Kentucky Basketball Roster Tracker: Fredrick & Collins hit the portal, Dickinson visits

After a week of rumblings, we finally have some official news regarding Kentucky Basketball’s 2023-24 roster. On Friday morning, CJ Fredrick and Daimion Collins entered the transfer portal, ending their careers as Kentucky Wildcats. Collins’ decision was expected, while Fredrick’s came as a bit of a surprise — previously, either retiring from the sport or returning to Kentucky for one more year seemed more likely — but both players are in search of a fresh start and we wish them well.

The much bigger news is that Michigan transfer Hunter Dickinson will visit Kentucky starting on Sunday. On Monday, Matt Jones broke the news regarding Dickinson’s interest in being a Wildcat, and as the week went on, we found out more about the courtship. Dickinson revealed that John Calipari flew to Michigan on Tuesday to meet with him and discuss his potential fit at Kentucky — including what it means for Oscar Tshiebwe, who is still testing the waters of the NBA Draft. Dickinson liked what he heard enough to schedule a visit to Kentucky starting this Sunday, April 23, setting up a pivotal weekend for the future of Kentucky’s frontcourt.

So, two gone, one visiting, and three (Oscar Tshiebwe, Chris Livingston, Antonio Reeves) still awaiting feedback from the NBA. Here’s an updated look at where we stand with Kentucky’s 2023-24 roster and what Jack Pilgrim is hearing behind the scenes. Previous intel will be marked as such, with new updates highlighted in red.

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Important Dates/Deadlines

• April 23: NBA Early Entry Deadline
• May 11: Transfer Portal closes (Date by which players must tell their school they’re leaving)
• May 14-21: NBA Draft Combine
• May 31: NCAA “Stay or Go” Deadline
• June 22: 2023 NBA Draft

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LEAVING (Confirmed)

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Jacob Toppin (F, Sr.) – NBA DRAFT – On March 31, Toppin announced he is declaring the NBA Draft and forgoing his eligibility. In his senior season at Kentucky, Toppin moved into a starting role and flourished, doubling his point and rebounding totals. He is not listed on any of the major mock drafts.

• 2022-23 season: 12.4 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 2.2 APG, 31.5 MPG
• 2021-22 season: 6.2 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 17.7 MPG
• 2020-21 season: 5.2 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 17.1 MPG

Cason Wallace (G, Fr.) – NBA DRAFT – As expected, Cason Wallace announced on April 1 he will enter the draft and stay in. A projected lottery pick, Wallace was hampered by injuries throughout his freshman season, but still shined, especially after assuming the starting point guard role.

• 2022-23 season: 11.7 PPG, 4.3 APG, 3.7 RPG, 2.0 SPG, 32.1 MPG

Sahvir Wheeler (PG, Sr.) – TRANSFER PORTAL – Wheeler entered the transfer portal on March 27, bringing his two-year career in Lexington to an end. Due to injuries, he only played 21 games this season, eventually as a backup to Cason Wallace. John Calipari confirmed that Wheeler wants one more season elsewhere as a fresh start.

• 2022-23 season: 7.7 PPG, 5.6 APG, 2.3 RPG, 28.5 MPG
• 2021-22 season: 10.1 PPG, 6.9 APG, 2.6 RPG, 31.2 MPG

Pilgrim’s Intel: Wheeler is trending toward Washington, who hosted the 5-foot-9 point guard on a visit last weekend. He also took a trip to Georgia to weigh a potential return to where his career started in Athens, but Seattle has emerged as the likely landing spot. Kansas State and Texas A&M were other early options with varying levels of interest.

CJ Fredrick (G, R. Sr.) – TRANSFER PORTAL – Fredrick announced on April 21 that he is entering the transfer portal and exploring his professional options. After missing the 2021-22 season with a left hamstring injury, Fredrick battled injuries throughout the 2022-23 season too. The former Iowa transfer appeared in 27 games this season, missing time due to a dislocated finger and cracked ribs.

• 2022-23 season: 6.1 PPG (35.1% FG, 31.8% 3PT), 1.5 APG, 22.2 MPG

Pilgrim’s Intel: Fredrick strongly considered a return to Kentucky, but decided to look for an expanded role in the portal. With four All-American freshmen coming in to play in the backcourt, along with the anticipated returns of Antonio Reeves and Adou Thiero, something had to give somewhere, and Fredrick couldn’t risk being the odd man out in his final year of eligibility.

