Kentucky basketball roster 2026-27, updates on Mark Pope's offseason

Six players from last season's squad transferred: Collin Chandler, Mouhamed Dioubate, Brandon Garrison, Andrija Jelavić, Jasper Johnson and Jaland Lowe.

The two seniors from the 2025-26 club, Denzel Aberdeen and Otega Oweh, are out of eligibility; Aberdeen put his name into the portal despite requiring an NCAA waiver to play next season.

Keep this page bookmarked throughout the offseason to see how Kentucky's 2026-27 roster is shaping up.

Which Kentucky Wildcats will return next season?

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 18: Coen Carr #55 of the Michigan State Spartans controls the ball as Trent Noah #9 and Kam Williams #3 of the Kentucky Wildcats defend during the first half in the 2025 State Farm Champions Classic at Madison Square Garden on November 18, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

• Forward Braydon Hawthorne: After redshirting during the 2025-26 campaign, Hawthorne announced April 21 he'll be back in blue next season. He will be a redshirt freshman.
• Forward Trent Noah: A superstar as a high school player at Harlan High, Noah announced April 12 that he'll be back at UK for his junior campaign.
• Forward Reece Potter: A Lexington native who spent his first two college seasons at Miami-Ohio, Potter redshirted in 2025-26 after joining Kentucky. Potter announced April 15 he'd be back with the Wildcats in 2026-27.
• Guard Kam Williams: A rising junior, Williams reportedly reached an agreement April 7 to be part of the UK roster next season.

Incoming Kentucky basketball transfers

Zoom Diallo

Mar 12, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; Washington Huskies guard Zoom Diallo (5) brings the ball up court against the Wisconsin Badgers during the first half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

A 6-foot-4 guard, Zoom Diallo was a dynamic playmaker for Washington the past two seasons. He averaged 11.1 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.7 assists as a freshman in 2024-25. Diallo improved on all those figures last season (15.7 points, 3.9 rebounds, 4.5 assists). He ranked among the Big Ten's top 10 in field goal percentage and assists per game during the 2025-26 campaign. Diallo committed to UK on April 15

Franck Kepnang

Dec 9, 2023; Seattle, Washington, USA; Washington Huskies center Franck Kepnang (11) dunks the ball against the Gonzaga Bulldogs during the game at Alaska Airlines Arena at Hec Edmundson Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports

The upcoming season will be Kepnang's seventh in the college ranks. The 6-foot-11, 225-pound native of Cameroon started his career at Oregon in 2020-21, a year in which the NCAA paused the eligibility clock for all athletes amid the coronavirus pandemic. After appearing in 35 games (with five starts) in 2021-22, Kepnang transferred to Washington. He spent four seasons with the Huskies. Last season, he started 25 times (in 27 games), averaging 6.2 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.07 blocks in 22.9 minutes per outing. Kepnang finished third in the Big Ten in total blocks (55) and blocks per game (2.07) in 2025-26. He committed to UK on May 9.

Justin McBride

Dec 29, 2025; Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA; James Madison Dukes forward Justin McBride (21) drives against Arkansas Razorbacks forward Trevon Brazile (7) during the second half at Bud Walton Arena. Arkansas won 103-74. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

Kentucky will be the fourth school in four years for well-traveled forward Justin McBride. He began his college career at Oklahoma State in 2023-24. McBride then spent a season at Nevada (2024-25) and James Madison, respectively. During his one-year stint with JMU, McBride averaged team highs in points (15.3) and rebounds (5.6) per game. He committed to UK on April 28.

Jerone Morton

Feb 10, 2026; Spokane, Washington, USA; Washington State Cougars guard Jerone Morton (11) shoots the ball against Gonzaga Bulldogs guard Mario Saint-Supery (17) in the second half at McCarthey Athletic Center. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-Imagn Images

It's a return home for Morton, who committed to Kentucky on April 29. He graduated from George Rogers Clark High School before playing two seasons at Morehead State, where he appeared in 62 games, averaging 5.8 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 20.1 minutes. Morton played at Washington State in 2025-26, playing in 32 games (29 starts). His 84 assists were second-most on the team. Morton averaged 7.8 points and 1.9 rebounds per game for the Cougars.

