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LEXINGTON — The NCAA transfer portal for men's basketball didn't officially open until April 7. But that didn't prevent players from announcing their intentions beforehand.
Kentucky basketball saw its first departure more than a week before the portal window arrived, as word surfaced March 28 that point guard Jaland Lowe would transfer after just one season with coach Mark Pope's program. Fellow guard Jasper Johnson went portaling April 3; forward Brandon Garrison put his name into the portal the same day. Forward Mouhamed Dioubate, a rising senior, entered April 6.
Another forward, international big man Andrija Jelavić entered on the day the portal opened April 7. The most unexpected move: Denzel Aberdeen also put his name in April 7. A senior guard, Aberdeen is out of eligibility and will need a waiver to play next season.
Meanwhile, freshman center Malachi Moreno declared for the draft April 6 but maintained his college eligibility; he will return to UK if he withdraws from the draft. Rising junior guard Kam Williams has reportedly reached a deal to return to the team. Sophomore forward Jayden Quaintance, meanwhile, is expected to enter the NBA draft and forgo his remaining eligibility.
Keep this page bookmarked throughout the offseason to see which scholarship players Kentucky is adding and losing to the portal.
Zoom Diallo, a point guard who spent the past two seasons at Washington, was in Lexington on April 10 and 11. On the first day, UK coach Mark Pope took Diallo to Keeneland. Diallo averaged 15.7 points, 3.7 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game last season for the Huskies. His assist average, as well as his field goal percentage (48.9; 196 for 401) ranked among the top 10 in the Big Ten in 2025-26.
UK also has targeted former Colgate guard Jalen Cox. He already has had a Zoom meeting with the Wildcats staff. Jacob Polacheck of KSR+ reported April 10 that Cox will set up "a visit to Kentucky in the next few days." A 6-foot-3, 180-pound guard, Cox was an All-Patriot League first-team honoree last season after finishing in the conference's top 10 in numerous statistical departments, ranking third in points per game (17.9); first in assists per game (5.3); third in steals per game (1.7); sixth in field-goal percentage (52.1%); 10th in rebounds per game (5.2); and second in assist-to-turnover ratio.
Collin Chandler entered the transfer portal with a do-not-contact tag April 8 after two seasons with the Wildcats. As a sophomore, the 6-foot-5 guard averaged 9.7 points, 2.8 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.2 steals per game. He led UK by shooting 41% (73 for 178) from 3-point range.
Andrija Jelavić went portaling Tuesday, which was confirmed by USA TODAY Sports. Jelavić, who started the final 20 games of the season for the Wildcats, averaged 5.5 points and 4 rebounds in 15.6 minutes per outing. He made nearly half of his field goal attempts (73 for 153; 47.7%), but couldn't find consistency beyond the 3-point arc, where he converted only 27.1% (21 for 76) of his shots. Though he's in the portal, Jelavić told Kentucky Sports Radio on Tuesday he was "leaving the door open for a possible return" to UK.
Jelavic committed to Ohio State on April 10, according to Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress.
A Florida native, Denzel Aberdeen spent one season with the Wildcats. The first three seasons of his college career were at Florida, where he won a national title during the 2024-25 campaign. He averaged 13.5 points and a team-best 3.4 assists for UK last season. Aberdeen put his name into the portal April 7, but with no eligibility remaining, he'll require an NCAA waiver to take the floor in 2026-27.
If his waiver is successful, he plans to rejoin the Gators. Aberdeen announced his decision April 10 in a post on his personal Instagram account.
News of Mouhamed Dioubate's transfer broke April 6, the day before the portal opened.
A burly 6-foot-7, 220-pound forward, Dioubate brought a physicality to the roster that Pope's 2024-25 group lacked. But there was a tradeoff: Unlike so many members of Pope's first roster, 3-point shooting wasn't Dioubate's forte. He entered the SEC Tournament having missed 19 of the 22 triples he had attempted in 2025-26; Dioubate finished on a high note, however, sinking three of his last six 3s.
In his lone season with the Wildcats, the New York native averaged 8.8 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block and 1 steal per outing. Dioubate appeared in 31 games with 10 starts.
Brandon Garrison was the third player from UK's 2025-26 to enter the portal, doing so April 3, shortly after Jasper Johnson's announcement.
