After securing Zoom Diallo from the transfer portal, Kentucky has officially begun assembling next season’s roster. With the point guard role settled unless extra depth is added Mark Pope has shifted his attention to acquiring more playmakers.
At power forward, Donnie Freeman and Sebastian Rancik remain Kentucky’s top targets, as both are still available and have already made visits to Lexington. The situation at shooting guard, however, has changed.
Pope had appeared to narrow his focus to Alex Wilkins and Cruz Davis as similar options at the two-guard spot, with each expected to visit before a final decision. But that decision may have been made for him.
Cruz Davis backed out of his scheduled Kentucky visit and instead made a late-night commitment to Texas Tech, taking one of the top shooting guards in the portal off the market. His choice happened the same day Wilkins visited Kentucky fortunate timing for the Wildcats.
Unless an unexpected new candidate emerges, Pope and his staff now seem positioned to go all-in on Wilkins, who fits naturally alongside Diallo and stands out as one of the most promising remaining players in the portal.
The long, versatile combo guard previously with Furman averaged 18 points as a freshman, along with nearly five assists and close to a steal per game. With his blend of size and quickness, Wilkins appears to have the tools to thrive in the SEC.
His strong showing in March’s NCAA Tournament, where he scored 21 points on 53% shooting in Furman’s first-round loss to UConn, only reinforces that he’s prepared for the next level.
Wilkins Is Built for SEC Competition
Realistically, Davis probably could’ve handled the jump as well. But sometimes having fewer choices works in your favor something Kentucky may be experiencing now.
By committing fully to Rob Wright at point guard, Kentucky ran the risk of losing Diallo after briefly shifting focus elsewhere. With Wilkins and Cruz, though, Pope might actually benefit from circumstance forcing a tough call.
If Kentucky makes a real push for Wilkins and ultimately pairs him with Diallo, the Wildcats could field one of the most compelling backcourts in the entire college basketball landscape.
