KSR Today: McDonald's All-American Games, April Fool's Day in the Transfer Portal

Good morning, friends, and happy Tuesday. Happy April, in fact. I trust that you’re settling into your off-season routine. I know my body is very happy that Kentucky’s run is over, even if I’d happily trade less sleep and more stress for a trip to San Antonio.

When it comes to events, today is a relatively quiet one. No University of Kentucky teams are in action today, although we’ll get to see two future Cats in the McDonald’s All-American Game. It’s also April Fool’s Day, which means we can probably expect some fake transfer portal news on social media and some fans to fall for it. Speaking of the portal, it is whirling faster than ever, with some new names coming on the radar for Kentucky. Let’s start with Mark Pope’s comments on the portal from last night’s call-in show.

Mark Pope Show Notes

Mark Pope sat down with Tom Leach last night to wrap up the season. During the hour-long show, we heard how the team stayed up until 6 a.m. after the Tennessee game reminiscing about the season, the perfect ending for this special group.

Hilariously, the first question Pope fielded was about the Maui Invitational. Pope said he can’t wait to take Kentucky back to Maui, but the program is obligated to play a certain number of non-conference games in Rupp Arena. He also said a new practice facility is in the “imagining phase,” with lots of hurdles still left to cross. There was even a question about a barnstorming tour (only after Kentucky wins No. 9), but mostly, the talk centered around next season and roster building.

On Monday, Kerr Kriisa entered the transfer portal, which did not come as a surprise. Will he be the only one? When asked, Pope didn’t guarantee the other players with eligibility remaining would return (Otega Oweh, Brandon Garrison, Collin Chandler, Trent Noah, and Travis Perry), instead noting the volatility of the portal, especially as the NBA Draft withdrawal deadline comes up and certain players return to college.

“I think every player in the country right now is considering 100 different things in terms of entering the portal, staying on their current roster, trying to figure that out,” Pope said. “I think it probably changes every single day. I think with every single move that teams make, it changes. It’s going to continue to be the dynamic for some time.”

Pope also spent some time discussing the impact of the House settlement, which could be ratified on April 7. If the judge approves it, the revenue-sharing system that will allow schools to distribute up to $20.5 million directly to their athletes will go into place. Until then, programs are scrambling to get NIL deals done under the “old rules” (which aren’t really rules at all). Pope said he and the staff are working on the portal nonstop, but always with an eye to what could happen with that ruling.

April Fool’s Day in the Transfer Portal

The transfer portal is crazy enough, but add in the fact that it’s also April Fool’s Day, and our heads will be especially on a swivel. On Monday, some new names popped up that Kentucky has reached out to, most notably Yaxel Lendeborg, the UAB forward who was named AAC Defensive Player of the Year. Lendelborg is now considered one of the top available players in the portal and is also expected to test the NBA Draft waters.

Mark Pope and his staff also reached out to Maryland guard transfer Ja’Kobi Gillespie and Kansas guard Rylan Griffen on Monday. With players entering the portal by the second, a lot of these early discussions are just that, a way for both sides to feel each other out, but we’re keeping an eye on it all the same.

Other interesting transfer portal developments on Monday:

• Big Z is in: Zvonimir Ivisic is exploring his options after a season with John Calipari at Arkansas
• Bryce Hopkins to St. John’s: Former Cat and Providence Friar Bryce Hopkins will play for former Kentucky coach Rick Pitino at St. John’s.
• Dedan Thomas commits to LSU: Kentucky was one of many schools that reached out to the UNLV transfer point guard, but he’ll be taking his talents to Baton Rouge.

We’ll have all the news you need on KSR, but for minute-by-minute updates and intel, come join us on KSBoard, where the conversation doesn’t stop.

Make sure you are LOCKED IN for Transfer Portal SZN. Join KSR+ to get bonus coverage of the Cats, including the latest recruiting and roster intel. Just $1 for a week.

Malachi Moreno, Kaelyn Carroll play in the McDonald’s All-American Games

Tonight, future Cats Malachi Moreno and Kaelyn Carroll will represent Kentucky in the 2025 McDonald’s All-American Games in Brooklyn. Moreno has been one of the standouts in practice and scrimmages so far, even though he didn’t arrive until Sunday morning, fresh off Great Crossing’s state title win on Saturday night. Tonight, he’ll get to showcase his talent alongside the best of the best, including the Boozer Twins (Duke), Caleb Wilson (UNC), AJ Dybantsa (BYU), Darryn Peterson (Kansas), and Nate Ament.

Speaking of Ament, he was expected to announce his college decision tonight, but on Monday, he said he’s not quite ready. Ament is down to Arkansas, Duke, Kentucky, Louisville, and Tennessee. Moreno, who was sitting next to him at the podium, said he’s looking forward to having more time to sell Kentucky to Ament, a top-five 2025 prospect.

On the girls’ side, Kaelyn Carroll is a five-star wing from Marion, Massachusetts, who committed to Kenny Brooks’ program in December. She has also been tabbed as a standout this week, with ESPN’s Shane Laflin praising her ability to space the floor and create mismatches.

Carroll is a highly skilled forward who is also comfortable playing the wing role. Her size and handle at that spot are valuable and a tough matchup for opponents. Carroll’s ability to move without the ball and spot up for the 3 are separators, and her advanced handle to attack the closeout makes her game elite. She is solid in post-up situations, and she can play out of the block, midpost or pinch post — versatility not seen in many.

You can see both in action tonight in Brooklyn. The girls’ game tips off at 6:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2, with the boys’ game starting at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN.

Kentucky Football will hold an open practice tomorrow

If you’re looking for a football fix, it’s right around the corner. Tomorrow morning, Mark Stoops is opening practice to reporters. KSR will have several boots on the ground to cover the action at the Joe Craft Training Center, so stay tuned as we look forward to our first glimpse of Zach Calzada, Troy Stellato, Kendrick Law, and more in Kentucky blue. Afterward, we’ll hear from offensive coordinator Bush Hamdan and members of the offense.

Starting week three off right. pic.twitter.com/SHzg7dwQnG

— Kentucky Football (@UKFootball) April 1, 2025

College Basketball on TV

Even though the Final Four doesn’t tip off until Saturday, there is college basketball on TV Today, with the NIT semifinals taking place at Hinkle Fieldhouse and the College Basketball Crown tournament happening in Las Vegas. Here’s the schedule for you junkies:

Time (ET)	Matchup	Tournament	TV	Location
3:00 PM	DePaul vs. Cincinnati	College Basketball Crown – 1st Round	FS1	MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, NV
5:30 PM	UCF vs. Oregon State	College Basketball Crown – 1st Round	FS1	MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, NV
7:00 PM	North Texas vs. UC Irvine	NIT – Semifinal	ESPN	Hinkle Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN
8:30 PM	Villanova vs. Colorado	College Basketball Crown – 1st Round	FS1	MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, NV
9:30 PM	Chattanooga vs. Loyola Chicago	NIT – Semifinal	ESPN2	Hinkle Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN
11:00 PM	Tulane vs. USC	College Basketball Crown – 1st Round	FS1	MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, NV