Alex Wilkins

Mar 20, 2026; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Furman Paladins guard Alex Wilkins (10)reacts in the second half during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Alex Wilkins didn't stay long at Furman. In fact, he only played one season for the Paladins. But it was a standout freshman campaign for the Massachusetts native. He was first on the team in points (17.4) and assists (4.7) per game. Wilkins also was efficient from the field, knocking down 46% (220 for 478) of his tries. He made 117 of his 142 free-throw tries, a conversion rate of 82.4%. Wilkins committed to UK on April 18.

Which high school recruits have signed with Mark Pope and UK basketball?

Mason Williams

Tennessee Collegiate Academy’s Mason Williams (2) looks to make a move against Utah Prep’s Jaxon Prince (4) during a EYBL Scholastic League game on Jan. 3, 2026 at Tipton Rosemark Academy in Millington, Tenn.

The son of new assistant coach and NBA veteran Mo Williams, Mason Williams is a four-star guard. He was the first — and as of April 6, only — commitment in the 2026 class for the Wildcats. The younger Williams is the No. 12 point guard in the country in the 247Sports Composite rankings. Williams is the No. 3 prospect in Tennessee.

Zyon Hawthorne

The younger brother of rising redshirt freshman forward Braydon Hawthorne, Zyon committed to UK on April 21. A 6-1 combo guard, Zyon had offers from Arkansas State, Bethune-Cookman, La Salle and Wichita State, per Rivals/On3.

International additions

Ousmane N'Diaye

A 6-foot-11, 210-pound forward from Senegal, N'Diaye committed to UK on April 24. N'Diaye competed in Lega Basket Serie A — a professional league in Italy — last season. He played for Vanoli Cremona, averaging 10.2 points and 6.7 rebounds in 27.3 minutes per game.

Which UK basketball players declared for 2026 NBA Draft?

Malachi Moreno

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - MARCH 13: Malachi Moreno #24 of the Kentucky Wildcats is defended by Rueben Chinyelu #9 of the Florida Gators during the first half in the quarterfinal game of the 2026 SEC Men's Basketball Tournament at Bridgestone Arena on March 13, 2026 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Carly Mackler/Getty Images)

A freshman from nearby Georgetown, Malachi Moreno announced April 6 he'd go through the NBA draft process while maintaining his college eligibility. He said if he doesn't remain in the draft, he'll be back for Year 2 in Lexington. Moreno played in all 36 games (30 starts) for Kentucky last season, pacing the team in rebounds (6.3) and blocks (1.47) per game as well as double-doubles (three) and field goal percentage (58.2; 96 for 165).

Jayden Quaintance

Kentucky Wildcats forward Jayden Quaintance spins a basketball while being introduced at the 2025 Big Blue Madness at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025.

After an abbreviated season in Lexington in which he appeared in only four games, forward Jayden Quaintance declared for the draft April 14. His short on-court stint with Kentucky centered around an ACL injury that ended his freshman campaign at Arizona State in February 2025. When he finally took the floor for UK, Quaintance ensured his debut was a memorable one: He had 10 points, eight rebounds and two blocks off the bench in a 78-66 win over St. John's in December. But Quaintance played in only three more games after that before his college career ended for good. He averaged 5 points and 5 rebounds per outing in his sole season in Lexington.

Kentucky basketball outgoing transfers

Mar 20, 2026; St. Louis, MO, USA; Kentucky Wildcats guard Collin Chandler (5) shoots a three point shot against the Santa Clara Broncos during the second half of a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Enterprise Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

Collin Chandler

Collin Chandler entered the transfer portal with a do-not-contact tag April 8 after two seasons with the Wildcats. As a sophomore, the 6-foot-5 guard averaged 9.7 points, 2.8 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.2 steals per game. He led UK by shooting 41% (73 for 178) from 3-point range. As expected when he announced his transfer, Chandler is heading back to Utah, his home state. He committed to BYU on April 11, revealing the move on his personal Instagram account. Chandler had signed with BYU in high school, when Pope still was the Cougars' coach.

Denzel Aberdeen

Mar 22, 2026; St. Louis, MO, USA; Kentucky Wildcats guard Denzel Aberdeen (1) speaks during the postgame press conference after the game against the Iowa State Cyclones during a second round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Enterprise Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Le-Imagn Images

Denzel Aberdeen has an uphill battle to play another college season. He's already played four years, and though he was on the floor only 41 minutes (in 12 games) in his freshman season at Florida, he didn't receive a redshirt for an injury at any point as a collegian. He'll hope the NCAA is forgiving and grants him a fifth season. In his lone season at UK, Aberdeen dished out a team-high 3.4 assists per game. His 13.5 points per contest ranked second only to Oweh's 18.6. If Aberdeen's successful, he plans to head back to Gainesville, Florida. On April 10, Aberdeen announced his commitment to the Gators in a post on his personal Instagram account.

