ESPN insider names portal priorities for Kentucky next season
By Adam Spencer
Published:
The Kentucky Wildcats lost to the Iowa State Cyclones in Round 2 of the 2026 NCAA Tournament.
That sort of early exit in the NCAA Tournament has fans in the Bluegrass State frustrated with coach Mark Pope, as the expectation every year is to hang banners in the Rupp Arena rafters.
Signs are pointing toward Pope returning for the 2026-27 season, but he’ll be on the hot seat. Adding to the difficulties facing Pope is the fact that he doesn’t have a single high-school commitment in the class of 2026 thus far.
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It looks like he’ll build through the portal once again, and he’ll have some key spots to fill, especially in the back court, as Denzel Aberdeen and Otega Oweh are out of eligibility. Big man Jayden Quaintance is also expected to leave for the NBA Draft.
So what should Pope target in the portal to build around potential returning players like Malachi Moreno, Mo Dioubate, Brandon Garrison, Jaland Lowe and Collin Chandler? ESPN’s Myron Medcalf weighed in as part of this piece:
The backcourt has to be his top priority. Aberdeen and Oweh are out of eligibility, which means that not only will Pope need elite guards who are capable playmakers and scorers, but he’ll also need depth — especially at point guard. The latter has been a problem throughout his tenure. Even if Lowe returns, Pope will need multiple players at both guard positions to anchor next season’s roster.
The next priority: a big man. Though Moreno could take the next step as a sophomore, and Dioubate has been solid for stretches, the Wildcats didn’t have a dominant big with Quaintance contending with knee injuries. The teams still competing for this year’s national championship — Michigan, UConn, St. John’s and Duke — have imposing big men. Kentucky can’t enter another season without a strong inside presence.
Finally, with Chandler the only reliable 3-point shooter on this season’s squad, Kentucky also needs more support on the perimeter.
Yes, this year’s Kentucky team dealt with pivotal injuries to Quaintance and Lowe, but even if the team suffers more injuries next year, Pope likely needs to make it out of the opening weekend of the NCAA Tournament to save his job. We’ll see who Kentucky manages to sign out of the portal.
Though the Wildcats are out, the NCAA Tournament rolls along this weekend. Who will advance to the Final Four? Check out the Kalshi odds below:
Adam is a daily fantasy sports (DFS) and sports betting expert. A 2012 graduate of the University of Missouri, Adam now covers all 16 SEC football teams. He is the director of DFS, evergreen and newsletter content across all Saturday Football brands.
