3 players Mark Pope missed out on from Spring Transfer Portal
Mark Pope will have plenty of eyes on him throughout the college basketball season, as he will be tasked with replacing Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer John Calipari.
The newly hired Kentucky Wildcats head coach spent the previous five seasons leading the BYU Cougars to a 110-52 record, preceded by a four-year stint leading the Utah Valley Wolverines to a 77-56 record.
The Wildcats have plenty of work to do, as they will not have any scholarship players from last year's roster returning to the program. Furthermore, their once-heralded recruiting class has seen five top-45 prospects - four of whom were top-25 prospects - decommit from the program.
Take a look at three players Mark Pope and Kentucky missed out on during the spring transfer portal below.
Three players Mark Pope missed out on from Spring Transfer Portal
#1 Oumar Ballo
Oumar Ballo was the top-ranked player available in the transfer portal for much of the window.
The former four-star prospect in the 2019 recruiting class didn't become a full-time starter until the 2022-23 season. In 71 games over the last two years, he has averaged 13.5 points, 9.4 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 0.8 steals and 1.3 blocks in 26.8 minutes per gamem shooting 65.3%.
Ballo committed to join the Indiana Hoosiers on Apr. 16.
#2 Johnell Davis
Johnell Davis is a scoring guard Mark Pope's squad could have used, as the highest-scorer they landed averaged 13.5 points per game last season.
Davis became a full-time starter for the first time in 2023-24. The former unranked prospect in the 2020 recruiting class had a breakout season, averaging 18.2 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.4 steals and 0.2 blocks in 32.2 minutes per game, shooting 48.3% from the field, 41.4% from the 3-point range and 85.7% from the free-throw line.
Davis announced his decision to join the Arkansas Razorbacks on Apr. 30.
#3 Tucker DeVries
Tucker DeVries is another scoring guard who could have helped Mark Pope's squad.
The former four-star prospect in the 2021 recruiting class has improved each season and is coming off the best year of his career. He averaged 21.6 points, 6.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.6 steals and 0.3 blocks in 35.5 minutes per game, shooting 44.4%, 36.3% from the 3-point range and 81.3% from the free-throw line.
DeVries announced that he will join the West Virginia Mountaineers on March 28.