Catch up with the former Kentucky Wildcats who are still playing college basketball
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Several former UK men’s basketball players are now at other NCAA Division I schools.
- Aaron Bradshaw (Memphis), Bryce Hopkins (St. John’s) and D.J. Wagner (Arkansas) are some.
- Kerr Kriisa (Cincinnati), Travis Perry (Ole Miss) transferred from UK during offseason.
As a new college basketball season begins, there are new-look rosters all around the country.
The NCAA transfer portal has allowed programs to rebuild from scratch in just one offseason, while also giving players the ability to find more conducive playing environments.
Kentucky has, and will continue to be, a major portal player, with Mark Pope bringing in top transfer classes in the last two offseasons. On the other side of this equation, there are plenty of ex-Cats who previously played at Kentucky but are now elsewhere in college basketball.
With the 2025-26 season set to start, there are 13 former Kentucky men’s basketball players who are still playing college hoops at another school. Some of these ex-Cats are recent transfers out of Lexington. Others played at UK during John Calipari’s time leading the Cats. One ex-Cat is about to begin his sixth college season at his fifth different school.
It’s time to reach back into the UK basketball memory bank and take look at each of the 13 former UK players who are still in school.
These ex-Cats still in college basketball are listed below in alphabetical order, sorted by last name.
Former UK players who are still playing college basketball
Devin Askew (Villanova): After beginning his college basketball career at Kentucky during the Wildcats’ ill-fated 2020-21 campaign, Askew is about to begin his sixth college season at his fifth school. Following his lone season in Lexington, Askew spent a year at Texas and two seasons at California. He went to the mid-major level last year for a season at Long Beach State of the Big West Conference.
Both of Askew’s seasons at Cal were affected by injuries. He bounced back in a big way at Long Beach State: Askew started all 32 of LBSU’s games last season and averaged 18.9 points. He scored at least 10 points in every game The Beach played.
This helped get Askew another shot at big-time college basketball. He transferred again this offseason to Villanova of the Big East Conference. Former Seton Hall and Maryland coach Kevin Willard is entering his first season as the head coach at ‘Nova.
Askew didn’t play in either of Villanova’s two exhibition games due to a right knee sprain. The Wildcats open the season Monday night with a marquee matchup in Las Vegas against No. 8 BYU, led by star freshman AJ Dybantsa.
Aaron Bradshaw (Memphis): It’s now three schools in three years for Bradshaw, who was the No. 4 overall recruit in the 2023 class when he arrived at UK.
Considered a player with NBA lottery pick potential, Bradshaw’s UK debut was delayed by injury until December of his freshman season. Bradshaw ultimately averaged just 4.9 points and 3.3 rebounds during his lone season as a Wildcat.
He transferred to Ohio State for the 2024-25 season and played in just 22 games for the Buckeyes, mainly as a bench contributor. Bradshaw did have a memorable outing against his former school, putting up 11 points on 5-for-6 shooting in Ohio State’s romp over UK last December in New York City.
Bradshaw hit the transfer portal this offseason and is now at Memphis playing for coach Penny Hardaway. The Tigers went 29-6 a season ago and won both the American Athletic Conference’s regular season and tournament championships, before being upset in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
Bradshaw started Memphis’ 24-point exhibition loss to Arkansas, led by Calipari, his former coach at Kentucky. Bradshaw had eight points and four rebounds in 19 minutes against the Razorbacks before fouling out.
He came off the bench for Memphis in the Tigers’ second exhibition contest, a 29-point loss to Auburn. Bradshaw again played 19 minutes, scoring 10 points and blocking two shots.
Memphis doesn’t open its season until Saturday afternoon against San Francisco.
Jordan Burks (Central Florida): Burks also spent only one season in Lexington before leaving when Calipari did.
Burks was an undersized “5” at Kentucky and made 20 appearances off the bench for the Cats during the 2023-24 season. He spent last season at Georgetown, playing all 34 games for the Hoyas with 11 starts while averaging 18.6 minutes, 5.7 points and 3.4 rebounds.
Now its another change of scenery for Burks, who will suit up for Central Florida of the Big 12 Conference this season. The Knights haven’t made the NCAA Tournament since 2019.
UCF played two exhibition games this season, losing by 25 to Duke and by seven to LSU. Burks started both contests, and he put up 21 points against the Blue Devils on an efficient 9-for-12 shooting performance. He had just four points and missed six of his seven shots against LSU.
