Category: Kentucky wildcat

 

 

2025-26 Kentucky men’s basketball players – Chet White, UK Athletics

2025-26 Kentucky men’s basketball players – Chet White, UK Athletics

Mark Pope doesn’t seem the slightest bit concerned about his backcourt situation going into the 2025-26 season.

 

“I think we have a chance to have a really dynamic backcourt,” Pope told reporters Monday. “Guys that are really capable of making multiple moves to make plays in the backcourt. And I think this team has a chance to really pass the ball at an elite level.”

 

The injury bug took multiple bites at Kentucky’s backcourt last season. Kerr Kriisa sat out for most of the season, Jaxson Robinson missed a dozen games, and Lamont Butler was in and out of the lineup during SEC play. Pope found ways to make the offense work anyway. This time around, he should even more guard options to help ease any potential injury issues.

 

Jaland Lowe was brought in from Pitt to take over as the Wildcats’ starting point guard, and the early chatter is he’s excelled during summer practices. He brings a different flavor to Kentucky’s offense compared to Butler that should trickle down to his teammates. But Pope believes he’s not the only one who can step in as the lead guard and direct the offense.

 

“I have a really talented backcourt. I have so many options,” Pope explained. “Otega (Oweh)‘s played some minutes at the one, Collin Chandler has played a lot of minutes at the one. Jasper Johnson‘s completely capable of playing the one. I think DA (Denzel Aberdeen) is very comfortable playing the one. We’re in a little bit of a different scenario than we felt like we were in most of the season last year. We have so many capable options.”

 

Adding to that, last season’s Kentucky team lacked having multiple players who could create their own shots and consistently make plays. Pope doesn’t see that being the case in the 2025-26 campaign.

 

After one season as a graduate assistant under Mark Pope, Austin Pope joins the Lakers’ G League staff.

 

 

 

chrisbeasmore A sports writer for A Sea of Blue. Beasmore helps to cover Kentucky football and basketball recruiting and the big games coming up for Kentucky sports.

After just one season in Lexington, Austin Pope is heading to the NBA. The former Kentucky Wildcats men’s basketball graduate assistant has accepted a role as the new Video Coordinator for the South Bay Lakers, the G League affiliate of the Los Angeles Lakers.

 

Pope joined Mark Pope’s first staff at Kentucky this past spring, and even though his time with the Wildcats was short, Pope made a strong impression behind the scenes in the film room and during summer practices.

 

Before stepping into coaching, Pope had a decorated playing career. He earned First-Team All-Pacific West honors in 2018 after averaging 14.8 points, 4.5 assists, and 1.2 steals per game while posting an elite 2.7 assist-to-turnover ratio. He went on to play professionally in Europe and the NBA G League, gaining valuable experience that helped prepare him for his transition into coaching.

 

In addition to his graduate assistant role at UK, Pope spent time coaching high school basketball at Viewpoint and Burroughs High Schools and worked on the grassroots circuit with BTI Hoops in California.

 

Now, after one season with welcoming in the Mark Pope era at Kentucky, he’s taking his next step into professional basketball, and returning home to his native California.

 

The move is another sign of how Kentucky’s coaching tree continues to grow, even in just a year under Mark Pope.

 

The 5-star guard pushed his visit back a week.

 

 

USA – Portraits & Content Day: FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup 2025

 

Ethan DeWitt serves as an editor with us here at A Sea of Blue.

Mark Pope and his staff are starting to circle their top recruits in the class of 2026, as the AAU season winds down. With players starting to schedule visits for the fall, the Kentucky Wildcats will continue to look to host several in the coming months.

 

One player has already been scheduled for a visit to Lexington, but now that has been pushed back a week.

 

According to Wyatt Huff of SI.com, five-star guard Caleb Holt has rescheduled his visit to Kentucky to September 12-14. His official visit was originally scheduled for September 5-7.

 

Holt, a 6-foot-5 and 200-pound guard out of Prolific Prep in Fort Lauderdale, is high on the staff’s big board as they look to maximize their spots available in the 2026 class. But with visits to Auburn and Alabama on the calendar as well, it will be a tough fight to pry him from Iron Bowl territory.

