There was a seismic shift with the Kentucky basketball program this past Spring. John Calipari split for Arkansas after 15 seasons, and former Wildcats player Mark Pope was hired to replace him. Pope has done an excellent job, and after beating Louisville, has them at 10 – 1 and ranked fourth in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll.
However, Pope didn’t walk into a stocked roster. In fact, he had to start from scratch. Every former player either left for the NBA, or opted to transfer, while every recruit except Travis Perry decommitted from Kentucky and went elsewhere.
Related: Lamont Butler named SEC Co-Player of the Week
Several of those players followed Calipari to Arkansas, but not all. Aaron Bradshaw went to Ohio State. Star recruit Jayden Quaintance landed at Arizona State. And of course, many became Razorbacks.
How are those players doing at their new homes? Some have found success, while others have struggled. Here’s a look at each of the players who chose not to stay with the Wildcats and how their 2024-25 season is going so far.
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Guard Adou Thiero has thrived as a lead for Calipari at Arkansas. He’s playing 29 minutes per game and averaging 18 points and 6 rebounds per game. He showed flashes at Kentucky, and has now become a star in his Junior season.
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D.J. Wagner has improved his shooting tremendously since last year, and is now making 41% of his three-point attempts. He’s more confident in his game, and has been a stead point guard for Coach Cal, and there’s still room for improvement.
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Zvonimir Ivisic provided some fun moments for the Wildcats, but didn’t play consistently. His minutes are up this year, and so are his numbers. He’s averaging 9.9 points and 3.9 rebounds per game while hitting 50% of his shots from behind the arc.
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Through four games, Aaron Bradshaw was averaging 8 points and 5 rebounds per game. Then he missed five games due to an off-court incident and is still trying to work his way back into the rotation. He’s a former five-star recruit, so the talent is there, if he can put it together.
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While at Kentucky, Ugonna Onyenso displayed an instinct for blocking shots, but his offensive game was raw. At Kansas State, he hasn’t managed to take the next step yet. He’s averaging just 3 points and 3 boards per game, while playing just 8 minutes per contest.
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Jordan Burks was buried on the depth chart at Kentucky, playing just seven minutes per game. At Georgetown, his minutes are up over 17 per game, and he’s averaging nearly six points and three rebounds per game.
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Jayden Quaintance was set to be the centerpiece of Kentucky’s recruiting class, but instead is at Arizona State. There, he is making an impact, averaging 8 points and 8 rebounds per game. It’s on defense that he truly shines. He’s blocking 3.4 shots per game, which leads the Big12.
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Boogie Fland has been one of the best Freshman in the country for Coach Cal. He’s averaging 15.5 points and 5.7 assists per game while shooting nearly 40% from three-point range. He should only get better.
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Karter Knox hasn’t made the same type of impact that Fland has for Arkansas, but he will undoubtedly get better. He’s currently posting 5.6 points and 3 rebounds per game while playing about 15 minutes.
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Billy Richmond hasn’t gotten as much time to show what he can do with so many talented backcourt players on the roster. He’s averaging 5.5 points per game in 16 minutes. He certainly has the ability to do more when given the chance.
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The Georgia Bulldogs are surprising people, and Somto Cyril is a part of that. He’s only playing about 15 minutes per game, but is blocking two shots per game on the defensive end. On offense, he’s putting up over five points and four rebounds.