He’s still considering his professional options overseas, but the 6-3 guard is being overwhelmed with interest in the portal. West Virginia, Arizona, North Carolina, Ohio State, Indiana, St. John’s, Notre Dame, Cincinnati, Xavier, Oklahoma, Dayton, and BYU are among the early schools to reach out, a source tells KSR.

Fredrick is open to all options, but look for some local schools — Cincinnati, Xavier, West Virginia, Ohio State, and Indiana — to separate themselves from the pack.

Daimion Collins (F, So.) – TRANSFER PORTAL – Collins entered the transfer portal on April 21. He was primed for a breakout sophomore season before life stepped in the way. In early November, Collins’ father, Ben, unexpectedly passed away while visiting his son in Lexington. After taking some time with his family, Collins returned to the team and slowly worked his way into the rotation.

• 2022-23 season: 1.9 PPG, 1.9 RPG, 0.4 BPG, 7.9 MPG
• 2021-22 season: 2.9 PPG, 2.0 RPG, 0.7 BPG, 7.5 MPG

Pilgrim’s Intel: Despite the month-long wait, a transfer has been the expectation with Collins from the beginning. He developed a strong support system in Lexington and if it were a basketball decision alone, he would have returned. But after losing his dad to open the season, then his grandfather this offseason, this is bigger than basketball and family comes first. A move home to Texas puts him in position to be there for his mother and sisters.

Houston and Texas are the early favorites, but he’ll have a long list of interested suitors.

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TESTING

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Antonio Reeves (G, Sr.) – Reeves announced on April 4 he will test the waters of the NBA Draft, leaving open the option to return. In his first season in Lexington, the Illinois State transfer was Kentucky’s second-leading scorer and, by season’s end, carried the Cats offensively on more than one occasion.

• 2022-23 season: 14.4 PPG (41.6% FG, 39.8% 3PT), 2.1 RPG, 1.1 APG, 27.9 MPG

Pilgrim’s Intel: John Calipari has encouraged the 22-year-old to explore the draft and receive feedback from NBA franchises, a process that is officially underway. Reeves has not yet worked out for teams, nor has paperwork been returned regarding his official draft grade, but the expectation is that the dynamic scorer will be strongly encouraged to consider a return to Kentucky. And that’s a path Reeves and those around him are happy to take advantage of.

Reeves is not interested in grinding things out in the G-League with minimal financial return, certainly not when NIL is available in Lexington with one final year of eligibility. NBA teams are pessimistic the 6-foot-6 guard will be drafted and would struggle to find a two-way deal, a reality Reeves embraces. The draft process, though, will allow him to learn what he needs to work on before ultimately returning to Kentucky. And assuming NIL makes sense and a similar role remains on the table, all sides involved expect that to be the final decision for the native of Chicago.

Make good money, develop with another season under Coach Cal, and make a push for the draft next summer in a weak class overall. That’s the ongoing expectation.

Oscar Tshiebwe (C, Sr.) – Oscar announced on April 7 he will test the waters of the NBA Draft. The reigning national player of the year returned to Kentucky for a senior year, but a preseason knee procedure prevented him from reaching full health until midway through. That said, we still got glimpses of his dominant form, and, of course, huge heart. Although his NBA stock is not high, Oscar was Kentucky’s biggest NIL earner this past season.

• 2022-23 season: 16.5 PPG, 13.7 RPG, 1.6 SPG, 1.6 APG, 1.0 BPG, 33.5 MPG
• 2021-22 season: 17.4 PPG, 15.1 RPG, 1.8 SPG, 1.6 BPG, 31.9 MPG

Pilgrim’s Intel: Kentucky’s star center is still in the midst of testing the draft waters and is currently in the process of scheduling workouts with NBA teams — several already on the docket. And he’d like to turn pro if the right opportunity presents itself, whether that’s a guaranteed deal as a second-round pick or a two-way contract from a franchise with promising long-term plans to keep Tshiebwe around. Those conversations are ongoing.

Kentucky is moving forward as if the star center will not be on the roster next season, exploring replacement options as Tshiebwe works toward living out his professional dreams. He hasn’t ruled out a return to Lexington — those in his camp have explored what he could fetch in the portal with NIL, but it’s not close to the seven figures he’s earning as a Wildcat — but the clock is ticking on such a move. Calipari can’t wait around forever and risk missing out on other elite talent in the portal to round out the roster.