 

However, the Cats keeping a visit on the board is important. Hopefully, it will turn into some great news for the Cats in the next few months, as Holt would be a great addition to Pope’s offense and address the apparent roster needs that will be open on the 2026-27 roster at this point.

 

 

 

 

 

Braydon Hawthorne graphic via KSR

Braydon Hawthorne was a late addition to Kentucky’s incoming freshman class, but he has the potential to be a star down the road.

 

After seeing his stock rise as a high schooler during the spring, Hawthorne established himself as a top 40 prospect in the 2025 recruiting class.

Rivals has him ranked No. 35 overall and the ninth-best small forward. At 6-foot-8 with plenty of length and raw talent, Hawthorne could have committed to other schools such as West Virginia, Virginia Tech, and Pittsburgh for more immediate playing time, but he elected to go with the school he grew up cheering for.

 

Get the Daily On3 Newsletter in your inbox every morning

 

By clicking “Subscribe to Newsletter”, I agree to On3’s Privacy Notice, Terms, and use of my personal information described therein.

 

How much playing time will he actually earn as a true freshman in 2025-26? That’s still to be determined, and Mark Pope‘s Wildcats have a deep squad this time around.

 

However, summer practice rumblings have sparked inspiring conversations about his early development. Regardless, something special could be brewing with Hawthorne — KSR’s Brandon Ramsey and Steven Peake explain why in the video below.

 

 

More Kentucky News and Views on the KSR YouTube Channel

Kentucky Sports Radio has expanded its coverage of the Wildcats in the most ridiculous manner possible on our YouTube Channel.

Here you will be able to find interviews with coaches and players, as well as commentary from the KSR crew. From Rapid Reactions following big events to our lengthy lineup of live shows, subscribe to the KSR YouTube Channel to stay up to date on everything happening around the Big Blue Nation.

 

 

 

 

jayden-quaintance-has-one-game-circled-on-kentucky-schedule-louisville

Jayden Quaintance – Photo by Chet White | UK Athletics

“When will Jayden Quaintance make his Kentucky debut?” is one of the biggest questions heading into the 2025-26 season. While the big man wouldn’t put a timeline on his ACL rehab on Tuesday, he did tell reporters that he’s had one game circled on his calendar for a while, potentially going back to when he was first committed to Kentucky as a recruit coming out of high school. It takes place on November 11, during the second week of the season.

 

“Louisville,” Quaintance told reporters of the game he’s looking forward to the most. “I’m really excited for the energy that’s going to be in that game. That’s always a fun one, and all the fans look forward to it. So I’m looking forward to that game for sure.”

 

Whether or not Quaintance will be ready to play in that game remains one of the biggest topics of speculation in Big Blue Nation. On Tuesday, he said his rehab is “going great,” but didn’t put a date on when he thinks he’ll be back on the floor.

Previously, he said he hopes to be fully healthy by September, roughly six months from when he had surgery. Rest assured, Quaintance and the UK training staff are doing everything they can to make sure he’s back to 100% as soon as possible, to the point he arrived early in Lexington to focus on his rehab and is limiting his time around town.

 

“Well, I’m in the house most of the time,” Quaintance said when asked about his favorite things to do around Lexington. “I try not to do too much. Just focus on getting my knee swelling down and everything, just trying to get back to 100%.”

 

It doesn’t help matters that the Louisville game is so early this year. Typically, the rivalry game is scheduled for mid-late December, near the end of Kentucky’s non-conference schedule. This year’s matchup takes place at the Yum Center in Louisville, giving the Cardinals and the ACC scheduling power.

As Mark Pope quipped earlier this summer, blame the Cards for it taking place so early — maybe Pat Kelsey had Quaintance’s rehab in mind? Fingers crossed Quaintance is ready to roll by then so he can live out his dream of crushing the Cards.

 

SEC matchups loom large for Jayden Quaintance, Kam Williams

The Louisville game isn’t the only game Quaintance is looking forward to this season. He told reporters he’s also excited to play Florida. The Gators beat Arizona State 83-66 in the Holiday Hoopsgiving last December in Atlanta. Quaintance had 14 points, 8 rebounds, 4 steals, 2 blocks, and 2 assists in the loss, which he’s eager to avenge — even though he’s now teammates with a former Gator, Denzel Aberdeen.

