It’s that time of year again—when college basketball coaches scour the transfer portal for game-changing talent. With the NCAA shrinking the transfer window to just days after the national championship, Mark Pope can’t afford to hesitate. Kentucky’s experiment with a roster flip this season didn’t work, and now Pope needs to get back to what he knows best: explosive offense and sharpshooting guards. Here’s a list of six players who could perfectly fit the Cats’ system.
1. Brett Decker Jr. – The Pure Shooter (Liberty)
Kentucky desperately needs floor-stretching shooters, and Liberty’s sophomore Brett Decker Jr. is exactly that. Averaging 16.8 PPG this season, he knocked down an insane 48.1% from deep on 231 attempts—numbers comparable to Dayton’s Koby Brea before he arrived in Lexington. Bonus: he’s an E-Town native.
2. Joel Foxwell – The Playmaking Floor General (Portland)
The Cats struggled to create in the paint this season, and Joel Foxwell can change that. The Australian freshman averaged 15.6 points and 6.5 assists per game. While his 3-point shot is a work in progress at 31%, he excels at getting to the rim and finding open teammates. Kentucky needs his high basketball IQ and playmaking ability.
3. Baraka Okojie – Rim Pressure Specialist (Mercer)
Another point guard to keep defenses honest, Okojie lit up Mercer this season with 19.7 PPG and 5.3 assists per game. The kicker? He drew nearly nine free-throw attempts per game, collapsing defenses and opening lanes for others—a skill the Cats desperately lacked.
4. Jack Karasinski – Veteran Wing Scorer (Bellarmine)
Kentucky needs proven scorers who can handle big moments. Bellarmine’s Jack Karasinski averaged 21 points per game on over 50% shooting, and he already torched the Cats for 24 points on just nine shots earlier this season. With one year of eligibility left, he offers the efficient scoring Kentucky needs from the wing.
5. Carter Bjerke – Stretch 4 Threat (St. Thomas)
With bigs like Dioubate, Garrison, and Moreno struggling to hit from distance, a reliable stretch-four is critical. Enter Carter Bjerke. The 6-foot-9 forward averaged 9.6 PPG with a 45.6% three-point clip—exactly the kind of shooting that keeps defenses honest and opens lanes for the Cats’ bigs.
6. Chol Machot – Defensive Anchor (College of Charleston)
Defense wins games, and Kentucky’s rotations were too soft this year. Chol Machot, a 7-foot CAA Defensive Player of the Year, averaged 2.5 blocks in just 20 minutes per game. While still developing offensively, his rim protection could allow Kentucky’s guards to take more risks and thrive in transition.
Back to Basics
Mark Pope needs to return to his roots—offense-first, three-point-heavy basketball. These six players provide the shooting, passing, and rim protection necessary to rebuild Kentucky into the team fans expected this season.
