Potential Kentucky basketball target confirms he will enter the transfer portal
Miles Byrd, a standout defender for San Diego State and a potential NBA draft prospect, is planning to enter the NCAA transfer portal when it opens April 7.
Kentucky could be a suitor in his recruitment.
Byrd — a 6-foot-6, 190-pound player from Stockton, California — announced his intention to transfer Friday after spending the past four seasons with the Aztecs. He was the last remaining member of the program’s 2023 Final Four team.
“After four unforgettable years, I want to thank San Diego State for everything it’s given me — on and off the court,” Byrd posted on his X account. “The memories, the battles, the brotherhood, and the growth will always mean more than words can fully capture. Wearing that No. 21 jersey and representing not only the school but the whole city of San Diego has been a true blessing.”
San Diego State missed the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2019 this season. The Aztecs made it all the way to the national title game in 2023, when Lamont Butler, who later transferred to UK and became the starting point guard on Mark Pope’s first Kentucky team, hit a buzzer beater in the Final Four to send San Diego State to the championship game.
Butler and Byrd were also teammates during the 2023-24 season.
Byrd emerged as a potential NBA draft prospect during the 2024-25 campaign, averaging 12.3 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 2.1 steals per game. He declared for the 2025 draft — and was speculated to be a potential transfer portal entry last year — but ultimately returned to San Diego State for another season.
The 21-year-old wing has been on draft boards this season, too, and he averaged 10.4 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.9 steals per game. He is also viewed as an elite defender and earned Mountain West defensive player of the year honors this season.
Byrd will be a graduate transfer when he hits the portal next month and will have one remaining season of eligibility after appearing in only four games as a freshman.
He’s expected to attract significant interest from high-major schools, and Kentucky could be in the mix as Pope ramps up the process of putting together his third UK basketball roster.
Byrd’s shooting numbers aren’t stellar — he’s shot between 30.1% and 31.1% from 3-point range over each of the past three seasons — but scouts see more potential in his ability beyond the arc. He made 97 3s in 63 games over the past two seasons.
Byrd, who has a 6-10 wingspan, could also be a huge defensive addition for a Kentucky program that has struggled relative to expectations over Pope’s first two seasons.
UK was ranked 51st nationally in defensive efficiency during Pope’s first season. That ranking improved to 28th this past season, but Pope and his players talked in the fall about being a top-10 defense — with some Cats saying they could be ranked No. 1 in the country — after a roster revamp last spring that was supposed to make Kentucky better on that side of the ball.
Pope will look to bring back several players off the current roster, but he’s also looking for difference-makers on both ends of the court this offseason, and Byrd would fit that bill.
The transfer portal will officially open April 7 and remain open until April 21. Any player who puts his name in the portal during that timeframe will be eligible to pick a new school at any point this offseason and play immediately.