The Knights begin their season Monday night against Hofstra.
Daimion Collins (South Florida): Collins is spending his fifth overall college season at South Florida, after two seasons each at UK and LSU.
He arrived at Kentucky fresh off a McDonald’s All-American season in high school and was viewed as a project player with long-term potential. That never came to fruition due to several factors out of Collins’ control, including injuries and the death of his father just prior to his sophomore season.
After only playing in six games at LSU in his first season in Baton Rouge, Collins put together a quality campaign last season. Collins played in 30 games with 22 starts and averaged 8.0 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.6 blocks.
Now at his third school, Collins’ South Florida team will begin its 2025-26 season Monday night against Florida A&M.
Grant Darbyshire (Cincinnati): Darbyshire was one of three players to transfer out of Pope’s Kentucky program this offseason, but he was the only walk-on to do so. A native of Florence in Northern Kentucky, Darbyshire will spend his fourth college season with the Bearcats.
Darbyshire spent three seasons at Kentucky as a walk-on, the final two seasons of Calipari’s coaching tenure and the first season of Pope’s. Darbyshire appeared in six games for the Wildcats and graduated from UK in May after only three years.
Darbyshire isn’t the only ex-Cat at Cincinnati. Guard Kerr Kriisa also transferred from UK to Cincy during the offseason.
After an exhibition win at Michigan and loss at Arkansas, Cincinnati will begin its season Monday night against Western Carolina.
Cam’Ron Fletcher (High Point): The player on this list most likely to make you think ‘He’s still in college basketball?’ is Fletcher, who is set to play his sixth college season at his fourth school.
Fletcher’s only season in Lexington was notable for all the wrong reasons. The Wildcats went a dismal 9-16 during the 2020-21 campaign, and he appeared in only nine games during it.
After transferring to Florida State and becoming an impact player off the bench, a knee injury derailed Fletcher’s development. In fact, Fletcher’s final two seasons at Florida State were both ended by serious injuries to the same knee.
He spent last season at Xavier but was a nonfactor for the Musketeers, appearing in only 11 games.
Fletcher is now at High Point of the Big South Conference. That school is known among Kentucky fans for being Tubby Smith’s alma mater and final coaching stop.
High Point’s season begins Monday night against Furman in Rock Hill, South Carolina.
Joey Hart (Ball State): An Indiana native, Hart was a late three-star recruiting addition to Calipari’s final Kentucky team. Hart played just 10 minutes over seven appearances during that 2023-24 UK season.
After Calipari’s departure, Hart returned to his home state to suit up for Ball State. Of Hart’s 29 appearances for the Cardinals last season, 28 came from off the bench. Hart averaged 2.4 points in 10.9 minutes.
Hart didn’t play in Ball State’s lone exhibition game this season, a 14-point loss to Purdue Fort Wayne, while reportedly dealing with a foot injury.
The Cardinals, who haven’t reached the NCAA Tournament since 2000, open their season Monday night against Louisiana.
Bryce Hopkins (St. John’s): Kentucky basketball worlds old and new collide in The Big Apple this season as Hopkins suits up for former UK and U of L head coach Rick Pitino.
Hopkins came off the bench for all 28 of his appearances at UK during the 2021-22 season, before transferring to Providence for his three most recent college seasons.
Hopkins blossomed into a full-blown star during his sophomore campaign at Providence, to the tune of 15.8 points and 8.5 rebounds per game before an NCAA Tournament defeat to Calipari’s Kentucky squad. Then, Hopkins suffered a torn ACL during his junior season that threw a wrench into his plans. Hopkins played in just three games at Providence last season before another knee injury ruled him out.
Now, Hopkins gets a fresh start under Pitino’s tutelage at St. John’s. The Red Storm won the Big East regular season and tournament titles last season, before losing in the second round of the NCAA Tournament to Calipari’s first Arkansas team.
Hopkins played 27 minutes off the bench and led St. John’s with 13 points and four assists in the Red Storm’s first exhibition game, a 10-point win over Towson. He moved into the starting lineup for St. John’s’ final exhibition, an overtime loss to Michigan. Hopkins had 13 points and nine rebounds in that one, while playing a game-high 40 minutes.
St. John’s, slotted at No. 5 in the preseason AP poll, opens regular season play Monday night against Quinnipiac.
Zvonimir Ivisic (Illinois): The legend of “Big Z” — whose lone Kentucky basketball season featured an electrifying debut, a drawn-out NCAA eligibility process and ultimately a transfer away from Lexington — takes on a new school this season.