After Garrison committed to Kentucky in April 2024, big things were expected. He had been a McDonald's All-American Game selection in 2023. And in his first college season, spent at Oklahoma State, he averaged 7.5 points and 5.3 rebounds in 22.7 minutes per game while making more than half his shots from the field (57.2%; 91 for 159). Additionally, he ranked among the Big 12's leaders in blocks, rejecting more than 1.4 shots per outing.
But Garrison's most consistent trait as a Wildcat was inconsistency.
The Oklahoma native spent the 2024-25 season as Amari Williams' backup at the center spot. Garrison was expected to fill that void in the lineup last season; instead, he was replaced after five games by Moreno. He remained a reserve for the rest of the 2025-26 campaign.
He leaves Kentucky with averages of 5.3 points, 4 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game (71 appearances).
Jasper Johnson was Portal Departure No. 2 for Kentucky, with Jonathan Givony of Draft Express reporting April 3 the freshman guard was transferring. Johnson will have three years of eligibility remaining.
He had hoped to forgo those seasons; upon his enrollment at UK, Johnson wasn't shy in stating his intention to be a one-and-done NBA draft pick.
But his play never came close to reaching that level. Johnson managed to score 10 or more points only five times in 35 appearances in 2025-26.
A UK legacy as the son of Dennis Johnson (a standout defensive lineman for Kentucky's football program more than two decades ago), Jasper finished his sole season as a Wildcat averaging 4.9 points, 1.1 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game.
The plan changed.
At the SEC Tournament earlier last month in Nashville, Jaland Lowe told The Courier Journal he intended to be back with the program next season. That didn't happen. Less than a week after Kentucky's season ended in a second-round NCAA Tournament loss to Iowa State, word began circulating that Lowe wouldn't be part of UK's 2026-27 roster.
He played just one season for the Cats.
Lowe appeared in only nine games, as his season ended prematurely due to a shoulder injury. He had corrective surgery in January. Lowe averaged 8.4 points, 2.1 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game in his limited action.
He joined UK after spending the first two seasons of his college career at Pittsburgh.
Reach Kentucky men’s basketball and football reporter Ryan Black at [email protected] and follow him on X at @RyanABlack.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Kentucky basketball transfer portal updates, Mark Pope roster 2026-27
Continue reading...
Kentucky basketball saw its first departure more than a week before the portal window arrived, as word surfaced March 28 that point guard Jaland Lowe would transfer after just one season with coach Mark Pope's program. Fellow guard Jasper Johnson went portaling April 3; forward Brandon Garrison put his name into the portal the same day. Forward Mouhamed Dioubate, a rising senior, entered April 6.
Another forward, international big man Andrija Jelavić entered on the day the portal opened April 7. The most unexpected move: Denzel Aberdeen also put his name in April 7. A senior guard, Aberdeen is out of eligibility and will need a waiver to play next season.
Meanwhile, freshman center Malachi Moreno declared for the draft April 6 but maintained his college eligibility; he will return to UK if he withdraws from the draft. Rising junior guard Kam Williams has reportedly reached a deal to return to the team. Sophomore forward Jayden Quaintance, meanwhile, is expected to enter the NBA draft and forgo his remaining eligibility.
Keep this page bookmarked throughout the offseason to see which scholarship players Kentucky is adding and losing to the portal.
Kentucky basketball transfer portal visitors: What players are checking in with Mark Pope?
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Zoom Diallo, a point guard who spent the past two seasons at Washington, was in Lexington on April 10 and 11. On the first day, UK coach Mark Pope took Diallo to Keeneland. Diallo averaged 15.7 points, 3.7 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game last season for the Huskies. His assist average, as well as his field goal percentage (48.9; 196 for 401) ranked among the top 10 in the Big Ten in 2025-26.
UK also has targeted former Colgate guard Jalen Cox. He already has had a Zoom meeting with the Wildcats staff. Jacob Polacheck of KSR+ reported April 10 that Cox will set up "a visit to Kentucky in the next few days." A 6-foot-3, 180-pound guard, Cox was an All-Patriot League first-team honoree last season after finishing in the conference's top 10 in numerous statistical departments, ranking third in points per game (17.9); first in assists per game (5.3); third in steals per game (1.7); sixth in field-goal percentage (52.1%); 10th in rebounds per game (5.2); and second in assist-to-turnover ratio.
Outgoing Kentucky basketball transfers
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Collin Chandler
Collin Chandler entered the transfer portal with a do-not-contact tag April 8 after two seasons with the Wildcats. As a sophomore, the 6-foot-5 guard averaged 9.7 points, 2.8 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.2 steals per game. He led UK by shooting 41% (73 for 178) from 3-point range.
