Mark Pope’s Kentucky Basketball: Transfer Portal Updates, 2024 Roster, Recruiting News, and SEC Expert Analysis

Kentucky Basketball Roster Undergoes Major Changes as Mark Pope Takes Over

When John Calipari took over as the Kentucky men’s basketball coach in 2009, he quickly turned the program around, leading the Wildcats to an Elite Eight, Final Four, and National Championship in his first three seasons. However, after Calipari left to become the head coach at Arkansas, new Kentucky head coach Mark Pope finds himself facing a similar challenge.

Kentucky has not advanced past the second round of the NCAA Tournament in the last four years, and the roster for the upcoming season is in flux. Many top recruits from the Class of 2024 have reopened their commitments, leaving Kentucky’s recruiting class on the brink of falling outside the top 100 in the nation.

Reigning SEC Rookie of the Year Reed Sheppard has declared for the NBA Draft, joining several other Wildcats in the transfer portal. With at least eight scholarships available, Pope is actively looking to add impact players to the roster. One player already committed to joining Pope at Kentucky is guard Collin Chandler, a former signee at BYU.

As Pope works to shape the 2024-25 Kentucky men’s basketball roster, CatsPause, the 247Sports affiliate covering Kentucky, is providing up-to-the-minute insider information on all the roster changes. With a 50% off offer on annual subscriptions, now is the perfect time to join CatsPause and stay updated on all the latest Kentucky basketball news.