Roster Tracker: So... What now?

Well, this is weird. How are you supposed to track a roster when you don’t have a head coach or know where that coach is coming from and the players they could potentially bring with them? And who they’d want to keep from this current roster — or who would want to stay with the new coach? Or follow John Calipari to Arkansas?

All eyes are on the coaching search, first and foremost. Scott Drew, Dan Hurley and Billy Donovan are the names of interest for Kentucky, Mitch Barnhart knee-deep in the process looking for the next face of the Wildcats. Depending on your priorities, you can convince yourself that all three are home runs in their own ways — past, recent and current success overlapping with five total college national champions between the three.

While Barnhart locks in on one of those three, as anticipated, some type of clarity is forming on who won’t be playing for the next head coach in Lexington. Immediately following Calipari’s reported departure, Aaron Bradshaw hit the transfer portal, followed by Joey Hart — back-to-back on April 8. The former decided to test the draft waters, as well, while the latter will be searching for his next college home.

From there, Rob Dillingham followed up with the obvious announcement on April 9 that he would be entering the NBA Draft and signing with Klutch Sports for his representation in the league.

Maybe the bigger surprise is the lack of updates on the rest of the bunch, all eyes on Reed Sheppard and his future in Lexington. Does he look to bring the Wildcats back to glory with a return to Kentucky under, say, Scott Drew? I’m sure that’s the first phone call if and when that time comes.

Until then, let’s update the roster tracker.

GONE (GRADUATED/NBA DRAFT): Antonio Reeves, Tre Mitchell, Justin Edwards, Rob Dillingham

TRANSFER PORTAL: Adou Thiero*, Aaron Bradshaw*, Joey Hart

UNDECIDED: Jordan Burks, Zvonimir Ivisic, Ugonna Onyenso, Reed Sheppard, DJ Wagner

* Also testing NBA Draft waters

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IMPORTANT DATES

• April 27: NBA Early Entry Eligibility Deadline (11:59 p.m. ET)
• May 1: Transfer Portal Closes
• May 12: NBA Draft Lottery
• May 13-19: NBA Combine
• May 29: NCAA early entrant withdrawal deadline (11:59 pm ET)
• June 16: NBA Draft Early Entry Entrant Withdrawal Deadline (5 p.m. ET)
• June 26: NBA Draft 2024 First Round
• June 27: NBA Draft 2024 Second Round

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UPDATES

April 9: Rob Dillingham enters the NBA Draft, forgoes remaining eligibility

• “With the help of my team, my longtime manager Rico Grier, I have decided to sign with Klutch and enter my name into the 2024 NBA Draft,” he said.
• The projected top-10 pick went public with his decision live on ESPN with NBA Today
• Dillingham’s time in Lexington comes to a close with a season average of 15.2 points, 3.9 assists and 2.9 rebounds per game while shooting 47.5% from the field and 44.4% from three.
• He is currently the No. 4 overall prospect in ESPN’s list of best-available players in the 2024 draft

April 8: Joey Hart enters the transfer portal

• The 6-5 sharpshooter out of Linton, IN plans to transfer as a redshirt freshman after playing just ten minutes in his debut season as a Wildcat.
• He scored three points in Lexington — a made 3-pointer in Kentucky’s win over Marshall back on November 24.

April 8: Aaron Bradshaw enters the transfer portal, tests the draft waters

• Bradshaw, a 7-foot-1 freshman, averaged 4.9 points and 3.3 rebounds per game this season while shooting 57.6% from the field.
• “After much reflection and discussion with my family, coaches, and mentors, I have made the decision to enter the NBA Draft while maintaining my college eligibility and also entering the NCAA transfer portal,” he announced. “This has been a lifelong dream of mine, and I am eager to explore what the next chapter in my basketball journey holds while continuing to develop and grow each and every day. Thank you once again for your unwavering support.”

April 4: Justin Edwards enters the NBA Draft

• The former five-star wing becomes the first player to forgo his time at Kentucky and enter the NBA Draft
• He is currently rated as the No. 30 overall prospect in ESPN’s list of best available players in the draft pool, good for third on the team behind Rob Dillingham and Reed Sheppard

April 3: Kentucky makes contact with Belmont transfer Cade Tyson

• The 6-7 forward averaged 16.2 points and 5.9 rebounds in 31.6 minutes, shooting 49.3% from the field and 46.5% from three on 5.5 attempts per game
• He entered the transfer portal on March 25 with two years of college eligibility remaining and is considered the No. 39 overall available prospect
• Kentucky joins Duke, UNC, Tennessee, Auburn, Florida, Kansas, Louisville, Texas and Villanova among schools to reach out

April 3: Son of former Kentucky player Jalen Blackmon hears from the Cats

• Remember James Blackmon Sr.? The former McDonald’s All-American played at Kentucky in the 1980s, and now, his son Jalen is hearing from the current staff
• Blackmon was a standout at Stetson before entering the portal on March 27
• He’s also heard from Kansas, Indiana, Northwestern, Xavier, UCLA, Butler, Mississippi State, Colorado, California, Texas, BYU, Utah State, and LMU 
• The standout guard averaged a team-high 21.3 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 1.9 assists in nearly 35 minutes per game this past season, shooting 42.8% from the field and 38.1% from three
• He scored at least 20 points in 20 games this year

April 1: Virginia Tech transfer Tyler Nickel speaks with Kentucky

• Shooting is always a priority, the former staff reaching out to the 6-7 forward this week after entering the portal on March 29. He shot 43.8% from the field and 39.9% from three this past season.
• On the year, he averaged 8.8 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 24.3 minutes per contest
• Nickel has also heard from Vanderbilt, Virginia, Providence, Saint Mary’s and Stanford

March 28: Adou Thiero enters transfer portal, will test NBA Draft Waters

• Pitt, Miami, Arizona, Oregon, Gonzaga, Ohio State, Indiana, Xavier, NC State, Arkansas, Texas A&M, Creighton, Richmond, Georgia, UCSB, Penn State, Mizzou, DePaul, Georgetown, Ole Miss and Duquesne are among the schools to reach out to the sophomore wing, according to ESPN’s Jeff Borzello
• Thiero, who averaged 7.2 points and 5.0 rebounds per game as a sophomore
• In ESPN’s first 2025 NBA mock draft, Jonathan Givony included Thiero at No. 27 overall

March 27: Kentucky reaches out to Milwaukee transfer BJ Freeman

• The UW-Milwaukee transfer heard from Kentucky, Kansas, Tennessee, Syracuse, Providence, Mississippi State, Missouri, Villanova, Arizona State, Arkansas, UCF, Xavier, Colorado, and Texas A&M among interested suitors.
• Freeman tells KSR+ he plans to make a decision in “three to four weeks” and says “maybe I could be one of the next Kentucky greats and Kentucky pros”
• The 6-6, 180-pound combo guard averaged 21.1 points, 6.6 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game in 2023-24

March 25: Kentucky reaches out to Rutgers transfer Clifford Omoruyi

• The 6-foot-11, 240-pound center averaged 10.4 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.9 blocks in 2023-24
• Previously calling UK his “dream school” in high school, Omoruyi is rated as the No. 2 overall player in On3’s Transfer Rankings
• Kentucky joins Kansas, Baylor, UConn, St. John’s, Alabama, Auburn, USC, and Florida as interested schools
• This was the first known name of interest for the Wildcats in the portal since the team’s season ended