Last season marked a new chapter for Kentucky. After nearly 15 years at the helm, Hall of Famer John Calipari stepped down, leaving behind a legacy that completely transformed the Wildcats program. In came Mark Pope–a younger coach with limited NCAA Tournament experience–tasked with filling some massive shoes. Fast forward a year, and after leading Kentucky to the Sweet 16, expectations are rising. And if the transfer portal is any indication, Big Blue Nation could be in for something special.

Mark Pope’s first season was no small feat, stepping into the spotlight after Calipari’s legendary run. Unlike Calipari, who built teams around one-and-done freshmen, Pope’s leaning on a mix of experienced transfers and gritty returnees to create a tougher, more cohesive squad. It’s a fresh vibe for Kentucky, and fans are starting to buy in, especially with the buzz around this year’s roster moves.

Arguably the biggest move of the transfer portal so far? That title belongs to Kentucky. In a full-circle moment, Jayden Quaintance–who originally backed out of his commitment following John Calipari’s departure–has now decided Lexington is where he wants to be. 247Sports ranked Quaintance as a 5-star prospect and the number 9 overall player in the 2024 class.

He was also the sixth-best player in the transfer portal this year. After one season at Arizona State, he entered the portal in early April–just weeks after undergoing surgery to repair a torn ACL on mid-march. Naturally, fans were concerned about his availability for the upcoming season. But they can breathe easy now. Coach Pope recently delivered a promising update on Quaintance’s recovery.

In an interview with Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports College Basketball, Coach Pope gave an optimistic update on the 17-year-old forward. “We’re in a full rush,” Pope said. “When I say full rush, we’re going to rush back to 100% complete health. And so, you know, we’re thinking, we’re optimistic that we’re going to have really, really good results in the fall. We’ll see how that goes. But we’re going to rush him back to get to 100% healthy before we roll him out on the court.”

Jayden Quaintance turned heads last season, earning spots on both the Big 12 All-Freshman and All-Defensive teams. He became just the fifth player in conference history to pull that off. He averaged 9.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks in 29 minutes per game. What’s even more impressive? He did all that as the youngest player in college basketball, enrolling at Arizona State at just 16 years old after graduating high school early. Quaintance played the entire season as a 17-year-old–something you almost never see. He won’t be eligible for the 2025 NBA Draft due to the league’s age rule, which requires players to turn 19 in the draft year.

But Jayden Quaintance isn’t the only big move Kentucky made in the portal this offseason. Far from it! The Wildcats have left no stone unturned in their pursuit of a return to national prominence. It’s clear that Coach Pope and his staff mean business. Let’s take a look at those moves.

Mark Pope and co make big moves

Heading into Year 2 of the Mark Pope era, Kentucky is building a solid foundation. They’ve got three incoming freshmen and three returnees–and that number could grow if last season’s top scorer, Otega Oweh, returns after testing the NBA Draft waters. The expectations are that he will! But make no mistake–the Wildcats did not sleep on the transfer portal.

Kentucky has already made a statement in the transfer portal, landing five new faces for the 2025-26 season. The Wildcats officially announced the additions of Denzel Aberdeen, Mouhamed Dioubate, Jaland Lowe, Kam Williams, and the headline-grabber Jayden Quaintance, of course. All five are ranked as four-star transfer prospects or better according to 247Sports. And the best part? There could still be more moves on the way!

It will certainly be interesting to see how Kentucky, with their new roster, performs in the upcoming season. The expectations at Kentucky are always high. Fans want to see the Wildcats be among the best, and Mark Pope will have to make sure those lofty expectations are met. Stay tuned for more updates!