Andrija Jelavic
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Andrija Jelavić went portaling Tuesday, which was confirmed by USA TODAY Sports. Jelavić, who started the final 20 games of the season for the Wildcats, averaged 5.5 points and 4 rebounds in 15.6 minutes per outing. He made nearly half of his field goal attempts (73 for 153; 47.7%), but couldn't find consistency beyond the 3-point arc, where he converted only 27.1% (21 for 76) of his shots. Though he's in the portal, Jelavić told Kentucky Sports Radio on Tuesday he was "leaving the door open for a possible return" to UK.
Jelavic committed to Ohio State on April 10, according to Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress.
Denzel Aberdeen
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A Florida native, Denzel Aberdeen spent one season with the Wildcats. The first three seasons of his college career were at Florida, where he won a national title during the 2024-25 campaign. He averaged 13.5 points and a team-best 3.4 assists for UK last season. Aberdeen put his name into the portal April 7, but with no eligibility remaining, he'll require an NCAA waiver to take the floor in 2026-27.
If his waiver is successful, he plans to rejoin the Gators. Aberdeen announced his decision April 10 in a post on his personal Instagram account.
Mouhamed Dioubate
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News of Mouhamed Dioubate's transfer broke April 6, the day before the portal opened.
A burly 6-foot-7, 220-pound forward, Dioubate brought a physicality to the roster that Pope's 2024-25 group lacked. But there was a tradeoff: Unlike so many members of Pope's first roster, 3-point shooting wasn't Dioubate's forte. He entered the SEC Tournament having missed 19 of the 22 triples he had attempted in 2025-26; Dioubate finished on a high note, however, sinking three of his last six 3s.
In his lone season with the Wildcats, the New York native averaged 8.8 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block and 1 steal per outing. Dioubate appeared in 31 games with 10 starts.
Brandon Garrison
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Brandon Garrison was the third player from UK's 2025-26 to enter the portal, doing so April 3, shortly after Jasper Johnson's announcement.
After Garrison committed to Kentucky in April 2024, big things were expected. He had been a McDonald's All-American Game selection in 2023. And in his first college season, spent at Oklahoma State, he averaged 7.5 points and 5.3 rebounds in 22.7 minutes per game while making more than half his shots from the field (57.2%; 91 for 159). Additionally, he ranked among the Big 12's leaders in blocks, rejecting more than 1.4 shots per outing.
But Garrison's most consistent trait as a Wildcat was inconsistency.
The Oklahoma native spent the 2024-25 season as Amari Williams' backup at the center spot. Garrison was expected to fill that void in the lineup last season; instead, he was replaced after five games by Moreno. He remained a reserve for the rest of the 2025-26 campaign.
He leaves Kentucky with averages of 5.3 points, 4 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game (71 appearances).
Jasper Johnson
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Jasper Johnson was Portal Departure No. 2 for Kentucky, with Jonathan Givony of Draft Express reporting April 3 the freshman guard was transferring. Johnson will have three years of eligibility remaining.
He had hoped to forgo those seasons; upon his enrollment at UK, Johnson wasn't shy in stating his intention to be a one-and-done NBA draft pick.
But his play never came close to reaching that level. Johnson managed to score 10 or more points only five times in 35 appearances in 2025-26.
A UK legacy as the son of Dennis Johnson (a standout defensive lineman for Kentucky's football program more than two decades ago), Jasper finished his sole season as a Wildcat averaging 4.9 points, 1.1 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game.
Jaland Lowe
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The plan changed.
At the SEC Tournament earlier last month in Nashville, Jaland Lowe told The Courier Journal he intended to be back with the program next season. That didn't happen. Less than a week after Kentucky's season ended in a second-round NCAA Tournament loss to Iowa State, word began circulating that Lowe wouldn't be part of UK's 2026-27 roster.
He played just one season for the Cats.
Lowe appeared in only nine games, as his season ended prematurely due to a shoulder injury. He had corrective surgery in January. Lowe averaged 8.4 points, 2.1 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game in his limited action.
He joined UK after spending the first two seasons of his college career at Pittsburgh.
Reach Kentucky men’s basketball and football reporter Ryan Black at [email protected] and follow him on X at @RyanABlack.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Kentucky basketball transfer portal updates, Mark Pope roster 2026-27
Continue reading...
