Mark Pope has some important work to do to rebuild Kentucky’s roster.
Freshman level guard D.J. Wagner entered the switch portal Monday, in response to a number of reviews, persevering with an exodus of five-star expertise from Lexington within the aftermath of head coach John Calipari’s departure for Arkansas.
Later Monday, Zvonimir Ivišić introduced on Instagram that he was leaving Kentucky to comply with Calipari to Arkansas. A 7-foot-2 freshman, the Croatian heart with NBA upside initially entered his identify within the switch portal over the weekend.
Wagner joined the Wildcats final season as a McDonald’s All-American and top-10 recruit. He was projected as a possible one-and-done prospect, however will doubtless stay in school after a disappointing freshman marketing campaign didn’t cement his standing as an NBA prospect.
He was the newest Wildcat to enter the switch portal alongside a handful of incoming freshmen who’ve re-opened their recruitment. Freshman ahead Aaron Bradshaw — a fellow five-star recruit and Wagner’s highschool teammate — beforehand entered the switch portal and dedicated to Ohio State.
Ivišić made his announcement after assembly earlier Monday with Pope, who was launched as Kentucky’s new head coach on Sunday.
“Right now I met with coach Pope and had a terrific assembly with him,” Ivišić wrote. “He’s an incredible man and a terrific coach and he’ll do huge issues right here! After our dialog I knowledgeable him that I can’t be returning to Kentucky. …
“I made the lifetime resolution to come back to school for few causes. Important ones to win a nationwide championship and go to the NBA. Monumental a part of that call was coach Cal, and nobody does each of these on the identical time than him. That is why I’m excited to announce that I’m committing to educate Cal and Arkansas Razorbacks!”
Wagner, Bradshaw and Ivišić have been a major a part of Calipari’s top-ranked 2023 recruiting class that initiatives to lose two different gamers to the NBA. Fellow freshman Rob Dillingham has declared for the NBA draft whereas Reed Sheppard — a projected lottery decide — has but to decide.
In the meantime, 4 incoming freshmen have reportedly re-opened their recruitment since Calipari’s departure. Somto Cyril, Karter Knox, Boogie Fland and Jayden Quaintance have all reportedly de-committed from Kentucky previously week. Fland, Knox and Quaintance are all five-star prospects, in response to Rivals. Cyris is a four-star prospect.
The information of Ivišić’s switch and Wagner’s anticipated departure arrives a day after Pope was formally launched as Kentucky’s head coach. The previous BYU coach who performed at Kentucky and captained its 1996 nationwide championship crew was greeted by hundreds of Wildcats fan at a raucous introductory information convention at Rupp Enviornment on Sunday. His first order of enterprise will probably be to retool a Kentucky roster that has considerably much less expertise than it did this time final week.
