The NCAA Tournament has concluded, making the time ripe for anyone who wishes to make a change. As of now, according to ‘For The Win’ journalist Bryan Kalbrosky, nearly 2,000 men’s college basketball players have entered the transfer portal. From RJ Luis Jr to Bennett Stirtz, several renowned athletes have created shockwaves in the college basketball world, making it clear that they are looking for a change. And now, whispers of another high-profile move are heating up the rumor mill.
If you’ve scrolled through Brandon Garrison’s official Instagram lately, you might’ve done a double-take. According to reports, the player has scrubbed all traces of the University of Kentucky (UK) from his profile. According to ‘Bleed Blue Network’, it is “Something to keep an eye on.” After all, when someone removes team details from their official social media handles, it is rarely a good sign.
Brandon Garrison has played alongside the Kentucky squad for only 1 season till now. Before that, he was grinding and learning with the Oklahoma State Cowboys for his freshman season. His exit from Oklahoma came hot on the heels of coach Mike Boynton’s firing after seven years, a move that hit Garrison hard. ‘The Oklahoman’ reported he was “really, really attached” to Boynton and thrived under his leadership. After enough soul-searching with his family and agents, Garrison set his sights on Kentucky as his next chapter.
Brandon Garrison has removed UK from his bio on Instagram. Something to keep an eye on. pic.twitter.com/WCQxzEZ6av
— Bleed Blue Network (@BleedBNetwork) April 10, 2025
Life at UK? Call it a “rollercoaster season” for Garrison. In 35 games, he didn’t start once—a stark drop from the 29 starts in 32 games he racked up with Oklahoma. On top of that, his average score with the UK also went lower than what he recorded with his previous team. While he averaged 7.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.5 assists with the Oklahoma State Cowboys, he averaged only 5.9 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.9 assists with Kentucky. Still, team head coach Mark Pope was someone who had confidence in the player.
“Brandon is, I’m telling you, he’s fun, right?” said Pope back in March “He’s sometimes wrong but never in doubt. And I love that about him. That’s what you want your players to be. He’s doing really special things. His float game has grown to the free throw line, his three-point game is really, really dangerous right now.”
Pope might rave about Garrison’s “special things,” but the lack of starts and hence a dip in scoring could be the reason behind this potential transfer itch. And Pope? He’s no stranger to roster shake-ups—he might already be plotting his next move to fill the void left by the 21-year-old.
Is Mark Pope going to acquire Lamar Wilkerson?
According to ABC 36 News reporter Chris Beasmore, Lamar Wilkerson is set to visit Kentucky during the upcoming weekend. But the Wildcats aren’t the only ones in the hunt—Wilkerson’s road trip also includes stops at Indiana, Auburn, and Ole Miss before he locks in his future. Ever the opportunist, Kentucky pounced early, reaching out the second the portal opened. However, things got quiet about the 6’5 guard for a while. Now, with a visit on the table, Mark Pope might be suiting up to turn on the charm.
A 6-foot-5 guard from Arkansas, Wilkerson is coming off an impressive junior season with the Sam Houston Bearkats. Throughout 32 games, he started in all of them, and averaged 20.5 points by averaging 7.2-15.0 (47.7%) field goals, 3.4-7.7 (44.5%) 3-pointers, and 2.8-3.3 (82.2%) free throws. Wilkerson also had 4.0 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.1 steals per game.
Kentucky will have a visit with Sam Houston guard Lamar Wilkerson this weekend, according to Joe Tipton of On3. Wilkerson is also expected to visit Indiana, Auburn, and Ole Miss before making his final decision.
Wilkerson is a 6-foot-5 guard from Arkansas, and just wrapped up an… pic.twitter.com/gzYFXexZgk
— Chris Beasmore (@CBeasmoreSports) April 10, 2025
Mark Pope has already made some notable changes to the team, having landed four players through the transfer portal. The Wildcats have found a new point guard in Jaland Lowe. On top of that, Kam Williams is the team’s new athletic 6’8 high upside guard, Mouhamed Dioubatea fulfils the role of a hard-working four, and Jayden Quaintance is set to serve as a dominant shot-blocking forward.
Therefore, only one other major piece needs to be covered by the Kentucky coaching staff: a lights-out shooter. Given his on-court skills, Lamar Wilkerson certainly seems to be an attractive candidate.
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