Chris Livingston (F, Fr.) – Livingston declared for the Draft on April 12, with UK adding that he will maintain his eligibility as he goes through the evaluation process. Livingston’s development was one of the storylines of the second half of the season. The five-star freshman hit his stride in February, playing at least 32 minutes in 11 straight games to finish the season and scoring in double figures in five of those contests. By season’s end, he was one of the key pieces of Kentucky’s lineup and could be again next year.

• 2022-23 season: 6.3 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 0.7 APG, 22.4 MPG

Pilgrim’s Intel: Kentucky is recruiting Livingston back to school and believes it has a shot to keep him, but NBA teams and those in national basketball circles believe the freshman forward is set on keeping his name in the draft after testing the waters. He’s represented by some of the most powerful voices in basketball at Klutch, and even if they can’t swing a first-round promise, there’s belief a guaranteed deal in the second round could be enough to make the jump.

The Wildcats hope that the appeal of returning to school and catapulting into lottery status in a weak 2024 draft class wins out for Livingston if and when feedback indicates he’s got serious work to do before he’s a surefire pro. It helps that the freshman forward is looking to avoid the G League, a path he’d almost certainly have to take if Klutch can’t pull some serious strings.

Those close to the former five-star are confident Livingston is better than what he was able to show in his debut season in Lexington. A return to college is on the table, but some assurances would likely need to be made that the same loyalty John Calipari has shown to other returning players in the past would also be shown to him. Now or next offseason, his priority is turning his NBA dreams into reality. If he doesn’t feel that can be accomplished in Lexington, the portal could be an option, with May 11 being the deadline to enter.

Until then, his focus is on taking the draft process one day at a time, that withdrawal deadline being May 31.

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STAYING (Confirmed)

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Brennan Canada (G, Sr.) – Canada announced on March 30 he will use the NCAA’s extra year of eligibility for COVID relief to return for a super-senior season. After three and a half seasons as a walk-on, the Mt. Sterling (KY) native earned a scholarship from John Calipari in January 2023. He provides invaluable leadership as a teammate in practice and off the court.

Ugonna Onyenso (F, Fr.) – Onyenso entered the transfer portal on April 5 but removed his name on April 12, announcing he will return to school. He was a late addition to the roster and came to Lexington with the intent of using his freshman year to learn under Oscar Tshiebwe and Kentucky’s other bigs to prepare for the 2023-24 season. Onyenso never really cracked Kentucky’s rotation but when he did play, showed flashes of promise.

• 2022-23 season: 2.5 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 1.0 BPG, 6.9 MPG

Pilgrim’s Intel (4/13): The 6-foot-11 center officially withdrew from the transfer portal and announced his return to Kentucky on April 12, a major win for the Wildcats after a difficult back-and-forth with those in Onyenso’s camp. At the end of the day, the freshman out of Owerri, Nigeria wanted to be in Lexington all along and believes in John Calipari’s vision for his future. Those around Onyenso explored NIL possibilities elsewhere in hopes of cashing in on the standout defender’s upside, but quickly realized the money he was already making at Kentucky, along with the anticipated role he’s expected to have in year two, simply didn’t compare.

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STAYING (Expected)

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Lance Ware (F, Jr.) – Ware continues to play a reserve role as Kentucky’s enforcer and was named a team captain alongside Jacob Toppin in the postseason. A leader in the locker room, Ware could reunite with his former Camden teammate DJ Wagner if he stays in Lexington for another year.

• 2022-23 season: 2.0 PPG, 2.0 RPG, 9.9 MPG
• 2021-22 season: 1.5 PPG, 1.9 RPG, 6.3 MPG
• 2020-21 season: 2.0 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 12.1 MPG

Pilgrim’s Intel (April 4): No indications that Ware is considering a change of scenery.

Adou Thiero (G, Fr.) – Thiero is the son of Almamy Thiero, who played for John Calipari at Memphis (2002-05). A late bloomer, the four-star prospect caught Calipari’s eye in March 2022 and committed to Kentucky in May. Thiero played sparingly this season but was thrust into a featured role late in the year due to injuries in the backcourt. It’s assumed he will return to Kentucky for a sophomore season, but nothing has been announced.

