KSR Today: Lamar Wilkerson visits, Spring Showcase recap, and Bat Cats host Game 3

ZGeogheganKSR

Photos via Imagn Images and Kentucky Sports Radio

Good morning, folks! It might be the weekend, but news never stops in the sports world — especially not during portal season.

The Big Blue Nation learned that in the best way possible on Saturday. Sophomore center Brandon Garrison announced he’s returning to Kentucky for a junior season, just a few hours after head coach Mark Pope landed Croatian big man Andrija Jelavic. Garrison’s return is massive for next season’s roster, but it’s even more notable that he’s willing to team up with a talented stretch big in the frontcourt.

Jelavic, a 6-foot-11 forward, averaged 10.8 points, 7.4 rebounds, 1.6 steals, and 1.2 assists per contest this past season suiting up for Mega Superbet in Serbia. With a 7-2 wingspan and 52 made 3-pointers in 53 games over the last two years, he emerged as one of the top European prospects in his age group, set to play his freshman season in college at 21 years old.

With these moves, Kentucky is back up to 12 scholarship pieces for 2025-26. Losing out on incoming freshman guard Acaden Lewis still stings, but the roster is shaping up to be deep and talented. It could get even better in the near future, too. Sam Houston transfer guard Lamar Wilkerson plans to visit UK today after spending Saturday at Indiana. He averaged over 20 PPG last season on 44.5 percent outside shooting while making First-Team All-CUSA. He’s the missing piece.

As long as Otega Oweh ultimately comes back as expected (along with the three rising sophomores), we’re looking at a potential national title contender in Lexington…

Want more Kentucky Basketball intel? Join KSR Plus for access to bonus content and KSBoard, KSR’s message board, to chat with fellow Cats fans and get exclusive scoop.

Kentucky Basketball 2025-26 Roster Tracker

Here is a running list of who’s coming, going, or being contacted by the staff as the 2025-26 roster comes together.

PORTAL TARGETS (4)

Mackenzie Mgbako – F – Indiana – 12.2 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 1.1 APG, 43.7% FG, 32.9% 3PT
Jaron Pierre Jr. – Jacksonville State – 21.6 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 3.8 APG, 42.4 FG%, 38.2 3PT%
Lamar Wilkerson – G – Sam Houston – 20.5 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 2.1 APG, 47.7% FG, 44.5% 3PT
Rylan Griffen – G – Kansas – 6.3 PPG, 2.1 RPG, 1.4 APG, 37.2 FG%, 33.6 3PT%

COMMITS (5)

Kam Williams – G – Tulane – 9.3 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 1.3 APG, 48.5% FG, 41.2% 3PT | Committed 3/28
Jaland Lowe – G – Pittsburgh – 16.8 PPG, 5.5 APG, 4.2 RPG, 37.6% FG, 26.6% 3PT | Committed 4/5
Mouhamed Dioubate – F – Alabama – 7.2 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 1.1 APG, 61.7% FG, 46.2% 3PT | Committed 4/7
Jayden Quaintance – F – Arizona State – 9.4 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 2.6 BPG, 52.5 FG% | Committed 4/8
Andrija Jelavic — C — Mega — 10.8 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 1.4 APG, 50.3% FG, 32.3% 3PT | Committed 4/12

RETURNING / INCOMING (7)

Otega Oweh – G – Rising Senior – 16.2 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 1.7 APG, 49.2% FG, 35.5% 3PT
Brandon Garrison – C – Rising Junior – 5.9 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 1.9 APG, 50.9%
Collin Chandler – C- Rising Sophomore – 2.7 PPG, 1.0 RPG, 0.7 APG, 36.1% FG, 34.7% 3PT
Travis Perry – PG – Rising Sophomore – 2.7 PPG, 0.8 RPG, 0.6 APG, 31.3% FG, 32.1% 3PT
Trent Noah – F – Rising Sophomore – 2.7 PPG, 1.9 RPG, 0.4 APG, 45.1% FG, 33.3% 3PT
Malachi Moreno – C – Incoming Freshman – Great Crossing (Georgetown, KY)
Jasper Johnson – SG – Incoming Freshman – Overtime Elite (Lexington, KY)

DEPARTURES (1)

Kerr Kriisa – G – Senior – 4.4 PPG, 3.8 APG, 2.4 RPG, 27.9% FG | Entered Portal 3/31, Committed to Cincinnati

Bat Cats look to take series vs. No. 2 Texas

You couldn’t have asked for a more exciting two-game stretch than what Kentucky and Texas gifted us on Friday and Saturday. The No. 2 Longhorns (visiting Lexington for the first time ever) pulled away late to win Game 1 on Friday 6-3 before the Wildcats won a 15-inning thriller, 5-4, on Saturday to knot the series 1-1. It sets up a Sunday rubber match at Kentucky Proud Park where Nick Mingione’s team can pick up its best series win of the season.

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Kentucky (19-13; 6-8 SEC) goes for the upset at noon ET on the SEC Network. Make your way out to KPP for good weather and even better baseball.

Kentucky football hosted its Spring Showcase

Saturday morning was our first chance to get a real look at this year’s edition of the Kentucky football team. In what was dubbed the “Spring Showcase”, fans and media were able to see Mark Stoops‘ new-look squad — which saw half the roster turned over in the offseason — live and in-person. KSR had several boots on the ground to catch as much action as possible during the 90-minute event.

Among the highlights? Nebraska transfer running back Dante Dowdell showed plenty of pop, new quarterback Zach Calzada found sophomore David Washington Jr. for a 25-yard touchdown, and Kentucky Mr. Football, Montavin Quisenberry, made some big plays as a true freshman. But those were just a few of the best moments. KSR’s Nick Roush, Adam Luckett, and Drew Franklin were pumping out the content during and after the Spring Showcase. Read/listen to everything they had to write/say below.

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Sunday at The Masters

Rory McIlroy (-12) and Bryson DeChambeau (-10) enter the final day of The Masters as the top two on the leaderboard and the final tee pairing of the day (2:30 p.m. ET). We’re expecting an exciting final day of golf between these two in a battle for the Green Jacket. T52 Brian Campbell (+5) will get the day started at 9:40 a.m. ET. Can Corey Conners (-8) or Patrick Reed (-6) make a last-effort push?