Florida transfer guard Denzel Aberdeen commits to Kentucky

Former Florida guard Denzel Aberdeen has committed to Kentucky via the NCAA Transfer Portal, per On3’s Joe Tipton. He spent three seasons with the Gators.

Aberdeen made 39 appearances and five starts for the Gators this past season. He averaged 7.7 points, 1.7 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 19.7 minutes per game. The 6-foot-5 guard shot 41.8% from the field and 35.0% from beyond the arc.

Aberdeen was pivotal to Florida’s national championship run. In the Gators’ 87-71 win over Maryland in the Sweet Sixteen, Aberdeen tallied 12 points on 5-7 shooting. In the National Championship game, Aberdeen recorded seven points and two rebounds in 18 minutes of action.

Aberdeen had his best performance of the season in Florida’s win over South Carolina on Feb. 15. In the triumph, Aberdeen erupted for 22 points, two rebounds and three assists while connecting on 5-of-his-7 attempts from 3-point range.

Aberdeen played a smaller role during his first two seasons at Florida, especially in his freshman season when he only averaged 3.4 minutes per game. Now, Aberdeen will look to step into the spotlight in Lexington, Kentucky.

Denzel Aberdeen played high school basketball at Dr. Phillips (FL), where he was a three-star prospect. He was the No. 142 overall player and No. 21 combo guard in the 2022 recruiting cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

Aberdeen was the No. 77 overall player and No. 4 combo guard in On3’s 2025 Transfer Portal Player Rankings. He is the fifth player Kentucky has added via the NCAA Transfer Portal this offseason. He is joined by standouts such as Alabama‘s Mouhamed Dioubate and Arizona State‘s Jayden Quaintance.

The Wildcats are reloading this offseason after losing seven seniors from last year’s team. Nonetheless, head coach Mark Pope built some serious momentum during his first year at the helm of Kentucky.

The Wildcats posted a 24-12 overall record and a 10-8 record in conference play. Kentucky defeated Troy and Illinois in the NCAA Tournament before ultimately falling to Tennessee in the Sweet Sixteen. With transfers like Aberdeen joining the program, Pope will look to help Kentucky take another step forward next season.

To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire.

The On3 Transfer Portal Instagram account and Twitter account are excellent resources to stay up to date with the latest moves.