How does Kentucky basketball coach Mark Pope’s first transfer haul stack up in the SEC?

LEXINGTON — With every scholarship player from Kentucky basketball‘s 2023-24 roster departing (for either the NBA or a new college home), new coach Mark Pope had to rebuild in a hurry. And he did so the way nearly every program does in the modern game: via the transfer portal.

As of May 22, eight of the Wildcats‘ 11 new players are transfers, joining 2024 prospects Travis Perry and fellow Kentuckian Trent Noah along with Collin Chandler, who formerly signed at BYU, where Pope coached the last five seasons. And Pope might not be done, as UK still is actively recruiting players with two scholarships available for the 2024-25 roster.

Here’s a breakdown of the Wildcats’ transfer portal transactions so far — who they’ve added, who they’ve lost and how they stack up with the rest of the SEC heading into Pope’s debut campaign in Lexington:

Who are the players Kentucky basketball has signed out of the transfer portal?

UK has eight transfers set to be part of the 2024-25 roster: Ansley Almonor (Fairleigh Dickinson), Koby Brea (Dayton), Lamont Butler (San Diego State), Andrew Carr (Wake Forest), Brandon Garrison (Oklahoma State), Kerr Kriisa (West Virginia), Otega Oweh (Oklahoma) and Amari Williams (Drexel).

Positionally, Brea, Butler, Kriisa and Oweh are guards, Almonor, Carr and Williams are forwards and Garrison is a center.

How highly regarded are Kentucky basketball’s incoming transfers?

Seven of the eight are ranked as four-star transfer prospects, per 247Sports‘ rankings. Garrison leads the way at No. 23, followed by Oweh (34th), Butler (48th), Carr (71st), Williams (88th), Brea (91st) and Kriisa (126th). Almonor, who comes in at No. 319, per 247Sports’ transfer rankings, is the lone three-star joining the Wildcats.

Who are the players Kentucky has lost to the transfer portal?

Seven players from last season’s roster hit the portal after former coach John Calipari left for Arkansas: big men Aaron Bradshaw, Zvonimir Ivišić and Ugonna Onyenso, guards Joey Hart and D.J. Wagner along with Jordan Burks and Adou Thiero, who shifted between the backcourt and frontcourt depending on the lineup.

Thiero and Ivišić followed Calipari to Fayetteville, Arkansas. Bradshaw committed to Ohio State. Burks cast his lot with Georgetown. Hart is heading back home to the Hoosier State to play for Ball State. Wagner hasn’t made a decision, but Arkansas is in the running to land another ex-Wildcat. And Onyenso entered the NBA draft but still is mulling over whether to return for another college season.

Who is the best transfer from another conference who will play in the SEC next season?

Per the 247Sports rankings, that honor belongs to Calipari and the Razorbacks, who bring in former Florida Atlantic star Johnell Davis. Slotting in at No. 3 in 247Sports’ rankings, Davis averaged 18.2 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game for the Owls last season. Davis knocked down 48.3% of his shots overall, including 41.4% of his 3-point attempts.

Where does Kentucky basketball’s transfer haul rank among conference teams?

In the 247Sports team rankings for transfer commits, Kentucky comes in at No. 2 in the SEC, trailing only Arkansas; the Razorbacks not only rank No. 1 in the SEC, they have the best transfer class nationally. UK’s group is No. 5 in the country, with Indiana, St. John’s and West Virginia between itself and Arkansas.

Alabama is third among SEC teams, ranking No. 7 nationally.

Missouri (No. 12), Ole Miss (13) and league newcomer Texas (16) also come in among the country’s top 20 transfer hauls.

Reach Kentucky men’s basketball and football reporter Ryan Black at rblack@gannett.com and follow him on X at @RyanABlack.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Kentucky basketball, Mark Pope building via NCAA transfer portal