 

“Florida, they got us last year. So that’s gonna be a fun one again.”

 

Kentucky will play Florida twice this regular season, home and away. Hopefully, Quaintance will be back on the floor for those games, the dates of which have yet to be announced. Of course, the Cats won last season’s game vs. the Gators, who went on to win the national championship.

 

Kam Williams is eying a different SEC matchup. The former Tulane guard told reporters that he’ll have lots of family in the stands for Kentucky’s game at LSU. Williams hails from Lafayette, Louisiana, about an hour’s drive from Baton Rouge. That said, he won’t let the homecoming impact his preparations.

 

“I would say LSU. You know, it’s like a hometown game. So I might have family and stuff there, but I don’t really treat anybody higher than somebody else, because it’s just basketball at the end of the day, so it’s definitely about my vibes. Nothing different.”

 

 

 

 

jayden-quaintance-shadowing-brandon-garrison-to-learn-mark-pope-system-kentucky

Kentucky sophomore center Jayden Quaintance watches junior center Brandon Garrison in practice – Photo by Chet White, UK Athletics

Jayden Quaintance can only watch Kentucky’s first practices from the sidelines as he continues to rehab from his ACL surgery; even though he can’t participate, he’s doing everything he can to learn Mark Pope’s system so he can hit the ground running once cleared for full contact.

 

“I’ve been watching film and doing things that way,” Quaintance told reporters on Tuesday. “So that’s been another way that I’ve been learning, but watching from the sideline, just seeing what guys are doing, just visually, I feel like that’s really helped me memorize some of the things. And being able to picture what I’ll be able to do, or where I’ll be at during those steps, has been very helpful and impactful for me.”

 

One player in particular is showing Quaintance the role he could play under Pope: Brandon Garrison. Like Quaintance, Garrison was a McDonald’s All-American in high school and transferred to Kentucky after starting his college career elsewhere.

In his first season under Pope, Garrison steadily improved on both ends of the court, finishing the season averaging 5.9 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game. After not attempting a single three during his year at Oklahoma State, Garrison made 12 as a sophomore at Kentucky on 40 attempts. He also passed the ball more, totaling 18 more assists than his freshman season.

 

In his freshman season at Arizona State, Quaintance earned All-Big 12 Freshman and Defensive Team honors, averaging 9.4 points, 7.9 rebounds, 2.9 blocks, and 1.5 assists per game before injuring his knee. He’s already a projected top ten pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, but transferred to Kentucky to expand his game under Mark Pope. Garrison’s growth is showing him a path forward.

 

“They’ve been showing me a lot of film on BG,” Quaintance said of the coaching staff. “Just kind of how he’s able to space the floor, be outside the three-point line, catch and shoot, shots, make passes, things of that nature.”

 

Film is one thing. Quaintance said that while watching practice this summer, he’s been impressed with the energy Garrison brings to the floor.

 

“Just the level of activity that BG plays with surprised me a lot; that was really interesting to see,” Quaintance said of his early impressions from practice. “He’s been playing really hard, you know, making passes, just impacting every play, you know, like every play is getting touches, trying to get other people involved. He’s been a very good kind of leader, having been here last year. Those are the things that stuck out to me the most about him.”

 

Last month, Garrison told reporters that he’s enjoying taking Quaintance under his wing like Amari Williams did him a year ago. Williams, who wasn’t considered a serious NBA Draft prospect when he transferred to Kentucky from Drexel in 2024, is now with the Boston Celtics, who acquired him in a trade for the No. 46 pick a few weeks ago.

 

“For sure,” Garrison said of showing Quaintance the ropes. “I’m just trying to use everything I learned from Amari and being the older guy. I’ve been talking to Jayden. He’s been doing great in his rehab and stuff…Just trying to chat it up with him, keep him in good spirits and stuff, and just trying to teach him the way.”

 

Quaintance is soaking up that knowledge like a sponge.

