KSR Today: Mark Pope, Lamar Wilkerson, and The Masters

ZGeogheganKSR

Mar 23, 2025; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Kentucky Wildcats head coach Mark Pope reacts during the second half in the second round of the NCAA Tournament against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

Good morning, folks! Today marks one year to the day that John Calipari left the Bluegrass State for Arkansas. A lot has happened since then…

Mark Pope continues to put the finishing touches on his second roster as head coach of Kentucky men’s basketball. He’s up to 12 scholarship pieces for the 2025-26 season with plans to add one or two more players from the portal. Three of his four incoming transfers have already put pen to paper and officially signed with the Wildcats. Alabama’s Mouhamed Dioubate and Tulane’s Kam Williams signed with UK yesterday while Pitt’s Jaland Lowe did so this morning. Arizona State’s Jayden Quaintance will likely do the same soon.

But when Pope isn’t jumping on FaceTime to talk with recruits/parents/agents/etc., he’s visiting the nation’s capitol to “discuss college basketball issues,” as Kentucky Congressman and Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer wrote on Wednesday while welcoming Pope to his Congressional office. The House vs. NCAA settlement will once again change college sports forever, and Pope wants to make sure his voice is heard.

Honored to welcome @universityofky Coach Mark Pope to my Congressional office to discuss college 🏀 issues. Coach Pope is doing great work for #BigBlueNation #BBN pic.twitter.com/l2LzM9Ita0
— James Comer (@JamesComer) April 9, 2025

Pope going after a starting SG

And he currently has his eyes locked on Sam Houston State transfer Lamar Wilkerson, arguably the best outside shooter to enter the portal this offseason. Once the recruiting dead period ends on April 11, Wilkerson will reportedly visit Kentucky, Indiana, Auburn, and Ole Miss before making a decision.

Wilkerson is coming off a career-best season where he averaged 20.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 2.1 assists on .477/.445/.822 shooting splits in 34.9 minutes per game. Clocking in at 6-foot-5, 205 pounds, he scored in double figures in all 32 games this season and 20-plus points in 17 games. The former junior college transfer was a two-time first-team All-CUSA performer for the Bearkats.

[Transfer Portal Bio Blast: Lamar Wilkerson]

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 (12)

Wesley Yates III – G – Southern California – 14.1 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 1.8 APG, 47.8 FG%, 43.9 3PT%
Alvaro Folgueiras – F – Robert Morris – 13.8 PPG, 8.9 RPG, 3.1 APG, 54.4 FG%, 41.5 3PT%
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%
Rodney Rice – Maryland – 13.8 PGG, 2.2 RPG, 1.2 APG, 43.4 FG%, 37.4 3PT%
Elijah Moore – G – Syracuse – 5.2 PPG, 1.5 RPG, 6.4 APG, 39.1% FG, 31.5% 3PT
Elyjah Freeman – F – Lincoln Memorial (DII) – 19.3 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 2.4 APG, 57.8% FG, 46.3% 3PT
Frankie Collins – G – TCU – 11.2 PGG, 4.4 RPG, 4.4 APG, 42.2% FG, 26.1% 3PT
Lamar Wilkerson – G – Sam Houston – 20.5 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 2.1 APG, 47.7% FG, 44.5% 3PT
Alex Steen – F – Florida Southern (DII) – 17.9 PPG, 10.6 RPG, 2.5 BPG, 56.2 FG%, 28.6 3PT
Xaivian Lee – G – Princeton – 16.9 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 5.5 APG, 43.9 FG%, 36.6 3PT%

COMMITS (4)

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

RETURNING / INCOMING (8)

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)
Acaden Lewis – PG – Incoming Freshman – Sidwell Friends (Washington DC)

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

Spring practice updates: Kentucky offense

With Saturday’s Spring Showcase (which begins at 10 AM EST and is free to the general public) almost here, Mark Stoops and his team are putting the finishing touches on spring practice. Yesterday, the Wildcats wrapped up practice No. 13 of the spring where offensive coordinator Bush Hamdan spoke with reporters afterward to talk about QB Zach Calzada and what the best version of the veteran quarterback will look like when the games begin.

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Listen to everything Hamdan, new wide receivers coach L’Damian Washington, RB Jason Patterson, TE Henry Boyer, and WR Dejerrian Miller had to say below.

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Fresh KSR podcasts in your feed

Your favorite Kentucky football and basketball podcasts have dropped brand-new episodes tailored just for you! The 11 Personnel crew is talking about spring practice, new player numbers you need to know, the latest weirdness from Shane Bearmer, and The Masters. Meanwhile, the guys over at Sources Say touched on Pope’s four new transfers, what the roster still needs ahead of 2025-26, and endless basketball talk.

You can watch both episodes in video form below, or listen wherever you get your podcasts.

“Brea from Three” set to race today at Keeneland

Koby Brea made quite the impression on the Big Blue Nation during his lone season in Lexington. So much so that he now has a horse named after him — one that will race this afternoon at Keeneland. “Brea from Three” will participate in the first race of the day at 1:00 p.m. ET with 15-1 odds. Brea from Three is trained by John Ennis and will be ridden by Walter Rodriguez.

Now this is pretty cool 😂😂
— Koby Brea (@kobybrea) April 7, 2025

Opening day of The Masters

As of this morning, The Masters are officially underway in Augusta. The top golfers in the world will be competing for a share of a $20M purse, led by defending champion Scottie Scheffler, who opened as the tournament favorite. Below are the top 10 betting favorites to put on the green jacket, per FanDuel.