The Kentucky Wildcats have officially signed two of their incoming transfers.
On Wednesday, On3’s Pete Nakos reported the Wildcats had signed Alabama transfer forward Mouhamed Dioubate.
Later, Nakos reported that Kentucky had signed Tulane transfer guard Kam Williams. That makes two of the Wildcats’ four transfers who are officially signed.
The 215-pound Dioubate will be a junior next season with two years of eligibility remaining. This past season, he averaged 7.2 points on 61.7% shooting (46.2% from deep on 0.7 3-point attempts), 5.9 rebounds, and 1.1 assists in 16 minutes per game this past season.
As for Williams, the 6-foot-8, 190-pound guard finished his lone season at Tulane averaging 9.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 1.1 blocks per game while shooting 41.2% on 3-pointers on 4.6 attempts per game. He’s set to be a sophomore with three seasons of eligibility remaining, but his NBA upside will likely lead to him going pro before he can use all four years of college eligibility.
Kentucky now awaits official signatures from Arizona State forward Jayden Quaintance and Pittsburgh point guard Jaland Lowe, which should come any day now.
The Kentucky Wildcats have been hitting the transfer portal hard since their loss to rival Tennessee in the Sweet Sixteen. Head coach Mark Pope is working tirelessly to replace the elite talent that will be leaving after this season.
Perhaps it was Williams’ trolling of the Tennessee program that contributed to their defeat before the game even started in Indianapolis.
“It’s cute when a team that hasn’t beaten us in who knows how long tries something like that… We don’t really care. They can do whatever,” Williams told the media.
On Monday morning, Pope and his staff made another big splash in the portal by securing the commitment of Jayden Quaintance. This marks the second time Quaintance has committed to Kentucky, but this time, all signs point to him signing his National Letter of Intent (NLI).
“Quaintance decommitted from Kentucky precisely a year ago after John Calipari left for Arkansas,” Jonathan Givony posted.
For Quaintance’s father, the hope was always that the Wildcats would eventually recruit his son again if the opportunity arose.
“We always liked Kentucky. He was committed there before John Calipari left for Arkansas, which is the reason we ended up at Arizona State. We were always hoping they’d come back around and recruit him. It didn’t make sense for Coach Pope last time, trying to take on one of Cal’s guys, but this time it really felt like he wanted him to be there,” his father told ESPN.
While this is an incredible pickup for Kentucky, Quaintance may have just secured a major payday.
“And you know he’ll ask for a major NIL package, likely in the $2+ million range, which could complicate things for Kentucky, who has already recruited and missed out on another big man,” wrote Jason Marcum.
Quaintance is coming off an ACL injury, so such a large sum may be a bit premature. However, Kentucky desperately needed a post presence, and they’ve certainly got one now.
After Mark Pope and the Kentucky Wildcats were eliminated in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament, a majority of their starters have likely finished their college careers.
But Pope has been quite active in the transfer portal, and on Monday, he landed his third commitment.
Pope found a potential replacement for parting guard Lamont Butler quickly, adding Tulane guard Kam Williams during the second weekend of the tournament. On Saturday, he landed Pittsburgh guard Jaland Lowe as well.
But, still needing a forward, Pope found one from an SEC opponent.
On Monday, On3’s Joe Tipton reported that Kentucky had landed Alabama forward Mouhamed Dioubate.
“BREAKING: Alabama transfer forward Mouhamed Dioubate has committed to Kentucky, he told @On3sports,” Tipton wrote on X. “The 6-7 sophomore averaged 7.2 points and 5.9 rebounds per game this season.”
Dioubate, a 6-foot-7, 215-pound sophomore out of Queens, NY, was a four-star prospect in the class of 2023 (247Sports). He ranked as the 24th-best power forward and 104th overall in his class.
The Putnam Science Academy alum didn’t see much action in his freshman season, averaging just 7.7 minutes per game. But, after one full offseason in Tuscaloosa, Dioubate earned more time in 2024-25 and became a key player off the bench.
Dioubate’s minutes jumped to 16.0 per game during his sophomore season, averaging 7.2 points on 61.7% shooting and 5.9 rebounds. His best game in the NCAA Tournament came in Alabama’s first-round win over Robert Morris, tallying 18 points and 10 rebounds.