 

“Just talking me through things, helping me learn the terminology, learn the plays, and leading through example again, through the practices. Just watching how he relocates on offense and defense, how he’s a big talker, just making sure everybody knows what’s going on. It’s been a really big part of my learning experience so far.”

 

 

 

Elijah Satchell during his Kentucky official visit, via UK Athletics

We learned on Thursday morning that July 6 could be a big date for the Kentucky football program when QB Matt Ponatoski shares his college decision. He’s not the only UK target announcing on Sunday.

 

Elijah Satchell shared his decision date with 247’s Brian Dohn. The defensive linemen will choose between Kentucky, Northwestern, Stanford, and N.C. State.

 

A Camden, New Jersey native, Satchell is a 6-foot-1.5, 220-pound pass-rusher. The three-star talent is ranked by 247 as a defensive lineman. On3 believes his future is at EDGE. That versatility was a part of Kentucky’s recruiting pitch when he visited campus last month for an official visit.

 

“I am looking at the coaches, the players I am going to be around, the environment and the school,” Satchell told 247. “Everybody wants to use me as an edge, hybrid guy.

 

Get the On3 Top 10 to your inbox every morning

 

By clicking “Subscribe to Newsletter”, I agree to On3’s Privacy Notice, Terms, and use of my personal information described therein.

 

“The most creative one was probably Kentucky. They said I could play all four positions. It wasn’t just as an edge rusher. They said I could play linebacker, too. The other schools told me I could do that as well.”

 

N.C. State appears to be Kentucky’s top competition. The two schools have butted heads over a couple of recruits in recent years, like Tyreek Jemison and Spike Sowells.

 

Kentucky has addressed a lot of roster needs over the summer, but EDGE is the exception. The Cats took big swings and missed with Asharri Charles and Jackson Ford. Adding Satchell to the equation would be a nice way to cap off the summer before the table resets during the fall.

 

2026 Kentucky Football Recruiting Class

Player Position High School Ranking

Denairius Gray WR (6-1, 170) Hollywood (Fla.) Chaminade-Madonna 4-star (No. 302 overall)

Messiah Tilson S (6-2, 165) Rockford (Ill.) Guilford 4-star (No. 343 overall)

Jordan Crutchfield CB (6-2, 195) Vero Beach (Fla.) High High 3-star (No. 424 overall)

Dallas Dickerson WR (6-1, 180) Bogart (Ga.) North Oconee High 3-star (No. 467 overall)

Lincoln Watkins TE (6-4, 225) Port Huron (Mich.) Northern 3-star (No. 606 overall)

Tyreek Jemison iOL (6-5, 330) Dallas (Ga.) Paulding County 3-star (No. 686 overall)

Prince Jean WR (6-0, 170) Valdosta (Ga.) High 3-star (No. 730 overall)

Garrett Witherington DL (6-4, 290) Birmingham (Ala.) Briarwood Christian 3-star (No. 982 overall)

Davis McCray WR (6-2, 190) San Antonio (Texas) Cornerstone Christian 3-star (No. 1,084 overall)

Max Mohring LB (6-3, 215) Malvern (Pa.) Prep 3-star (No. 1,295 overall)

Delvecchio “Deuce” Alston II RB (6-0, 200) Trussville (Ala.) Hewitt-Trussville 3-star (No. 1,329 overall)

Cameron Miller T (6-5, 310) Hammond (Ind.) Morton 3-star (No. 1,384 overall)

Ben Duncum DL (6-5, 250) Austin (Texas) Lake Travis Unranked

Isaiah McMillian CB (6-0, 170) Katy (Texas) High Unranked

Discuss This Article

 

 

OL Tyreek Jemison during his official visit to Kentucky, via UK Athletics

Kentucky football recruiting is hotter than the temperatures across the Commonwealth, but that momentum has not been behind the offensive line. In fact, things were trending the opposite way after Jarvis Strickland decommitted. Eric Wolford hopped on that wave of momentum by securing a commitment from Tyreek Jemison.

 

This was a tightly contested recruiting win for the Cats. N.C. State, North Carolina, Georgia Tech, and Ole Miss were his other finalists. Things were up in the air until he finished off his summer traveling circuit with an official visit in Lexington. That trip appeared to do enough to put Kentucky over the top.

