Kentucky is eyeing the early top-ranked transfer
With Lamont Butler departing and Kerr Kriisa's future uncertain, the Kentucky Wildcats are expected to target a point guard in the transfer portal.
The Wildcats are already pursuing one of the top names available.
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According to Joe Tipton of On3 Sports, Kentucky is among the programs showing interest in UNLV transfer Dedan Thomas, ranked as the No. 1 overall transfer by 247 Sports. Other schools in the mix include Florida, UCLA, and Gonzaga.
Thomas, a Las Vegas native, entered the portal on March 17 after UNLV head coach Kevin Kruger's departure. The sophomore guard was a Third Team All-Mountain West selection, averaging 15.6 points, 4.7 assists, and 2.0 rebounds per game while shooting 35.3% from 3-point land. As a freshman, he posted 13.6 points and 5.1 assists per game, starting all 34 games for the Runnin' Rebels, who finished 18-15.
Kentucky has taken a measured approach to the portal, focusing on its Sweet 16 matchup against No. 2 Tennessee in the Midwest Regional. Mark Pope's first recruiting class ranked No. 5 nationally and included key transfers like Otega Oweh, Andrew Carr, and Amari Williams. However, the Wildcats are set to lose multiple contributors, creating a need for reinforcements.
Expect Kentucky to be aggressive in its pursuit of a new floor general once its tournament run concludes. It is worth noting that UNLV did just hire Josh Pastner as its next head coach, so it will be interesting to see if he can get Thomas to consider a return to the Runnin' Rebels.
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