With a few four-star prospects coming in the 2025 recruiting class, Pope could have a Kentucky roster contending for a championship once again in 2025-26.
Jason Marcum has been covering the Cincinnati Bengals for Cincy Jungle since 2014 and the University of Kentucky for A Sea Of Blue since 2015.
While the Kentucky Wildcats are trying to build a new basketball roster, they’re also filling out the schedule for the 2025-26 season.
On Saturday, CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein reported that Kentucky will host Bellarmine on December 23rd at Rupp Arena.
A long-time Division II program, the Knights recently moved into the Division I ranks after joining the Atlantic Sun Conference. However, it’s been a rough transition, as they finished 5-26 this past season after going 8-23 the previous season. They did manage to win the 2022 ASUN Tournament, but it’s been tough sledding ever since.
Head coach Scott Davenport retired this offseason following a career that saw him win the 2011 NCAA Division II Championship, along with six regular-season conference titles at the Division II level.
His son, Doug Davenport, will replace him in what will mark a new era for the program next season, and that will include a trip to Rupp Arena.
Mark Pope has landed another major addition from the transfer portal. Pitt standout guard Jaland Lowe announced on Saturday that he is transferring to Kentucky, making the second portal commitment for the Wildcats this offseason. The 6-foot-3 sophomore guard brings experience, production, and a dynamic skillset to a retooling Kentucky roster.
Lowe played two seasons with the Panthers, and now he is taking his talents to one of college basketball’s most storied programs. He’s coming off an impressive 2024-25 campaign in which he was named Third Team All-ACC. His numbers speak for themselves: 16.8 points, 5.5 assists, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.8 steals per game in 35.4 minutes.
Despite some inconsistency from the field-especially from beyond the arc-Lowe has shown flashes of elite shooting throughout his college career, particularly during his freshman season. Many believe that operating within a system better suited to his strengths could unlock a higher level of efficiency.
Opposing coaches certainly respected what Lowe brought to the floor, even when his stat lines weren’t at their flashiest. Ahead of a January matchup with Duke, Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer highlighted Lowe as a key player they focused on in their game plan.
“Lowe’s a really good player,” Scheyer told Pittsburgh Sports Now. “He can score in a variety of ways, he can shoot the 3, he can attack the basket, he can create and he plays pretty much the whole game… He’s going to continue to shoot no matter what’s happening and he has great next-play mentality in that regard.”
Even though Duke dominated that contest 76-47 and Lowe struggled-finishing with 8 points on 3-of-12 shooting-Scheyer’s remarks reflected the level of threat Lowe posed.
Louisville head coach Pat Kelsey also praised Lowe after facing him twice in ACC play, calling him a “dynamic guard” with elite quickness and playmaking ability.
“No. 15 is a dynamic guard,” Kelsey said after their March 1 win. “He puts fouls on you… We call it matrix, right?… He throws these passes that, if you ball watch, he’s going to find that dude.”
Lowe had a strong showing in that rematch, tallying a double-double with 16 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists, despite a cold night from three (1-of-8).
With Kentucky looking to retool its roster under Pope, the addition of Lowe gives the Wildcats a proven high-major guard who can run the offense, create his own shot, and compete against the best in the country. And with coaches across the ACC already showing him the respect of a top-tier guard, Lowe’s arrival in Lexington could be a game-changer.
There’s no love loss between Duke and Kentucky and there probably never will be. The Cats were sent home by Tennessee, and had to endure the roasting on social media of that. Now its BBN’s turn to roast a rival, see the best tweets inside.
For Kentucky fans, there are few things sweeter than March Madness glory — except maybe a Duke disaster.
And on Saturday night, Big Blue Nation had themselves a feast.
Houston’s 15-3 run to close out a 70-67 win over Duke in the Elite Eight wasn’t just a comeback. It was poetic. A meltdown for the ages. A masterclass in defensive pressure and clutch shot-making. It was also a prime opportunity for Kentucky fans to watch a Blue Devil lead slip through their fingers like a missed free throw in Rupp Arena.