After Ivisic followed Calipari from Kentucky to Arkansas, he transferred again this offseason to join his twin brother, Tomislav, at Illinois.
Ivisic’s distinct profile as a 7-footer with perimeter skills never fully got the chance to flourish at Kentucky, where he averaged 5.5 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 11.7 minutes across 15 appearances off the bench during the 2023-24 season.
Things went much better last season at Arkansas, to the tune of 8.5 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.9 blocks across an average of more than 19 minutes per game. Availability was also on Big Z’s side last season. He played in 35 of Arkansas’ 36 games, starting 19 times.
The Ivisic brothers are part of an Illinois team that’s ranked No. 17 in the preseason AP poll.
In Illinois’ lone exhibition contest, Big Z started and had 15 points and five rebounds in a 27-point win against State. Illinois begins the regular season Monday night against Jackson State.
Kerr Kriisa (Cincinnati): One of two scholarship players to transfer out of Pope’s Kentucky program during the offseason, Kriisa will play his sixth college season at Cincinnati after previous stops at Arizona, West Virginia and UK.
Kriisa was expected to bring an energetic on-court presence to UK’s backcourt last season, but he only appeared in nine games (with one start) for the Wildcats before suffering a season-ending foot injury during a December win against Gonzaga in Seattle.
Kriisa’s injury was one of the contributing factors to a lack of guard depth that plagued Kentucky. By the end of Pope’s first year in Lexington, the Wildcats were down Kriisa and guard Jaxson Robinson, and with fellow guard Lamont Butler playing through a significant shoulder injury.
Kriisa — who still boasts career averages of 9.3 points and 4.6 assists across 108 games — got the start for Wes Miller’s Bearcats in both of their exhibition games this season. Kriisa logged 15 points in a road win at Michigan and six points in a defeat at Arkansas.
Cincinnati plays Western Carolina on Monday night.
Ugonna Onyenso (Virginia): Onyenso served as Kentucky’s primary center during the stretch run for Calipari’s final UK team in 2023-24.
After a freshman year that was spent as an understudy to Oscar Tshiebwe, Onyenso’s defensive prowess took center stage as a sophomore. He set the Rupp Arena record for blocks by a Kentucky player with 10 in a February 2024 win against Ole Miss.
When Calipari left Kentucky, Onyenso followed suit, ending up at Kansas State. That experiment didn’t work, with Onyenso averaging just 11.1 minutes across 24 appearances (two starts) for K-State last season.
Now Onyenso is at Virginia, where former UMBC, Utah State and VCU coach Ryan Odom is about to begin his first season in charge of the Cavaliers.
In an exhibition win over Villanova, Onyenso played 15 minutes off the bench and scored seven points while blocking three shots. Virginia begins its season Monday night against Rider.
Travis Perry (Ole Miss): The most consequential player to depart the UK program this offseason was Perry, a former commonwealth high school star at Lyon County and a winner of the Kentucky Mr. Basketball award.
Perry was the only member of the six-player 2024 recruiting class assembled by Calipari to stick with his Kentucky commitment. That translated into an unexpectedly high amount of playing time for Perry last season as UK’s guard depth thinned. Perry finished his freshman season with 31 appearances (four starts) and averages of 2.7 points and 9.8 minutes.
He was also expected to run things back at Kentucky for his sophomore season, but Perry was a surprise entry into the transfer portal just before the deadline closed. His choice from the portal was Ole Miss, one of the five programs that made Perry’s final list as a high school recruit.
He’s expected to be a prominent part of Chris Beard’s team in Oxford this season, and reportedly caught fire from 3-point range in a secret scrimmage victory over Houston. In a recent Ole Miss exhibition loss to Saint Mary’s, Perry was part of the starting lineup.
The Ole Miss regular season begins Monday night against Southeastern Louisiana.
D.J. Wagner (Arkansas): Wagner is ready for another season in the backcourt being led by Calipari. After spending his freshman season as the starting point guard on Calipari’s final UK team, Wagner is now a backcourt mainstay at Arkansas.
Wagner averaged 9.9 points and 3.3 assists in his lone Kentucky season, and he built upon those numbers last season in Fayetteville. Wagner started all 36 contests for the Hogs, averaging 11.2 points and 3.6 assists. He was an indispensable part of Arkansas’ Sweet 16 squad, playing nearly 35 minutes per game.
