Welcome to SEC Unfiltered, the USA TODAY NETWORK’s newsletter on SEC sports. Look for this newsletter in your inbox Monday through Friday. Today, Knox News’ Tennessee athletics reporter Mike Wilson takes over:
Kentucky forward Andrew Carr issued a recruiting pitch to potential transfers in his final act in a Wildcats uniform.
“If you’re in the transfer portal and looking for a place to go, go to Kentucky,” said Carr after Kentucky’s season ended in the Sweet 16 against Tennessee. “I’ll tell you that much. Go to Kentucky.”
From Carr’s lips to the hearts of transfers: The Wildcats have cleaned up in the portal better than any SEC team through the first stretch of the mayhem.
Here’s who is having the best success in the portal:
1. Kentucky
Mark Pope built a roster out of the portal in his first season as coach and is using it incredibly again.
The Wildcats got Jayden Quiantance, a former UK commit, from Arizona State. He is one of the biggest gets in the portal for his defensive abilities alone, although he is coming off ACL surgery. Jaland Lowe was one of the best point guards available after leading Pitt with 16.8 points and 5.5 assists. Florida guard Denzel Aberdeen brings a national title with him to Lexington and should be a great shooter in Pope’s high-scoring system.
Quiantance, Tulane forward Kim Williams and Alabama forward Mouhamed Dioubate give the Wildcats a hearty dose of physicality.
2. Auburn
Coach Bruce Pearl has players coming in from junior college, Division I and power-conference teams. For this ranking, it’s about the latter two — and the Tigers have plenty to like after another Final Four appearance.
Keyshawn Hall led UCF with 18.8 points and 7.1 rebounds. KeShawn Murphy was Mississippi State’s leading rebounder and second-leading scorer. Both fit what the Tigers do well under Pearl.
Elyjah Freeman is a super intriguing prospect from Division II Lincoln Memorial. The 6-foot-8 forward averaged 18.9 points and 8.7 rebounds, while scoring from all three levels.
3. Alabama
Alabama needed to bulk up the interior and add size. It did both, getting Noah Williamson from Bucknell and Bol Bowen from Florida State. The 7-foot Williamson averaged 17.6 points. Bowen is 6-10 and shot 41.4% from 3-point range.
Jalil Bethea is a former five-star recruit who didn’t have a great freshman year at Miami. Coach Nate Oats has succeeded with five-star guards before. It feels safe to assume Bethea is better in Tuscaloosa.
4. LSU
LSU and South Carolina were the SEC teams in most desperate need of roster rebuilds.
The Tigers are doing it well before a key year under coach Matt McMahon. UNLV point guard Dedan Thomas Jr. might be the best transfer into the conference. He averaged 15.6 points.
Northeastern guard Rashad King and Omaha forward Marquel Sutton were big-time scorers last season. Mississippi State center Michael Nwoko gives the Tigers size they lacked.
5. Tennessee
Texas has a four-man class with three mid-major transfers. Ole Miss’ could be really good, especially if AJ Storr gets back to playing like he did at Wisconsin two seasons ago.
The Vols get the fifth spot, though, because Ja’Kobi Gillespie could be the best pairing of a player to a program in the portal in the SEC. The Maryland will step straight into Zakai Zeigler’s spot and give UT a huge talent at point guard.
UT also added Vanderbilt transfer Jaylen Carey, whose physicality and familiarity with the SEC make this two-man class a good one.
Mike Wilson covers University of Tennessee athletics. Email him at [email protected] and follow him on X @ByMikeWilson or Bluesky @bymikewilson.bsky.social. If you enjoy Mike’s coverage, consider a digital subscription that will allow you access to all of it.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: SEC basketball transfers: Kentucky, Auburn owning portal
Welcome to SEC Unfiltered, the USA TODAY NETWORK’s newsletter on SEC sports. Look for this newsletter in your inbox Monday through Friday. Today, Knox News’ Tennessee athletics reporter Mike Wilson takes over:
Kentucky forward Andrew Carr issued a recruiting pitch to potential transfers in his final act in a Wildcats uniform.
“If you’re in the transfer portal and looking for a place to go, go to Kentucky,” said Carr after Kentucky’s season ended in the Sweet 16 against Tennessee. “I’ll tell you that much. Go to Kentucky.”
From Carr’s lips to the hearts of transfers: The Wildcats have cleaned up in the portal better than any SEC team through the first stretch of the mayhem.
Here’s who is having the best success in the portal:
1. Kentucky
Mark Pope built a roster out of the portal in his first season as coach and is using it incredibly again.
The Wildcats got Jayden Quiantance, a former UK commit, from Arizona State. He is one of the biggest gets in the portal for his defensive abilities alone, although he is coming off ACL surgery. Jaland Lowe was one of the best point guards available after leading Pitt with 16.8 points and 5.5 assists. Florida guard Denzel Aberdeen brings a national title with him to Lexington and should be a great shooter in Pope’s high-scoring system.
Quiantance, Tulane forward Kim Williams and Alabama forward Mouhamed Dioubate give the Wildcats a hearty dose of physicality.
2. Auburn
Coach Bruce Pearl has players coming in from junior college, Division I and power-conference teams. For this ranking, it’s about the latter two — and the Tigers have plenty to like after another Final Four appearance.
Keyshawn Hall led UCF with 18.8 points and 7.1 rebounds. KeShawn Murphy was Mississippi State’s leading rebounder and second-leading scorer. Both fit what the Tigers do well under Pearl.
Elyjah Freeman is a super intriguing prospect from Division II Lincoln Memorial. The 6-foot-8 forward averaged 18.9 points and 8.7 rebounds, while scoring from all three levels.
3. Alabama
Alabama needed to bulk up the interior and add size. It did both, getting Noah Williamson from Bucknell and Bol Bowen from Florida State. The 7-foot Williamson averaged 17.6 points. Bowen is 6-10 and shot 41.4% from 3-point range.
Jalil Bethea is a former five-star recruit who didn’t have a great freshman year at Miami. Coach Nate Oats has succeeded with five-star guards before. It feels safe to assume Bethea is better in Tuscaloosa.
4. LSU
LSU and South Carolina were the SEC teams in most desperate need of roster rebuilds.
The Tigers are doing it well before a key year under coach Matt McMahon. UNLV point guard Dedan Thomas Jr. might be the best transfer into the conference. He averaged 15.6 points.
Northeastern guard Rashad King and Omaha forward Marquel Sutton were big-time scorers last season. Mississippi State center Michael Nwoko gives the Tigers size they lacked.
5. Tennessee
Texas has a four-man class with three mid-major transfers. Ole Miss’ could be really good, especially if AJ Storr gets back to playing like he did at Wisconsin two seasons ago.
The Vols get the fifth spot, though, because Ja’Kobi Gillespie could be the best pairing of a player to a program in the portal in the SEC. The Maryland will step straight into Zakai Zeigler’s spot and give UT a huge talent at point guard.
UT also added Vanderbilt transfer Jaylen Carey, whose physicality and familiarity with the SEC make this two-man class a good one.
Mike Wilson covers University of Tennessee athletics. Email him at [email protected] and follow him on X @ByMikeWilson or Bluesky @bymikewilson.bsky.social. If you enjoy Mike’s coverage, consider a digital subscription that will allow you access to all of it.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: SEC basketball transfers: Kentucky, Auburn owning portal