With 3:03 left, Duke led by nine. Cooper Flagg, the phenom freshman, had just buried a three-pointer. The Blue Devils looked poised, controlled, and just 180 seconds away from a national title game appearance.
Then came the unraveling.
Houston crashed the glass like their lives depended on it. Emanuel Sharp, who had struggled for much of the night, caught fire. The Cougars snagged offensive boards, stole inbounds passes, and buried free throws with ice in their veins.
The sequence was pure chaos:
A missed three from Duke.
Three consecutive Houston offensive rebounds.
A block by Flagg — followed by yet another offensive board.
A layup, a steal, more free throws.
A tip-in dunk by Joseph Tugler.
Then, with 19 seconds left, J’Wan Roberts calmly hit two free throws to give Houston the lead.
Duke? They had one timeout, a missed jumper from Flagg, and a turnaround 3 from mid court, there’d be no Laettner moment this time.
On social media, Kentucky fans celebrated with the energy of a home win.
“I have literally never been more shocked. Duke was that good throughout this tourney until those final few minutes. Oh my god. This is bliss.”
“Houston prevented a Tennessee Final Four and a Duke National Championship. Today, we are all Cougars.”
Jon Rothstein even compared the moment to Wisconsin’s 2015 collapse in the national title game — the same one that handed Duke a banner. Oh, how the tables have turned.
Former Blue Devil Jay Williams posted simply:
“I’m sick right now…”
For Kentucky fans, the postseason had its share of heartbreak. But watching Duke go down — in spectacular, painful, can’t-look-away fashion — offered a glimmer of joy.
And it sets the stage for a new blue blood showdown: Florida vs. Houston for the national championship. Houston beat Tennessee and now they have taken down Duke, 2 of the 3 biggest rivals the Cats have, can they make it a third?
In a season where expectations were unpredictable and narratives flipped weekly, one thing remains constant: schadenfreude is alive and well in college hoops.
With the transfer portal in the middle of the dead period, we explain what that is. We also discuss what the House V NCAA settlement hearing means for Kentucky and college basketball going forward.
For Kentucky basketball fans eagerly watching the transfer portal, things may seem unusually quiet right now — and for good reason. The NCAA’s dead period is in full effect, temporarily hitting the brakes on one major piece of the recruiting puzzle: in-person contact.
But don’t confuse “dead” with “inactive.”
What Is the NCAA Dead Period?
The NCAA dead period is the most restrictive recruiting window on the calendar. During this time, coaches are prohibited from any in-person contact with recruits or their families — that means no campus visits, no home visits, no meetings at schools, camps, or even chance encounters at the grocery store. It’s a hard stop on face-to-face interaction.
However, communication doesn’t stop entirely. Coaches can still connect with players via phone calls, FaceTime, text messages, social media, and other digital platforms. So when you see Mark Pope on a FaceTime call with a potential transfer, now you know why — it’s the only method currently allowed.
The dead period will lift on April 10, opening the door again for official visits, in-home meetings, and live evaluation. Until then, coaches are relying on technology to keep relationships alive and moving forward.
The House v. NCAA Ruling Looms
Adding to the complexity of this recruiting cycle is the looming House v. NCAA settlement, with a pivotal court date set for Monday. The final approval of this case could significantly reshape the NIL landscape, especially for high-major programs like Kentucky.
If the settlement is approved, any NIL agreements that include payments after June 30 will be subject to review by a new Deloitte-run NIL clearinghouse. That uncertainty has already impacted the way coaches, agents, and players are navigating the current portal window. Some rumblings have even said Mitch Barnhart is trying to wait until after the deadline, though there has been no real inside information on that.
Many schools are reportedly trying to finalize NIL deals before July 1, fearing the rules may shift dramatically once the settlement goes through. Some programs are even committing multi-million dollar packages that exceed the proposed revenue-sharing cap — all in an effort to lock in talent now before the market potentially changes.
So What Does This Mean for Kentucky?
For Mark Pope and Kentucky, this moment is about laying groundwork. FaceTime calls and Zoom meetings might not carry the same weight as an in-home visit or a campus tour, but they still allow Pope and his staff to evaluate, connect, and recruit. Once the dead period ends on April 10, the pace is expected to pick up significantly.
