Ben Roberts
@benrobertshl.bsky.social
Kentucky men's basketball beat writer for the Lexington Herald-Leader and Kentucky.com. Beyond the Arc newsletter. Latest stories: https://www.kentucky.com/profile/218560050
It's possible Mark Pope doesn't need a big star this offseason to put a national contender on the court in 2026-27, though it's clear he's still trying to land at least one. The options are dwindling, but they're not gone yet. Story: www.kentucky.com/sports/colle...
Kentucky could still land a big name this offseason. These are the top options
Mark Pope has a few spots to fill on his 2026-27 UK basketball roster, and there are some big names that could still be realistic options.
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Plenty happened during college basketball's transfer portal deadline day. What it meant for Kentucky. Some late portal additions. Big commitments elsewhere. Where UK goes next at PF. Next moves for top coaches. Story: www.kentucky.com/sports/colle...
Transfer portal deadline day was eventful. Here’s what it meant for Kentucky
With the college basketball transfer portal now closed, here’s a look at the biggest developments of deadline day and what they mean for UK.
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The college basketball transfer portal closes tonight. Here's how that process works, as well as what it means for Mark Pope and the Kentucky basketball team's roster-building efforts: www.kentucky.com/sports/colle...
What the closing of the transfer portal really means for Mark Pope and Kentucky
The college basketball transfer portal is getting ready to close, and Mark Pope is still searching for starter-level players.
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Kentucky has landed one transfer out of the portal so far. Who's next for Mark Pope and the Wildcats? These are the most intriguing, realistic options (for now) as portal season continues: www.kentucky.com/sports/colle...
Kentucky needs players from the portal. These are now the most intriguing options
A look at Mark Pope’s best options to fill out the 2026-27 Kentucky basketball roster as transfer portal season rolls on.
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Kentucky basketball is on the board in the transfer portal this offseason. Washington sophomore guard Zoom Diallo is coming to Lexington: ⬇️ www.kentucky.com/sports/colle...
UK gets its first transfer portal commitment. It’s a big one for the Wildcats
Standout point guard from the Big Ten commits to Kentucky basketball out of the NCAA transfer portal.
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Kentucky missed on No. 1 point guard Rob Wright. Here's what happens next for the Wildcats (and if Plan B falls through, there could be trouble): www.kentucky.com/sports/colle...
Kentucky couldn’t land Rob Wright. Here’s what happens next for the Wildcats
247Sports national analyst Travis Branham talks to the Herald-Leader about Kentucky’s search for a starting point guard.
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Jayden Quaintance is headed to the NBA draft after playing four games for Kentucky. Story: www.kentucky.com/sports/colle...
Jayden Quaintance declares for NBA draft after frustrating season at Kentucky
“I’ll always bleed blue and proudly represent the Wildcats,” Quaintance said in a statement announcing his decision Tuesday.
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Mark Pope has an opportunity this week to make the biggest recruiting splash of his tenure at Kentucky. Landing Rob Wright and Tyran Stokes would go a long way toward fulfilling one of Pope's biggest offseason goals, and it has nothing to do with rankings. Story: www.kentucky.com/sports/colle...
Why a Rob Wright-Tyran Stokes combo would be especially fitting for Kentucky
Mark Pope’s plan for the 2026-27 Kentucky basketball roster hinges on getting something he didn’t have last season.
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Former NBA All-Star Mo Williams has been actively recruiting for Kentucky and was officially announced as the newest member of Mark Pope's staff yesterday. Here are the preliminary details of his two-year deal with UK, according to a term sheet obtained by the H-L: www.kentucky.com/sports/colle...
Mo Williams is now recruiting for Kentucky. Here are the details of his UK deal
The former NBA point guard is already helping the Wildcats on the recruiting trail. Here’s what his contract at Kentucky looks like.
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Trent Noah will return to Kentucky for his junior season. Story: www.kentucky.com/sports/colle...
Kentucky native Trent Noah is sticking with the Wildcats for the 2026-27 season
The former Harlan County standout has appeared in 51 games for Mark Pope’s program over the past two seasons.
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Santa Clara forward Allen Graves is in the transfer portal. Definitely one to watch for Kentucky. Story: www.kentucky.com/sports/colle...
An NBA-level player is hitting the transfer portal. Kentucky will be on his list
Santa Clara star Allen Graves nearly ended Kentucky’s season in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
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A lot has changed with Kentucky basketball this offseason. A lot more will change in the coming days. Here's a look at the current roster situation after nearly every player on the team has made an initial announcement on what's next: www.kentucky.com/sports/colle...
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Collin Chandler has entered the transfer portal after two seasons at Kentucky. That's quite a blow to Mark Pope's offseason retention plans. Story: www.kentucky.com/sports/colle...
Collin Chandler will enter the transfer portal after two seasons at Kentucky
The sophomore guard was the Wildcats’ top 3-point shooter during the 2025-26 season and will leave a void on Mark Pope’s roster.
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The conventional wisdom this offseason is that Mark Pope will need to get some of the most highly ranked players in the transfer portal to have a real contender for 2026-27. But is that really the case? Story: www.kentucky.com/sports/colle...
Mark Pope needs some five-star players from the transfer portal. Or does he?
The conventional thinking as the transfer portal opens Tuesday is that Kentucky must find some star additions. But is that really true?
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Kam Williams is coming back to Kentucky for next season. Story: www.kentucky.com/sports/colle...
Kentucky guard Kam Williams will return to the Wildcats for 2026-27 season
The sophomore guard projects as a key player on Mark Pope’s next Kentucky team after a foot injury derailed his 2025-26 season.
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Andrija Jelavic joins the list of Kentucky players to hit the transfer portal. Story: www.kentucky.com/sports/colle...
