Author: Barnabas Nda
Kentucky sophomore guard Collin Chandler is close to transferring to BYU, according to multiple reports circulating Tuesday night, with social media posts citing a $3.2 million NIL deal as part of the move. Chandler entered the NCAA transfer portal on April 9, 2026, after one season with the Wildcats. Chandler is a 6-foot-5 guard from Farmington, Utah. He was a four-star prospect in the 2022 class, ranked No. 37 nationally and No. 1 in Utah by the 247Sports Composite. He originally signed with BYU in 2022 when Mark Pope was head coach there. Chandler then served a two-year mission for…
Duke has signed a four-man 2026 recruiting class that includes Deron Rippey Jr., Bryson Howard, Maxime Meyer, and Cameron Williams. The group is ranked No. 1 in the 247Sports Composite. Deron Rippey Jr. is a 6-foot-2 point guard from Blair Academy in Blairstown, New Jersey. He is ranked No. 10 overall and the No. 1 point guard in the class. He committed to Duke in December 2025. Rippey played in the 2026 McDonald’s All-American Game on March 31 and finished with 7 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists in 21 minutes. He said he wants to “do whatever it takes…
Kentucky is exploring ways to reallocate its Name, Image, and Likeness and revenue-sharing resources to bolster its pursuit of Tyran Stokes, the No. 1 player in the 2026 class, as the Wildcats and Kansas continue a recruiting battle for the nation’s top high school prospect. Stokes is a 6-foot-7 small forward from Sherman Oaks, California, and is considering Kentucky, Kansas, and Oregon. Multiple reports estimate his NIL value at $4-6 million, which would make him one of the highest-paid high school recruits in college basketball history. On3’s Joe Tipton reported in February that Kansas “leads for No. 1 recruit Tyran…
Trent Noah remains one of the last Kentucky men’s basketball players from the 2024-25 roster still undecided on his future, with the sophomore guard considering whether to return to Lexington for his junior season or enter the transfer portal in search of a larger role. Noah, a Kentucky native from Harlan County, joined the Wildcats as part of Mark Pope’s first recruiting class in 2024. Over his first two seasons, he has played primarily at the end of the rotation. He appeared in 24 games as a freshman and 21 games as a sophomore, averaging 1.8 points and 0.9 rebounds…
Four-star point guard Mason Williams announced his commitment to the University of Kentucky on Friday, giving head coach Mark Pope his first pledge in the 2026 recruiting class. Williams is a 6-foot-2 point guard from Tennessee Collegiate Academy in Germantown, Tennessee. He is the son of former NBA All-Star and Cleveland Cavaliers champion Mo Williams, who is currently the head coach at Jackson State. In the 247Sports Composite rankings, Williams is listed as the No. 110 overall prospect, the No. 12 point guard nationally, and the No. 3 player in Tennessee for the 2026 class. Rivals and On3 rank him…
The “$30M gap” refers to the projected value Kentucky risked losing over multiple recruiting cycles without a retail-backed NIL infrastructure. Rivals had begun offering athletes storefronts, licensed merchandise sales, and national distribution at scale, while UK relied primarily on collectives. The Fanatics extension keeps the company as UK’s trademark licensing representative and operator of the UK Team Shop. It adds a NIL component launching spring 2026, anchored by what the school called a significant investment dedicated exclusively to athlete opportunities. Through the Fanatics Creator Program, select UK student-athletes across all sports can launch affiliate storefronts, curate official Kentucky product collections,…
University of Kentucky Athletics announced on Friday, April 4, 2026, a 12-year partnership extension with Fanatics that runs through 2038. The deal extends Fanatics’ role as the school’s trademark licensing representative and operator of the UK Team Shop official online store. It also continues Fanatics as the primary apparel licensee partner, distributing Kentucky merchandise across major retailers including Kroger, Walmart, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Academy, and the University of Kentucky Bookstore. The extension includes what UK called a “first-of-its-kind” NIL program anchored by a significant investment dedicated exclusively to Name, Image, and Likeness opportunities for student-athletes. The NIL component launches in…
The 6-foot-8 guard confirmed the decision Tuesday, telling On3 he is staying in Lexington for a second year under head coach Mark Pope. The news was first reported by Jonathan Givony of Draft Express. Williams transferred to Kentucky from Tulane last offseason and was Pope’s first portal commitment. He appeared in 24 games with seven starts during the 2024-25 season, averaging 6.0 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 1.0 assist in 18.5 minutes per game. He shot 44.9% from the field and 35.9% from three. His breakout performance came Dec. 23 in a 99-85 win over Bellarmine when he scored a career-high…
The transfer portal has barely opened, but Kentucky is already wasting no time positioning itself for key additions ahead of the upcoming season. According to multiple reports, the Wildcats have scheduled early Zoom meetings with two intriguing guard prospects LSU point guard Dedan Thomas Jr. and FAU combo guard Devin Vanterpool signaling an aggressive start to their offseason strategy. Sources close to the situation indicate that these conversations are part of a broader push by head coach Mark Pope and his staff to reshape the backcourt with players who can immediately contribute. With roster turnover becoming a defining feature of…
Collin Chandler, the Kentucky Wildcats guard, was brought to tears as he opened up about his wife Hannah Clark in a quiet moment that went viral with fans. He and Hannah got married in May 2025, but their story started way back in elementary school. They were next to each other in the yearbook, and Collin drew a very squiggly heart around Hannah and underlined her name. He said he knew he wanted to marry Hannah even back then, and joked that she said yes before he could even ask her. They got engaged in December 2024 when Kentucky was…