The NIL settlement is a little trickier, there is no way to know until after Monday. It could be great or it could change the way collectives have been working and reshape college basketball yet again. The only thing BBN can do is just wait and see.
Pitino is also planning to face Louisville next season.
NCAA Basketball: Kentucky Blue Madness
Jordan Prather-Imagn Images
Jason Marcum has been covering the Cincinnati Bengals for Cincy Jungle since 2014 and the University of Kentucky for A Sea Of Blue since 2015.
The Kentucky Wildcats could be playing St. John’s and Rick Pitino after all next season. However, there’s a catch.
In an interview with the Louisville Courier-Journal, Pitino revealed that the Red Storm could play at Kentucky next season in an exhibition game.
“We may be going to Kentucky for an exhibition game,” Pitino said. “We were hoping to go there for a regular game, but they can’t; they can’t get it done, unfortunately. We were hoping to do a home-and-home (series) with them.”
In January, the Division I Men’s Basketball Oversight Committee approved a proposal allowing teams to play up to two exhibition games against any four-year school, including Division I teams, so that means Kentucky can host the Red Storm for one of the two exhibition games next season.
The two schools were hoping to set up a home-and-home series, but for now, that appears to have fallen through.
In that same interview, Pitino revealed that St. John’s is planning a home-and-home series with the Louisville Cardinals, starting with a game at Madison Square Garden early in the 2025-26 season. That’ll be one of the most anticipated regular-season games next season.
Here’s to hoping we get that St. John’s at Kentucky game.
As the Kentucky Wildcats enter their second week of offseason roster adjustments, they remain active in the transfer portal, aiming to add experience and scoring depth. Among the prospects they have identified is Jaron Pierre Jr., the reigning Conference USA Player of the Year and a standout transfer from Jacksonville State. The 6-foot-5, 188-pound guard has attracted considerable attention from high-major programs, including Kentucky, Ole Miss, and SMU.
A Versatile and Experienced Guard
Pierre’s collegiate journey has been marked by adaptation and growth. Beginning at Southern Miss, he later transferred to Wichita State before finding his stride at Jacksonville State. Now, with one final year of eligibility, he seeks a program where he can maximize his impact. His ability to transition between multiple teams and still maintain high-level performance underscores his experience and adaptability-attributes that make him a valuable asset to any team.
Pierre’s 2024-25 season at Jacksonville State showcased his scoring prowess, as he led Conference USA with an average of 21.6 points per game. His efficiency was equally notable, shooting 42.4% from the field and 38% from three-point range. Beyond his scoring, he contributed 5.5 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game, demonstrating his well-rounded skill set.
His efforts earned him the title of Conference USA Player of the Year, cementing his status as one of the top mid-major talents available in the portal. With programs seeking players who can make an immediate impact, Pierre has emerged as a top target for several high-profile teams.
Kentucky’s Interest
Reports from CBS Sports Insider Jon Rothstein indicate that Pierre recently visited SMU and is set to meet with Ole Miss and Kentucky soon. Kentucky officially expressed interest earlier this week, as they look to add scoring depth under new head coach Mark Pope. Having already secured Kam Williams via the portal, the Wildcats remain on the lookout for additional offensive firepower, and Pierre fits that profile.
However, Kentucky faces strong competition. Ole Miss, under Chris Beard, is aiming to strengthen its roster, while SMU is aggressively recruiting in preparation for its ACC transition. Pierre’s visit to Lexington will be a key factor in his decision-making process.
Looking Ahead
With a recruiting dead period in effect from April 3 to April 10, teams will have to wait before making in-person pitches. Once the dead period lifts, Pierre is expected to finalize his decision. The Wildcats, along with other suitors, remain in contention as they await the next move from one of the top available scoring guards in the nation.
Kentucky basketball’s Otega Oweh talks to the media after the Wildcats’ 78-65 loss to Tennessee in the NCAA Tournament on March 28, 2025, in Indianapolis. By John Clay.
It’s now been a week since the first Kentucky season of the Mark Pope era ended.
The wait continues to find out who, exactly, will be a Wildcat for the 2025-26 campaign.
For UK basketball fans hoping to see more roster continuity within the program moving forward, no news is good news. And, while the wait will go on for a little while longer, there should be a lot more clarity on Pope’s depth chart soon.
