed to advance from the party’s primary in his re-election bid Saturday, underscoring how unflinchingly loyal GOP voters remain to Trump.

And when Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo, campaigned with Massie, Trump threatened to revoke his endorsement of her.

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Meanwhile, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth traveled to Kentucky on Monday for a last-minute appearance with Gallrein — an unusual and overtly political move for a defense secretary but one the Defense Department said Hegseth was making in his personal capacity.

“There’s a portion of the electorate who doesn’t believe that Congress should be independent,” Massie said in an interview last month. “They believe that, when the Republicans control the White House and the Congress, that Congress should just do whatever the president wants. But that’s not how our government’s set up.”

Massie faced an onslaught of ads, many of them negative, led by MAGA KY, a super PAC directed by Trump adviser Chris LaCivita. The group’s attacks focused in part on immigration and border security provisions in Trump’s spending bill. Pro-Israel groups affiliated with the Republican Jewish Coalition and the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, or AIPAC, also poured millions of dollars onto the state’s airwaves to boost Gallrein.

Spots promoting Gallrein or attacking Massie accounted for more than $19 million of the $33 million spent on advertising in the primary, according to AdImpact, an ad-tracking firm. But pro-Massie forces made noise, as well. The Massie-aligned Kentucky 4th PAC aired a spot called “Tucked Tail And Ran” that used war imagery to emphasize Gallrein’s departure from the GOP during Trump’s first term. The ad depicted Gallrein leaving Trump behind in a foxhole.

Gallrein kept a low profile, choosing to let Trump’s endorsement speak for him and drawing criticism from Massie for dodging debates and other candidate forums.

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“It’s like they have a tracker on my car and keep from getting within 50 miles of me,” Massie said last month. “He is scared to answer any question, even if I don’t get to ask the questions.”

Massie’s defeat follows other losses this month by Republican state lawmakers in Indiana who had resisted a Trump-backed congressional redistricting push. Five challengers endorsed by Trump defeated sitting state senators in their primaries.

Another Trump victory came Saturday in Louisiana, where Cassidy, who had voted to convict Trump in his impeachment trial after the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol, finished third in his re-election primary. Trump-endorsed Rep. Julia Letlow and state Treasurer John Fleming advanced to a June 27 runoff.

Massie told NBC News last month that the outcome of his primary could determine whether more Republicans and Congress are willing to stand up to Trump.

“They’re trying to decide,” Massie said, “could they win an election?”

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