Kentucky has three scholarships still open, and Mark Pope explains what he’s looking for in those final positions. Since coming in Lexington last month, Mark Pope and the rest of the Kentucky staff have been relentless in their chase of the transfer portal.
Pope has his work cut out for him after losing every member of last year’s roster, including the entire 2024 recruiting class.
He then recruited seven transfers and three high school prospects, creating a team that ‘fits perfectly’ together.
However, there are still three scholarships to use. Pope has a clear plan for filling up the roster, which he outlined this week.
“We’re at ten scholarships right now,” Pope told CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein this week. “I have two incredibly crucial pieces to offer. The thirteenth scholarship is a floating piece. We view it as a place for a young player. It could be a position for a senior player who plans to redshirt. It could be a site for a project. It could be ideal for a high-risk guy. That’s how we see it, but we’re particularly focused on filling the last two positions as a priority right now.”
Kentucky has currently targeted nearly every skill set through the gateway. However, it still lacks a true go-to scorer.
Mark Pope is looking at a few individuals who match that profile, including a handful who are currently attending the NBA Combine this week.
But for the time being, Kentucky’s 10-man roster includes the nation’s leading three-point shooter last year, Koby Brea, a former McDonald’s All-American in Brandon Garrison, Lamont Butler, who hit a buzzer-beating shot in the 2023 Final Four, and other players.
In the end, Pope added five players with at least four years of collegiate experience, with the exception of Garrison, who will be a sophomore. Pope’s roster is not simply ‘old’, but it also has a number of high-major players with extensive experience playing at the highest levels. “This is the first year of the project. But this squad we’ve put together has far more experience than the ones we had last year at BYU,” Pope said. “These men are proven performers. They’ve made many appearances in the NCAA Tournament and hit game-winning jumpers to go to the national championship game. Veteran players that have spent a significant amount of time at the highest levels.
On June 10th, the players will Students begin to arrive on campus in Lexington. Until then, Pope hopes to solidify his roster, which will fight for the top spot in the SEC next year.
Leave a Reply