Andrija Jelavic

Jan 10, 2026; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Kentucky Wildcats forward Andrija Jelavic (4) shoots the ball during the second half against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

A starter for Kentucky's final 20 games of the season, 6-foot-11 forward Andrija Jelavić decided to see what else might be out there for him, entering the portal April 7. In two seasons for Mega Superbet (a Serbian team that competes in the Adriatic League), he averaged nearly one triple per outing, sinking 52 3s in 53 games. That accuracy wasn't on display for the Wildcats, as Jelavić converted only 27.1% (21 for 76) of 3s last season. He'll try to showcase his long-range shooting just north of the Bluegrass State: Jelavić committed to Ohio State on April 10, according to Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress.

Mouhamed Dioubate

Mar 3, 2026; College Station, Texas, USA; Kentucky Wildcats forward Mouhamed Dioubate (23) controls the ball during the first half against the Texas A&M Aggies at Reed Arena. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

Transfer No. 4 for UK this offseason, Mouhamed Dioubate had an up-and-down season. He started the first five games before missing nearly a month. Dioubate then moved back into the lineup for five contests in the middle of December through the early portion of January. He returned to the bench, appearing as a reserve in the Wildcats' final 20 games. Dioubate led UK in rebounding eight times and in blocks on eight occasions. He ended the 2025-26 campaign averaging 8.8 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block and 1 steal per game. Dioubate stayed in the SEC, announcing his commitment to LSU on April 20.

Brandon Garrison

Mar 22, 2026; St. Louis, MO, USA; Kentucky Wildcats forward Brandon Garrison (10) shoots as Iowa State Cyclones forward Blake Buchanan (23) defends during the first half during a second round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Enterprise Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Le-Imagn Images

Brandon Garrison was the third player from UK's 2025-26 squad to enter the portal, putting his name in April 3. Garrison never was able to live up to the lofty expectations that accompanied him after arriving in Lexington. He was a McDonald's All-American in 2023, then had a promising freshman season at Oklahoma State in 2023-24, averaging 7.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game. But in two seasons at UK, he started just five times in 71 appearances. Garrison averaged 5.3 points, 4 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game in his career as a Wildcat. He committed to Alabama on April 12.

Jasper Johnson

Feb 28, 2026; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Kentucky Wildcats guard Jasper Johnson (2) grabs a pass during the first half against the Vanderbilt Commodores at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

The second player to portal for Kentucky this offseason, Jasper Johnson had a disappointing freshman campaign. Aiming to be a one-and-done NBA draft pick, Johnson struggled to find points or consistent playing time. Though he had a reputation as a bucket-getter in high school, that didn't immediately translate to the college level. In 35 games for the Wildcats in 2025-26, Johnson reached the 10-point mark only five times. He ended his lone season in Lexington averaging 4.9 points, 1.1 rebounds and 1.9 assists per outing. He's the son of Dennis Johnson, who had a stellar stint as a defensive lineman for Kentucky's football program a quarter century ago. Johnson committed to Oregon on April 18, revealing the move on his personal Instagram account.

Jaland Lowe

Kentucky Wildcats guard Jaland Lowe (15) celebrates his score in the first half during the UofL-UK annual rivalry game at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Kentucky Nov. 11, 2025.

The first player to reveal intentions to transfer, Jaland Lowe was supposed to be Kentucky's starting point guard last season. But he went down with a shoulder injury in the Blue-White preseason scrimmage in October. The injury lingered into the season, limiting him to just nine games before undergoing corrective surgery in January, after which Lowe didn't take the court again. He averaged 8.4 points, 2.1 rebounds, 2.4 assists in 18.4 minutes per game in his brief stint with the Wildcats. Lowe committed to Georgetown University on April 13.

Reach Kentucky men’s basketball and football reporter Ryan Black at rblack@gannett.com and follow him on X at @RyanABlack.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Kentucky basketball transfer portal moves, Mark Pope recruiting news