Transfer portal is opening for Kentucky. And the latest UK basketball recruiting links.
Things are about to get very busy for the Kentucky Wildcats in the college basketball transfer portal.
UK is bound to take at least two players — probably three or four — from that route this offseason, and names of possibilities will be coming in steadily over the next few weeks. The first such name popped up over the weekend: Fardaws Aimaq, a center at Utah Valley and the WAC Player of the Year for the 2020-21 season.
Aimaq is a 6-foot-11, 245-pound big man from Vancouver, and he averaged 18.9 points, 13.6 rebounds and 1.3 blocked shots per game this past season. As a sophomore the previous season, he averaged 15.0 rebounds per game, tops in Division I basketball. Of course, Kentucky center Oscar Tshiebwe led the country in that category this season.
If Tshiebwe stays at UK, the Cats won’t be adding Aimaq, who is likely to play major minutes for a top program next season. If Kentucky’s national player of the year leaves for the NBA Draft this offseason, however, John Calipari will be in need of some bulk in the paint, and Aimaq could be one of the top available centers in the portal this year. According to 247Sports analyst Travis Branham, he’s also been contacted by Gonzaga, West Virginia, Texas, Texas Tech, Florida, Arkansas, Iowa and several other top programs.
Top Kentucky basketball recruiting links
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Stay or go? Calipari talks about Shaedon Sharpe, Daimion Collins
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Ellis Myles says everyone will want to play for Kenny Payne
SEC news: Lamont Paris will be the next coach at South Carolina
More SEC news: LSU hires Matt McMahon as its new head coach
Star Duke signee Dereck Lively II signs with LeBron James’ agency
What’s next? Five questions for John Calipari and UK basketball
On the road: The entire Kentucky coaching staff sees DJ Wagner
DJ Wagner’s team loses in the New Jersey championship final
Wagner ‘did all he could’ in team’s championship game defeat
SEC news: Mississippi State hires Chris Jans as new head coach
Xavier loses a commitment from a top-50 national recruit in 2022
Noted recruiter Sean Miller returning as the head coach at Xavier
More Next Cats links: Duke lands another five-star commitment
This story was originally published March 21, 2022 at 7:00 AM.
