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2025-2026 Roster Discussion Thread

JimboBBN

JimboBBN

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Jan 26, 2016
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Long, long offseason in front of us. Teams should start knowing their rosters pretty soon, let’s talk about it.

Would love to hear some outsider thoughts on UKs roster so far. Call me a homer but I think we could be really good.

Returning:
Otega Oweh
Colin Chandler
Brandon Garrison
Travis Perry
Trent Noah

Incoming freshman:
Jasper Johnson (5 Star)
Malachi Moreno (5 Star)
Andrija Jelavic (International Prospect)

Transfers:
Jaland Lowe
Kam Williams
Jayden Quaintance
Mouhamed Dioubate
Lamar Wilkerson (committing this week)


Pope has done quite a bit to build this roster differently than last year. May not have as much shooting or skill on the floor at one time, but the athleticism, defense, and let’s be honest.. toughness, should all be much improved from the 2024 - 2025 Wildcats. After Wilkerson commits, I expect UK to be top 5 in most polls to begin the year.

Let’s see what everyone else has
 
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WeAreDePaul said:
our off season doesn't start till everyone else is finished and then we go pick up the scraps. Check back in August.
Click to expand...
Season 11 Friends GIF by Curb Your Enthusiasm


(Yes, that is you on the left for obvious reasons)
 
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As of today...

Returning:
Flory Bidunga
Elmarko Jackson (medical redshirt)
Jamari McDowell (redshirt)
Noah Shelby (redshirt)

Freshmen:
Darryn Peterson
Bryson Tiller
Samis Calderon

Transfers:
Jayden Dawson (Loyola Chicago)
Tre White (Illinois)

Expecting Melvin Council Jr (St Bonaventure) to commit soon.

They're looking to add a major talent at wing and a backup big. The last few roster spots will probably go to Corbin Allen (local high schooler) and a guy from the football team.

Tyran Stokes, the top-ranked player in the 2026 class, is visiting this weekend. Might re-classify. They're also making a push for Cedric Coward.
 
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Pope has to keep Oweh which I expect him to do. If he does that UK should be a solid team next year that contends for a title.
 
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Purdue:

Returning:
Braden Smith - 1st team All American
Trey Kaufman-Renn - HM All American
Fletcher Loyer - 44% from 3 last year
Daniel Jacobsen - 7'4 and started the season as the starter before breaking his leg in game 2
CJ Cox - started 23 games last year
Gicarri Harris - Glenn Robinson's kid, 1st or 2nd guard off the bench
Raleigh Burgess - Backup 4/5 who wasn't healthy last year
Jack Benter - 6'5 guard who redshirted

Freshmen:
Antoine West - 3 star combo guard

Transfers
Oscar Cluff - 18 and 12 for South Dakota State
Hopefully Omer Mayer - 6'4 guard from Israel who is a very good passer and shooter.

Need a versatile (ideally 6'7) wing who can put the ball on the floor and guard the 3 and shoot the ball. We are undersized at guard and it would be nice to add a bigger guard/wing to complement the team.

If we can get Mayer and a quality wing, I could see Purdue at preseason #1 next year. Many early top 25's have us at 2 or 3 right now.
 
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JimboBBN said:
Never doing that again. Probably all my fault he went IU
Click to expand...
Lamar Wilkerson: "It was a pleasure to be recruited by Kentucky, but I didn't want to go to Kentucky and just be another guy."
 
boilerzz said:
Lamar Wilkerson: "It was a pleasure to be recruited by Kentucky, but I didn't want to go to Kentucky and just be another guy."
Click to expand...
So he's ranking UK and IU next season.

I'm good with that. That should make everyone south of the Ohio River feel better.
 
boilerzz said:
Purdue:

Returning:
Braden Smith - 1st team All American
Trey Kaufman-Renn - HM All American
Fletcher Loyer - 44% from 3 last year
Daniel Jacobsen - 7'4 and started the season as the starter before breaking his leg in game 2
CJ Cox - started 23 games last year
Gicarri Harris - Glenn Robinson's kid, 1st or 2nd guard off the bench
Raleigh Burgess - Backup 4/5 who wasn't healthy last year
Jack Benter - 6'5 guard who redshirted

Freshmen:
Antoine West - 3 star combo guard

Transfers
Oscar Cluff - 18 and 12 for South Dakota State
Hopefully Omer Mayer - 6'4 guard from Israel who is a very good passer and shooter.

Need a versatile (ideally 6'7) wing who can put the ball on the floor and guard the 3 and shoot the ball. We are undersized at guard and it would be nice to add a bigger guard/wing to complement the team.