• 2022-23 season: 2.3 PPG, 1.9 RPG, 0.5 SPG, 0.4 APG, 9.7 MPG

Pilgrim’s Intel (April 8): The freshman guard’s father, Almamy Thiero, tells KSR his son is expected to return to Kentucky for his sophomore campaign, but no official announcement has been made.

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COMING IN

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Aaron Bradshaw (C, HS) – Bradshaw committed to Kentucky during his visit to Big Blue Madness in October 2022. The versatile 7-footer is teammates with fellow future Cat DJ Wagner and showed off some impressive shooting skills in practices at the McDonald’s All-American Game, which could back up his comments that John Calipari plans to use him at the three-position at Kentucky.

• 2022-23 season (HS): 12.0 PPG, 9.4 RPG, 2.4 BPG

Robert Dillingham (CG, OTE) – Dillingham is taking a different path to Lexington than his fellow freshmen. The five-star combo guard left Kanye West’s Donda Academy for Overtime Elite in November 2022. As such, he wasn’t eligible to play in the all-star circuit with the rest of the signees.

• 2022-23 season (OTE): 14.7 PPG, 4.9 APG, 3.5 RPG, 2.5 SPG

Justin Edwards (SF, HS) – Edwards chose Kentucky over rival Tennessee last July. The crafty wing led Imhotep Charter to its second straight state championship. He is the highest-ranked member of Kentucky’s 2023 class per the On3 Industry Ratings and hasn’t shied away from high expectations for next year’s team, telling reporters at the McDonald’s All-American Game that the incoming freshmen believe they can lead the Cats to a title.

• 2022-23 season (HS): 17.9 PPG (57.8% FG, 34.1% 3PT), 7.5 RPG

Reed Sheppard (CG, HS) – The North Laurel star and son of former Kentucky Basketball greats Jeff and Stacey Sheppard became the program’s first 2023 commit in November 2021. Since then, he led North Laurel to two straight Boys’ Sweet 16s and made the all-star circuit. A skilled combo guard, Sheppard can score at all three levels and seems ready to follow in his parents’ footsteps in Lexington.

• 2022-23 season (HS): 22.1 PPG (48.6% FG, 39.3% 3PT), 8.5 RPG

DJ Wagner (CG, HS) – Wagner was the final commit of the 2023 class, but was the first John Calipari pursued. Calipari coached Wagner’s father Dajuan Sr. at Memphis in 2001-02 and remains close with the family. Those ties and Kentucky’s stature helped the Cats hold off a push from Kenny Payne and Louisville, which hired DJ’s grandfather Milt to the staff in an advisory role. Wagner won East Team MVP honors at the McDonald’s All-American Game on March 28.

• 2022-23 season (HS): 22.5 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 2.9 APG

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VISITING

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Hunter Dickinson (C) – After three seasons at Michigan, the 7-1 center entered the transfer portal on March 31. The three-time All-Big Ten performer is considering Kansas, Maryland, Georgetown, Villanova, and Kentucky. Dickinson considered Kentucky coming out of high school and met with the staff on Zoom on April 5. On April 18, John Calipari flew to Michigan to make Kentucky’s pitch. Dickinson will visit Lexington from April 23-25.

• 2020-21 season: 14.1 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 1.4 BPG
• 2021-22 season: 18.6 PPG, 8.6 RPG, 1.5 BPG
• 2022-23 season: 18.5 PPG, 9.0 RPG, 1.8 BPG

Pilgrim’s Intel: Dickinson made it clear to the staff early he was seriously interested in Kentucky, and since then, the Wildcats have opened up to the idea of accepting his commitment if he’s ready to give one at some point in the near future. Calipari’s in-person recruiting efforts and the scheduled visit for this weekend confirm as much. Again, UK can’t wait around forever for Tshiebwe to make a decision, and when an All-American talent like Dickinson knocks on your door, you can’t risk passing on him and potentially missing out on both.

There is concern in national basketball circles, though, that the Michigan transfer is using his long list of options to drum up NIL guarantees before ultimately rolling with the highest bidder, something Kentucky is not interested in. The school understands the burn potential but is proceeding cautiously with the mindset that at worst, ongoing talks could encourage Tshiebwe to expedite his own decision. Get Dickinson or know for certain where things stand with your own star center and maybe get him back. Tricky situation, but one Kentucky is handling about as well as you can.