 

“I just really wanted to commit to Kentucky,” Jemison told KSR. “Just from the opportunities and relationships that I’ve built with Coach Wolf and Coach Stoops.”

 

Get the On3 Top 10 to your inbox every morning

 

Subscribe to Newsletter

By clicking “Subscribe to Newsletter”, I agree to On3’s Privacy Notice, Terms, and use of my personal information described therein.

 

Jemison is a 6-foot-5, 350-pound offensive lineman from Paulding County on the outskirts of Atlanta. He’s ranked by Rivals as a four-star talent and is the No. 667 overall player in the On3 Industry Ranking.

 

At the high school level, Jemison is a left tackle who also creates havoc on the defensive line. He’s projected to play offensive guard at the next level. The Kentucky offensive line big board was thin on interior offensive linemen. Jemison is one of the Cats’ top targets because of his explosiveness in the trenches. He fires out of his stance and is agile enough to move bodies away from the line of scrimmage. Kentucky is adding a pancake-producer to the Big Blue Wall.

 

Kentucky Football 2026 Recruiting Class

Player Position High School Ranking

Jordan Crutchfield CB (6-2, 195) Vero Beach (Fla.) High High 3-star (No. 416 overall)

Messiah Tilson S (6-2, 165) Rockford (Ill.) Guilford High 3-star (No. 450 overall)

Dallas Dickerson WR (6-1, 180) Bogart (Ga.) North Oconee High 3-star (No. 461 overall)

Tyreek Jemison OL (6-5, 330) Paulding County (Ga.) High 3-star (No. 667 overall)

Prince Jean WR (6-0, 170) Valdosta (Ga.) High 3-star (No. 713 overall)

Davis McCray WR (6-2, 190) San Antonio (Texas) Cornerstone Christian 3-star (No. 1,053 overall)

Cameron Miller T (6-5, 310) Hammond (Ind.) Morton 3-star (No. 1,320 overall)

Max Mohring LB (6-3, 215) Malvern (Pa.) Prep Unranked

Delvecchio “Deuce” Alston II RB (6-0, 200) Hewitt-Trussville (Ala.) Unranked

Lincoln Watkins TE (6-4, 225) North Port Huron (MI) High 3-Star (No. 591 overall)

Isaiah McMillian CB (6-0, 170) Katy (TX) High Unranked

Ben Duncum DL (6-5, 250) Austin (TX) Lake Travis 3-Star

 

 

Kentucky sophomore Adou Thiero talks to a teammate before a game – Dr. Michael Huang, Kentucky Sports Radio

Kentucky sophomore Adou Thiero talks to a teammate before a game – Dr. Michael Huang, Kentucky Sports Radio

Once a three-star high school recruit, Adou Thiero is officially on his way to the NBA.

 

Thiero, who played two seasons at Kentucky (2022-24) before following John Calipari to Arkansas for the 2024-25 season, was selected with the 36th overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft on Thursday night. The pick was made by the Minnesota Timberwolves, but reports indicate the Los Angeles Lakers have acquired it via trade, meaning Thiero will team up with LeBron James and Luka Doncic as a rookie in 2025-26.

 

“I’m so proud of how far Adou has come from a 5’11 9th grader to becoming an NBA player,” Calipari wrote on social media. “Incredible journey. Forget what round he is drafted in he is a player they will look at and go ‘how did he get drafted there that was a steal’ We have had guys go in the second round or even undrafted that go on to have a great NBA career! He has what it takes mentally and physically to succeed in the NBA. Go do it Adou!”

 

During his junior campaign with the Razorbacks, the 6-foot-8 Thiero had his best season yet, averaging 15.1 points and 5.8 rebounds per outing while shooting 54.5 percent from the field. According to BigBlueHistory, Thiero is the 16th Kentucky player who transferred to another school and was later drafted.

 

Thiero was mostly unknown as a high school prospect at Quaker Valley (PA) before signing late with Kentucky in 2022. His father, Almamy, played at Memphis under Calipari for three seasons (2002-05). That connection was enough for Calipari to take a chance on a still-growing Thiero, which ended up paying off.