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NBA Draft Combine could provide Mark Pope another chance to land a star
TL;DR
Mark Pope, head coach of the Kentucky Wildcats, may have another opportunity to recruit a star during the NBA Draft Combine. With nearly 1,000 players still in the transfer portal, the landscape of college basketball is shifting significantly.
Key points
- Mark Pope is the head coach of the Kentucky Wildcats.
- 4,949 players entered the transfer portal this year.
- Nearly 1,000 players remain in the transfer portal.
- Some players may struggle to find new teams after transferring.
- The NBA Draft Combine could help coaches recruit new talent.
Mentioned in this story
Mark Pope
Kentucky Wildcats
ST LOUIS, MISSOURI - MARCH 22: Head coach Mark Pope of the Kentucky Wildcats reacts against the Iowa State Cyclones during the first half in the second round of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Enterprise Center on March 22, 2026 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The massive rush of players into the portal is done: No one else can jump in now that the deadline has passed. 4,949 players decided grass would be greener in another pasture, and nearly 1,000 of them are still in the portal.
The harsh reality is that some of them won’t find new homes; it happens every portal window. Guys get convinced they can go make more money or a bigger impact somewhere else, and it never materializes.
And coaches “let players know” they need to transfer, so some don’t even have a choice. Couple that with programs like Arkansas already shuttering Olympic Sports, and it doesn’t paint a pretty picture of the future of college athletics, except for those already at the upper echelon of the sport.
But that is the world we live in, and of those nearly 1k players in the portal, several are staying in the portal until they get feedback from the NBA Draft Combine next month.
The Combine takes place May 10–17, in Chicago. And Kentucky may be watching to see who withdraws, especially if Miikka Muurinen and Tyran Stokes choose to go elsewhere. These are the guys BBN should keep an eye on:
-Allen Graves (Santa Clara)
-Juke Harris (Wake Forest)
-Tounde Yessoufou (Baylor)
-Milan Momcilovic (Iowa State)
Pope will likely be keeping a close eye on these guys during the combine and working to find out if any of them will ultimately return to college and if Kentucky can get into the mix.
ESPN releases new 2026 NBA Draft Rankings
ESPN released its new NBA Draft rankings, but only Graves lands in the top 30 (No. 25 overall), so many of these guys could be returning for another year of NIL and development.
As for the Kentucky players on the list, comes in at 18, Malachi Moreno at 43, and at 74.
Q&A
How many players entered the transfer portal this year?
A total of 4,949 players entered the transfer portal this year.
What challenges do players face after entering the transfer portal?
Many players may not find new teams after transferring, as some are convinced to leave without guaranteed opportunities.
What impact does the NBA Draft Combine have on college basketball recruiting?
The NBA Draft Combine provides coaches like Mark Pope a chance to identify and recruit potential star players from the pool of athletes looking to transition to professional basketball.