Kentucky’s roster situation for 2024-25

Wagner’s decision leaves only three Kentucky players — Reed Sheppard, Ugonna Onyenso and Jordan Burks — who have not yet entered the transfer portal or declared for the NBA draft. The Wildcats’ 2023-24 roster had 10 players with remaining college eligibility, but most of that group was expected to leave the program even if Calipari had returned for a 16th season.

Now that the longtime head coach is gone, it’s possible that Pope could be working with a whole new roster for the 2024-25 campaign.

Calipari had six high school players committed for next season — the No. 2-ranked recruiting class in the country — but only two remain in that group following the decommitment of five-star point guard Boogie Fland on Monday morning.

The two left are point guard Travis Perry and shooting guard Billy Richmond, but Richmond — another son of a former Calipari player at Memphis — is expected to back out of his pledge in the near future. Perry, a star player at Lyon County and Kentucky’s reigning Mr. Basketball, attended Pope’s ceremony Sunday and is likely to remain with the Wildcats’ program.

Sheppard, the son of Jeff Sheppard, who was Pope’s college roommate during their playing days at UK, has not yet revealed his plans for next season. He’s projected as a lottery pick in the 2024 NBA draft. Onyenso and Burks are expected to look at other options elsewhere, though neither had made any announcements as of Monday.

Freshman 7-footer Zvonimir Ivisic projects as an ideal fit for Pope’s modern offense, but he put his name in the portal over the weekend. Ivisic is expected to meet with Pope on Monday regarding his future, though it’s not yet clear how seriously he is considering a return to UK.

College players have until May 1 to enter the transfer portal, and the deadline to put their names in the NBA draft is April 27.

Any college players who enter the draft must remove their names from consideration by May 29 to retain their NCAA eligibility.

______

©2024 Lexington Herald-Leader. Visit at kentucky.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.