Brandon Garrison could have easily left Kentucky after his first season in Lexington.

After a promising campaign in 2024-25, the rising junior had a decision to make. With several veterans from Mark Pope‘s first Kentucky roster running out of eligibility, the head coach had to once again go out and reload his team. He did so by landing a handful of talented players who occupy some of the same positional space as Garrison. Jayden Quaintance (Arizona State), Mo Dioubate (Alabama), Andrija Jelavić (Croatia), and Malachi Moreno (Great Crossing High School) help make up the Wildcats’ frontcourt for next season, not to mention Reece Potter (Miami [OH]), who joined the roster late.

Garrison could have opted to hop into the transfer portal and find a new home without nearly as much competition. There was real speculation in the offseason that he might do just that. But he ultimately embraced the challenge, announcing his return to Kentucky the same day that Jelavić committed.

“I talked it over with my agent, talked it over with Coach Pope,” Garrison said Tuesday. “Just felt like it was still home, my head was still playing for Coach Pope, another year at Kentucky.”

Continuity played a role in Garrison’s decision to come back to Lexington for another season. He started his college career at Oklahoma State as a true freshman before transferring to be part of Pope’s first Kentucky team last offseason. Pope has stressed that his players take developmental leaps in their second year under him, and Garrison mentioned playing for the same staff again as a sticking point for wanting to run it back. His position coach, Mikhail McLean, kept in constant contact with him once the season ended.

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“I got a good feel for (Pope’s coaching style),” Garrison said. “So I can teach the incoming guys how things work around here.”

Garrison saw improvements in his game from being a freshman at Oklahoma State to a sophomore at Kentucky. His minutes and scoring numbers dropped, but his decision-making and outside shooting improved. He was vitally important in wins over Gonzaga, Louisville, Oklahoma, and in the NCAA Tournament against Troy.

It was hardly a perfect season for Garrison, but the talent is clearly there. Consistency and leadership are the next steps in piecing it all together as he looks to make a statement in year three as a college player.