If we can get Mayer and a quality wing, I could see Purdue at preseason #1 next year. Many early top 25's have us at 2 or 3 right now.
Click to expand...
FIFM - Mayer is on board. Now we just need a versatile wing.
 
boilerzz said:
Purdue:

Returning:
Braden Smith - 1st team All American
Trey Kaufman-Renn - HM All American
Fletcher Loyer - 44% from 3 last year
Daniel Jacobsen - 7'4 and started the season as the starter before breaking his leg in game 2
CJ Cox - started 23 games last year
Gicarri Harris - Glenn Robinson's kid, 1st or 2nd guard off the bench
Raleigh Burgess - Backup 4/5 who wasn't healthy last year
Jack Benter - 6'5 guard who redshirted

Freshmen:
Antoine West - 3 star combo guard

Transfers
Oscar Cluff - 18 and 12 for South Dakota State
Hopefully Omer Mayer - 6'4 guard from Israel who is a very good passer and shooter.

Need a versatile (ideally 6'7) wing who can put the ball on the floor and guard the 3 and shoot the ball. We are undersized at guard and it would be nice to add a bigger guard/wing to complement the team.

If we can get Mayer and a quality wing, I could see Purdue at preseason #1 next year. Many early top 25's have us at 2 or 3 right now.
Click to expand...

you sure all those guys are staying? Still 6 days to enter the portal.
 
boilerzz said:
Braden Smith announced he was coming back. I think Cox did as well. Not sure on the others. Obviously if a big name leaves, it changes our outlook.
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i don't know how it really works with the portal, but I assume that there aren't too many people entering the portal the last week. Maybe if your school brings in a player this week and he plays your position?

So you're probably good unless Painter brings in a better PG than Smith. is there even anyone in D1 who would qualify for that?
 
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Mikel Brown Jr. PG 6’3 175 lbs
Kobe Rodgers PG 6’3 185 lbs
Isaac McKneely SG 6’4 195 lbs
Ryan Conwell CG 6’4 215 lbs
Adrian Wooley SG 6’5 180 lbs
J’Vonne Hadley SF 6’6 220 lbs
Khani Rooths SF 6’8 210 lbs
Kasean Pryor PF 6’10 225 lbs
Sananda Fru PF 6’11 245 lbs
James Scott C 6’11 220 lbs
Aly Khalifa C 6’11 250 lbs

Starting lineup

PG Mikel Brown Jr 6’3 (FR)
SG Ryan Conwell 6’4 (SR)
SF Adrian Wooley 6’5 (Soph)
PF Kasean Pryor 6’10 (SR)
C Sanandu Fru 6’11 (FR)

Backup

PG Kobe Rodgers 6’3 (SR)
SG Isaac McKneely 6’4 (SR)
SF J’vonne Hadley 6’6 (SR)
PF Khani Rooths 6’8 (Soph)
C James Scott 6’11 (JR)
C Aly Khalifa 6’11 (SR)

Apparently we’re adding another front court player or wing too. We’re gonna have some shooters on this team. That’s 4/5 players averaging over 40% from 3 point range.
 
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WeAreDePaul said:
i don't know how it really works with the portal, but I assume that there aren't too many people entering the portal the last week. Maybe if your school brings in a player this week and he plays your position?

So you're probably good unless Painter brings in a better PG than Smith. is there even anyone in D1 who would qualify for that?
Click to expand...
We just added a 6’7 forward from North Florida who shot 42% from 3. I’m not sure Mayer nor Murphy will scare anyone away. Mayer is likely the backup pg and Murphy brings something we don’t have. I’m guessing we are done unless someone leaves.
 
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JimboBBN said:
Long, long offseason in front of us. Teams should start knowing their rosters pretty soon, let’s talk about it.

Would love to hear some outsider thoughts on UKs roster so far. Call me a homer but I think we could be really good.

Returning:
Otega Oweh
Colin Chandler
Brandon Garrison
Travis Perry
Trent Noah

Incoming freshman:
Jasper Johnson (5 Star)
Malachi Moreno (5 Star)
Andrija Jelavic (International Prospect)

Transfers:
Jaland Lowe
Kam Williams
Jayden Quaintance
Mouhamed Dioubate
Lamar Wilkerson (committing this week)


Pope has done quite a bit to build this roster differently than last year. May not have as much shooting or skill on the floor at one time, but the athleticism, defense, and let’s be honest.. toughness, should all be much improved from the 2024 - 2025 Wildcats. After Wilkerson commits, I expect UK to be top 5 in most polls to begin the year.

Let’s see what everyone else has
Click to expand...
 
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