Andrija Jelavic will enter the transfer portal after one season at Kentucky
The Croatian forward was the final addition to Mark Pope’s roster for the 2025-26 season. He will look at other options for his second year.
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And from the wee hours: Yes, Denzel Aberdeen's name is in the portal. Story: www.kentucky.com/sports/colle...
Kentucky’s Denzel Aberdeen among first wave of players to hit transfer portal
The Wildcats guard has played in four seasons of college basketball and would need a waiver to be granted a fifth year of eligibility.
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The transfer portal is officially open, and we have lots of notes to get you started. Names to watch for Kentucky, former UK basketball figures on the move, an early look at the rankings, and more: www.kentucky.com/sports/colle...
Names to watch for Kentucky, familiar faces on the move as transfer portal opens
The college basketball transfer portal opened Tuesday morning. There are already several Kentucky-related developments to keep an eye on.
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Malachi Moreno will be back at Kentucky for next season IF he withdraws from the NBA draft. No transfer portal for the freshman center is good news for the Cats, but they'll have to wait a little while for a final decision. Story: www.kentucky.com/sports/colle...
Malachi Moreno will be back at UK next season if he doesn’t stay in NBA draft
Malachi Moreno was one of the bright spots of Kentucky’s 2025-26 season, and he’s expected to be a building block for UK’s 2026-27 roster.
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There's been a lot of change within the Kentucky basketball program over the past two weeks, but things should really ramp up in the coming days. Before the transfer portal opens tomorrow, here's what's happened so far (and what's coming next): www.kentucky.com/sports/colle...
UK basketball offseason tracker: What you need to know before the transfers begin
The Kentucky basketball program is going through lots of changes as Mark Pope looks to reshape his operation heading into next season.
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Kentucky basketball's 2025-26 season was an obvious disappointment. But will it harm UK's future recruiting efforts? I asked that question to top prospects in the 2027 and 2028 recruiting classes: ⬇️ www.kentucky.com/sports/colle...
Is UK’s disappointing season a deterrent for recruits? Top prospects weigh in
Standout college recruits from the 2027 and 2028 classes talk about potentially joining UK basketball after a down year for the Wildcats.
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Illinois is in the Final Four for the first time in 21 years, in part, because Brad Underwood has taken a unique approach to college basketball recruiting. And he did it with a Kentucky connection: www.kentucky.com/sports/colle...
How one Final Four team recruited in a unique way, with a Kentucky connection
Coach Brad Underwood has Illinois in the Final Four for the first time in 21 years, and he’s using an interesting recruiting strategy.
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Mark Pope has a lot to do over the next few weeks. One of the biggest assignments for the Kentucky basketball coach will be keeping a couple of Cats home in Lexington, and the reasons go beyond their basketball skill. Story: www.kentucky.com/sports/colle...
One of Mark Pope’s major offseason assignments goes beyond the basketball court
Kentucky coach Mark Pope needs roster continuity for next season. He also needs talented leaders on the court.
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Kentucky's Jaland Lowe is entering the transfer portal. Story: www.kentucky.com/sports/colle...
Jaland Lowe is leaving the UK basketball team after a season plagued with injury
The point guard was one of Mark Pope’s biggest transfer portal additions last year, but he played in only nine games with the Wildcats.
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Mark Pope and the Kentucky Wildcats finally have their first commitment from the 2026 recruiting class. Mason Williams — the son of former Alabama star and NBA All-Star Mo Williams — is coming to UK: ⬇️ www.kentucky.com/sports/colle...
Mark Pope lands his first UK basketball commitment from the 2026 class
A four-star point guard whose father was an NBA All-Star becomes the first class of 2026 recruit to commit to Kentucky.
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"This is not an excuse fest." Mark Pope came to his final radio show armed with a whole bunch of facts. Many of them were related to the point guard spot, which hasn't gone according to plan in either of his first 2 seasons at UK. He knows Year 3 must be better: www.kentucky.com/sports/colle...
‘This is not an excuse fest.’ But Mark Pope knows he needs to fix this problem
In each of the past two seasons, Mark Pope has dealt with issues at the point guard position. How can he avoid it in Year 3?
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NEW: Eli Capilouto's first AD search update added to the feeling UK might go with a nontraditional hire to replace Mitch Barnhart. What are the pros and cons of that move? I talked to an industry expert to find out. www.kentucky.com/sports/colle...
Could UK look to pro sports or private sector for Mitch Barnhart’s replacement?
Eli Capilouto has stressed a business-minded approach for UK Athletics, so nontraditional candidates could be in play in the AD search.
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As Kentucky continues to assess what its 2026-27 roster should look like, keep one thing in mind. Tyran Stokes is still an option for the Wildcats. That’ll be true even with Jason Hart’s departure from Lexington: ⬇️ www.kentucky.com/sports/colle...
Tyran Stokes is still a recruiting option for Kentucky basketball
Mark Pope is in search of difference-making players this offseason. The top-ranked 2026 recruit is still an option.
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Mark Pope has officially hired a "director of roster management" to help put together his Kentucky basketball team for the 2026-27 season. More to know: www.kentucky.com/sports/colle...
Mark Pope makes it official, adds former staffer to help build Kentucky’s roster
Keegan Brown was viewed as a possible addition to Mark Pope’s staff back in 2024. He spent five seasons with the UK coach at BYU.
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Which players will Kentucky basketball target this offseason? Some names to know during the early stages of a critical offseason for Mark Pope and the Wildcats: ⬇️ www.kentucky.com/sports/colle...
Watch for these players as UK basketball’s offseason roster rebuild begins
Keep an eye on these players as UK basketball starts to rebuild its roster this offseason.
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