While Wagner is years removed from the potential one-and-done hype that preceded his freshman season at Kentucky, he’s developed into a reliable SEC guard who clearly has found his comfort zone. If Arkansas’ big exhibition wins against Cincinnati and Memphis are any indication, the Hogs’ backcourt will rank among the best in the nation with Wagner slotted alongside dynamic freshman phenom Darius Acuff Jr.
Arkansas, ranked No. 14 in the preseason AP poll, opens its regular season Monday night against Southern.
Former Kentucky basketball recruits are also now at other schools
Several former Kentucky basketball recruits are also elsewhere in college basketball for the 2025-26 season. While these six players never appeared up in a game for the Wildcats, they were, at one time, part of Kentucky’s future.
Skyy Clark (UCLA): Clark was UK’s first commitment in the 2022 recruiting group before ultimately playing his freshman year at Illinois. He returns to UCLA for his second season with the Bruins. Clark was an every-game starter at UCLA last season, averaging 8.5 points and 2.7 assists while shooting 39.7% on 3-pointers. He also finally got to play at Rupp Arena as UCLA played its first- and second-round NCAA Tournament games in Lexington.
Clark spent the 2023-24 season at Louisville and led the Cardinals in scoring that season — Kenny Payne’s final one as the U of L head coach — with 13.2 points per game.
UCLA’s season begins Monday night against Eastern Washington.
Somto Cyril (Georgia): One of the five recruits from Calipari’s 2024 Kentucky class who went elsewhere after the coach left, Cyril was a solid contributor off the bench for Georgia as a freshman. He played in all 33 of the Bulldogs’ contests with averages of 4.6 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.5 blocks.
One of Cyril’s best games as a freshman came against the Cats. He had six points and eight rebounds before fouling out in a January home win over UK.
Georgia’s regular-season opener is Monday night against a new-look Bellarmine team.
Boogie Fland (Florida): A former 2024 UK recruit, Fland’s tour of the SEC continued this offseason when he transferred from Arkansas to Florida. A prolific freshman year for Fland with Calipari and the Razorbacks was hampered by a right thumb injury that required surgery.
Up to that point, Fland had started all 18 of Arkansas’ games and was averaging 15.1 points, 5.7 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 1.5 steals in 34.1 minutes per contest. He was shooting 36.5% from 3-point range and 83.9% from the foul line. Fland fast-tracked his recovery to return for Arkansas in the NCAA Tournament, but he only scored 12 combined points in the Hogs’ three games.
Fland then hit the portal and is now part of perhaps college basketball’s best backcourt at Florida. The Gators — the defending national champions who are slotted at No. 3 in the preseason AP poll — also feature guard Xaivian Lee, a former Princeton star whom UK also courted this offseason.
Florida’s national title defense begins Monday night against Arizona in Las Vegas.
Karter Knox (Arkansas): Knox was the last member of the six-player recruiting class Calipari assembled in 2024 to commit to UK. Now, he’s sticking with Calipari for a second season at Arkansas.
The younger brother of former UK star Kevin Knox, Karter played in each of Arkansas’ 36 games last season and started 24 times. He averaged 8.3 points and 3.3 rebounds while shooting 35% from 3-point range.
Knox started both of Arkansas’ exhibitions this season.
Acaden Lewis (Villanova): Lewis finished the 2025 recruiting cycle ranked as the No. 33 overall prospect in the class. His commitment to Pope and the Wildcats was, at the time, a major recruiting moment for this era of UK basketball. Lewis represented the first national recruit without previous ties to Kentucky that Pope successfully landed.
But in April, Lewis decommitted from UK as the Wildcats’ roster took shape for this season. With an eye toward having a more impactful role as a freshman, Lewis landed at Villanova, where he’ll play alongside Askew, the former UK player.
Indications are that Willard, the new Villanova coach, is ready to let Lewis run free in the backcourt. Lewis started both of Villanova’s exhibition games, combining to put up 27 shots in those two contests. He also led ‘Nova in assists in both games.
Billy Richmond (Arkansas): Richmond and his family have longstanding ties to Calipari, so it’s not a surprise that the former 2024 Kentucky commit followed him to Arkansas and remains there for his sophomore year.
Richmond was a bench contributor in all 36 Arkansas games last season, with averages of 5.7 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 17.5 minutes of action. Richmond came off the bench, played more than 20 minutes and scored in double digits in both of Arkansas’ exhibition contests.
This story was originally published November 2, 2025 at 7:00 PM.
