Kentucky
The 2025-26 Kentucky Basketball roster as we know it
In the era of the transfer portal, there is no such thing as the offseason.
Coaches all over the country are scrambling to inject as much talent into their programs as possible before the well runs dry.
When it comes to the Kentucky Wildcats, the Big Blue Nation has quickly learned that this new coaching staff moves in silence. There has been little information leaking and the commitments and decommitments have come abruptly, without warning.
Case in point: The Wildcats learned Thursday night that Acaden Lewis will not be part of the 2025 recruiting class after he decommitted.
Lewis was set to arrive in Lexington with the luxury of learning from Jaland Lowe and not being forced to do too much too early. It’s unclear why Lewis is now reopening his recruitment, but Kentucky will thankfully have other options to run the point next season.
With that, we’re beginning to get an idea of what the 2025-26 Kentucky basketball roster will look like. The final product is still a work in progress, but the foundation for Mark Pope’s second year has been laid.
Here is a quick look at the current roster with a projected starting line-up.
Jaland Lowe – Adding an experienced veteran to run the show came as welcomed news over the weekend. In two years at Pitt, Lowe played in a total of 64 games and will come to Lexington eyeing a breakout season playing in Pope’s scoring-friendly offense.
Travis Perry – There’s no denying that Perry will enter his sophomore season with a little added pressure to perform after struggling to carve out a role for himself in year one. He was asked to do a lot because of injuries, so you can expect a smoother approach in year two.
Jasper Johnson – The Woodford County product has as much upside as just about anyone in the country. His smooth left-hand game, paired with his fierce athleticism, makes for a combo that will have the NBA scouts closely following Johnson’s development.
Otega Oweh – Not much to say here. Otegatron returning to Lexington will be the foundation of this roster. His heroics fueled Kentucky’s run to the Sweet 16, capturing the hearts of the Big Blue Nation along the way. Next year’s season could be very much dependent on the contributions of #00, so long as he doesn’t go pro. He’s expected to test the waters but is widely projected to go undrafted.
Trent Noah – It’s not an unpopular opinion to think that Noah will have a monster sophomore season. His stature compliments SEC play well and he’s proven he can come in and make a big shot. Keep an eye on the Mountain Mamba next year.
Collin Chandler – Who knows where the Cats would have been without Chandler stepping up in the face of devastating injuries. His big-shot-making ability and defensive tenacity were put on display in some of the biggest moments of the season. Expect to see a lot of Collin Chandler next year, especially now that Lewis is out of the fold.
Brandon Garrison – Anyone who watched Kentucky basketball last season saw the potential in Brandon Garrison. Mark Pope could be relying on BG to play a much bigger role with the departure of Amari Williams.
Malachi Moreno – Many fans were introduced to Moreno after his strong showing in the McDonald’s All-American game. The 7-footer looks poised to contribute in his first year as a Wildcat.
Kam Williams – At 6-foot-8, Williams shot 41% from deep last season at Tulane and all signs point to him thriving in Mark Pope’s offense.
Mouhamed Dioubate – All signs are pointing to this being a huge commitment for Mark Pope and the Cats. The Alabama transfer is expected to bring versatility and the ability to stretch the floor. He fills a much-needed void in the front-court and is an offensive rebounding machine.
Jayden Quaintance – Kentucky’s latest pick up was a needle mover. The projected NBA lottery pick will be coming off of a torn ACL but all signs point to him being available for the start of the season. This was a monster commitment for Mark Pope and his staff.
Projected Starting Lineup
- PG: Jaland Lowe
- SG: Jasper Johnson
- PF: Otega Oweh
- PF: Mouhamed Dioubate
- C: Jayden Quaintance
Keep in mind the roster is not complete, and Mark Pope may still have some magic up his sleeve. Among the names Kentucky is still in the mix for are Robert Morris forward Alvaro Folgueiras and Sam Houston shooting guard Lamar Wilkerson.
Buckle up. We’re in for a busy couple of weeks and potentially months.
There is an old saying that there is no such thing as a minor procedure when it happens to you. But that’s exactly what happened over the spring football season as top transfer Lance Heard had surgery on an undisclosed injury that was deemed “minor.”
While Kentucky did not release what exactly the big left tackle had surgery on, anytime you are down your starting left tackle over Spring is not ideal. The good news is Heard has plenty of SEC experience, starting at LSU before transferring to Tennessee.
The biggest thing for an offensive line is reps, but offensive coordinator Joe Sloan told KSR he was happy with what he was seeing.
“You’re starting to see them work really well together, and they have an opportunity to be a strength of our team.” If that comes to fruition, Kentucky will have a really good year. As for the fans, expect a different style this year in Kroger Field.
Kentucky’s offense will be different
Under Mark Stoops, the calling card became a physical offensive line, a punishing run scheme, and a ball control style. That offense will be very different this year, not because of a shift away from the run game, but because there will be a lot more chances taken.
Sometimes, that is a good thing, and other times it causes turnovers. Will Stein said he never called a play he didn’t think would score a touchdown. That aggressive style is what will define Stein’s time in Lexington. He chose a defensive coordinator known for dialing up the blitz. He has gone after nearly all the top recruits, and he isn’t backing down from saying he expects to be the best head coach in the country.
Will it work? I don’t know, but I do know it will look different than what Mark Stoops was putting out. But it all depends on the health of the key players Stein brought in, and that starts with a healthy offensive line.
Kentucky
Kentucky Colonels executive to speak at Florence Rotary Club on Monday, public welcome to register
Ohio tornado warnings: what residents should know
Severe storms June 17 in Ohio: know tornado watch vs. warning, safety steps, shelters and alerts.
A tornado was confirmed to have ripped through the Florence area during the overnight storms June 18.
The National Weather Service in Wilmington released a statement June 20 saying a tornado traveled eastward 6.2 miles across the Northern Kentucky city, 10 miles south of Cincinnati. It had estimated peak winds of 100 mph, which classifies it as an EF1 “moderate” tornado on the Enhanced Fujita Scale.
The tornado’s path goes mostly through residential areas, and the first evidence was found on Landings Way where several trees were snapped at their trunks, the weather service reported.
The tornado progressed east, crossing Interstate 71/75 and then seemingly dissipating on Tallwood Circle where multiple large branches were downed, the final known instance of damage.
Along the way, the tornado uprooted multiple trees and snapped branches, damaged several buildings and businesses, and snapped a large power pole near the intersection of U.S. 42 and Dream Street, according to the weather service.
How many tornadoes have been confirmed in Greater Cincinnati, beyond?
As of 1 p.m. June 20, the weather service has confirmed that apart from the one in Florence, two other tornadoes touched down in Greater Cincinnati on June 18:
- An EF2 “significant” tornado that traveled about 9 miles from Dearborn County, Indiana, to Boone County, Kentucky.
- An EF2 “significant” tornado that traveled just over 5 miles from Franklin County, Indiana, to Butler County, Ohio.
A few other tornadoes have been confirmed outside the Greater Cincinnati region, including an EF2 that traveled 23.6 miles from Scott County, Indiana, to Trimble County, Kentucky; an EF2 that traveled 9 miles across Pike County, Ohio; and one in Grant County, Kentucky, just north of Williamstown.
The weather service said details on the Grant County tornado will be released later on June 20.
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