The Kentucky Wildcats have had an eventful offseason under new head coach Mark Pope, who has been active in reshaping the roster by bringing in multiple players through the NCAA transfer portal. Although the portal officially closed on Tuesday night, players can still transfer and enroll at their new schools after the deadline.
Just before the portal shut, the Wildcats got unexpected news involving a player previously expected to return for the 2024–25 season. The surprise came from Lyon County High School standout and four-star recruit, Travis Perry. Perry had signed with Kentucky back in November 2023 and enrolled earlier this year after a decorated high school career that included winning the Kentucky Mr. Basketball award.
During his freshman season at Kentucky, Perry appeared in 31 games, though his playing time was limited. He averaged 9.8 minutes and 2.7 points per game. His standout performance came in the SEC Quarterfinals against Alabama, where he scored 11 points and grabbed 4 rebounds in 30 minutes of action.
With Perry’s departure, Kentucky moved quickly to reinforce its guard rotation through the transfer portal. The team added Florida transfer Denzel Aberdeen and Pittsburgh’s Jaland Lowe, who impressed with a 16.8 points-per-game average last season. Tulane guard Kam Williams also joins the revamped backcourt.
Beyond the guard position, Kentucky also strengthened its frontcourt by landing Arizona State forward Jayden Quaintance and Alabama’s Mouhamed Dioubate. These moves further solidify Coach Pope’s vision for a competitive and retooled Wildcats roster heading into the upcoming season.