As of now, it still appears likely that Kentucky will return several players from the 2024-25 roster. Otega Oweh, Brandon Garrison, Collin Chandler, Trent Noah and Travis Perry all have college eligibility remaining beyond this season, and all five of those players are still expected to be back with the Wildcats for at least one more year.
With each of these players, there are some important dates to circle on the calendar.
The first is April 22, the final day for college basketball players to enter their names in the NCAA transfer portal.
As of now, UK has no plans to make individual announcements that players will be returning to the program for the 2025-26 season. The assumption is that the five aforementioned players will be back with the Wildcats unless they make a personal announcement otherwise.
So far, none of those players have said anything that would amount to an official proclamation of their intention to be back in Lexington, but there’s also no real reason for them to do so at this stage, given their previous comments.
Noah and Perry, both Kentucky natives, made it clear in the aftermath of UK’s loss to Tennessee in the NCAA Tournament that they would be back for their sophomore seasons, and Pope made it clear on his final weekly radio show Monday night that he expects them to return.
Chandler, the other freshman on UK’s 2024-25 roster, has been the subject of transfer rumors — back to his home state of Utah — since before the season even began, but he has had nothing but praise for Pope and his experience at Kentucky, and he’s said nothing to indicate that he intends to leave the program this offseason.
Garrison, the Cats’ backup 5 this past season, has also been surrounded by transfer rumors — and a possible testing of the NBA draft process — but Pope has been steadfast in his declaration that the 6-foot-10 forward will have a prominent role in the future of his program, and Garrison told the Herald-Leader after the loss to Tennessee that he “for sure” expects to be back at UK if he returns to college basketball.
“I’ve loved it here,” he said in the postgame locker room that night.
Oweh — the Cats’ leading scorer in Pope’s first season — has, by all accounts, been overly pleased with his role at Kentucky and his time spent in Lexington so far, and he appears to be a slam dunk to return, if he doesn’t head to the NBA draft.
So, if April 22 comes and goes — the portal entry deadline is 11:59 p.m. EDT that day — and none of these players have entered their names, it means they will be back at Kentucky.
Unless they enter the NBA draft.
Oweh and Garrison are the only candidates to go that route, and neither is projected among the 59 picks in this year’s draft. That doesn’t mean they won’t test the waters, though they also don’t have to officially declare for the draft to receive feedback from NBA decision-makers.
The deadline to enter the draft is 11:59 p.m. EDT on April 26, but players such as Oweh and Garrison can request written feedback from NBA teams before taking that step. This initial assessment tells a player how high he’s most likely to be drafted — or if he’s not viewed as a draft pick at all — and the player can decide from there whether to declare for the draft or return to school for another season.
Oweh appears the most likely to work his way into draft range this year, though he’s not particularly close to being among the top 59 picks, according to most prominent draft boards.
If Oweh does decide to go deeper into the process, he could declare for the draft, work out for and meet with NBA teams in person, and perhaps earn an invite to the NBA Combine (or the G League Combine).
The NCAA’s draft withdrawal deadline this year will be 11:59 p.m. EDT on May 28 — 10 days after the end of the NBA Combine — so a final decision would have to be made by that time.
It’s possible that Oweh’s decision — and possibly even Garrison’s — could stretch out to that date, but a lot more clarity on the stay-or-go decisions for all of Kentucky’s current players should be reached by that portal deadline date of April 22.
Kentucky guard Otega Oweh led the Wildcats in scoring this past season and could be back for one more year with Mark Pope’s program. Ryan C.
Kentucky point guard options
The Wildcats’ roster should be plenty talented next season, with the expected returnees, plus three top-30 recruits — combo guards Jasper Johnson and Acaden Lewis, and McDonald’s All-American center Malachi Moreno — along with transfer wing Kam Williams, a freshman at Tulane this past season who possesses NBA-level upside.
UK is still pursuing a long list of frontcourt players in the portal, but what the Cats don’t have is a clear starting point guard for next season.
One early lead guard target — Silas Demary Jr., a former Georgia player — committed to UConn on Thursday afternoon. UK was tied to former UNLV guard Dedan Thomas Jr. in the opening days of portal season, but the Cats backed off of that pursuit. Thomas has since committed to LSU.
Purdue point guard Braden Smith — a first-team All-American this season — still hasn’t put his name in the transfer portal, and each passing day with no change there makes it more likely that he will return to the Boilermakers for his final season of college basketball.
Some other options on the radar are Pittsburgh’s Jaland Lowe and Jacksonville State’s Jaron Pierre Jr., but nothing seems imminent in either of those cases.
Another interesting possibility hit the transfer portal Friday morning, with Princeton point guard Xaivian Lee throwing his name into the mix. Lee — a 6-4 senior to be from Toronto — averaged 16.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game for the Tigers this past season. He made 59 3-pointers and shot 36.6% from long range.
Lee is likely to be one of the most coveted point guards in the portal and would be an intriguing fit for the Wildcats.
Louisville’s future backcourt
As the wait continues for Kentucky’s roster situation to clear up, the Cats’ in-state rivals have been hitting the transfer portal hard in recent days.
Pat Kelsey’s Louisville Cardinals might just end up with the best backcourt in all of college basketball for the 2025-26 season. They landed another big one Thursday afternoon.
Former Virginia sharpshooter Isaac McKneely — a player who was once linked to UK as a high school recruit — committed to Kelsey, who had already landed former Kennesaw State guard Adrian Wooley and former Xavier guard Ryan Conwell.
Kelsey likes for his teams to put up lots of 3-pointers, and this trio won’t be shy about that. This past season, McKneely was 101-for-240 from deep, with Conwell going 99-for-240 and Wooley at 73-for-173. That’s a total of 273 3-pointers at a rate of 41.8%.
To put that in perspective, Louisville’s entire team made 320 3-pointers this season. (And Kentucky’s made 317.)
A blue-blood exodus
It was a season to forget for Bill Self and the Kansas Jayhawks, and those bad vibes are extending into the first few weeks of the offseason.
KU was ranked No. 1 in the preseason AP Top 25 poll before an underwhelming 2024-25 campaign ended with a 7 seed in the NCAA Tournament and a first-round loss to John Calipari’s Arkansas Razorbacks.
Since then, Jayhawks have been flying into the transfer portal left and right.
At last count, six Kansas players with remaining eligibility had entered the portal, including Rylan Griffen and AJ Storr — high-profile transfers from last year — plus highly touted freshman Flory Bidunga.
And the Jayhawks were already set to lose their top four scorers — Hunter Dickinson, Zeke Mayo, KJ Adams Jr. and Dajuan Harris Jr. — who are all out of NCAA eligibility.
In all, Self will have to replace his top 11 scorers off the 2024-25 roster — a total rebuilding job for a 62-year-old, Hall of Fame coach with two national championships on his résumé.
Kansas has no transfer portal commitments so far, though Self does have a commitment from five-star guard Darryn Peterson, the No. 2 overall recruit in the 2025 class. He’s KU’s only McDonald’s All-American in this cycle.
John Calipari’s offseason
Meanwhile, another Hall of Fame coach is also 0-for-the transfer portal so far with a roster rebuild on the docket for this offseason.
For John Calipari, that’s an annual occurrence.
Arkansas is losing Johnell Davis and Jonas Aidoo to exhausted eligibility. Adou Thiero and Boogie Fland are both projected as NBA draft picks this year (though neither has made an announcement yet). Zvonimir Ivisic has already jumped into the transfer portal.
What happens beyond that will be interesting to watch.
The other key Razorbacks with remaining eligibility are former UK point guard D.J. Wagner, ex-Kentucky recruits Karter Knox and Billy Richmond III, and forward Trevon Brazile.
Calipari also has commitments from McDonald’s All-Americans Darius Acuff Jr. and Meleek Thomas, though he has no transfer portal additions … yet.
Arkansas went 8-10 in the SEC before a surprise run to the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 in Calipari’s first season with the Razorbacks. Will he be able to get a little more roster continuity for year two?
Even if he does, the former UK coach will need to make a splash in the portal.
This story was originally published April 4, 2025 at 6:30 AM.
.JPG "LEX_22_250323UK_Illinois_rh (1).JPG")
