Targets Kentucky pursued who picked other schools, and Wildcats who transferred out. An honest accounting — every program loses some.
6
TRANSFERRED OUT
6
HS TARGET LOSSES
6
PORTAL LOSSES
13
TOTAL TARGETS LOST
KENTUCKY → ALABAMA
Backup center committed to Alabama after portal entry April 3
Backfill need at C; Garrison sought a starting role.
SOURCE: ON3 / 247SPORTS / CBS42 · APR 13, 2026
KENTUCKY → GEORGETOWN
Injury-shortened PG transferred to Georgetown
Major PG hole filled by Zoom Diallo's portal commitment.
SOURCE: 247SPORTS / ZAGSBLOG · APR 13, 2026
KENTUCKY → BYU
Sophomore SG returned to BYU under Kevin Young
Averaged 9.7 PPG / 41% from three. UK loses guard depth.
SOURCE: DESERET NEWS / ON3 · APR 11, 2026
KENTUCKY → OREGON
Lexington native transferred to Oregon
Homegrown UK guard leaves for the Ducks after one season.
SOURCE: ON3 / SATURDAY DOWN SOUTH · APR 18, 2026
KENTUCKY → OHIO STATE
6-11 international big transferred to Ohio State
Averaged 5.5 PPG on 67.5% FG. Depth PF/C loss.
SOURCE: ELEVEN WARRIORS / ON3 · APR 12, 2026
KENTUCKY → LSU
Dioubate commits to LSU — Will Wade's first portal add
8.8 PPG / 5.5 RPG departs; third SEC school (Alabama → Kentucky → LSU). Adds to CRITICAL PF need.
SOURCE: NOLA.COM / NATION OF BLUE / YAHOO SPORTS · APR 21, 2026
ARKANSAS
5-star Finnish big chose Arkansas over Kentucky, UNC, Indiana
Pope visited him in April 2025 and UK stayed in his final group, but Calipari's Arkansas closed. Adds to UK's run of late-cycle losses (Stokes, Freeman, Muurinen) but Arkansas now has the #1 recruiting class.
SOURCE: ON3 / ASOB / CBS SPORTS / YAHOO / WHOLE HOG SPORTS · APR 27, 2026
#1 overall HS prospect picks Kansas over Kentucky and Oregon
Bill Self lands back-to-back #1 overall recruits. Kentucky never closed the gap after Stokes' April 14 visit didn't move the needle. Kansas ascends to the No. 1 recruiting class.
SOURCE: ESPN / 247SPORTS / CBS SPORTS / YAHOO / SI · APR 28, 2026
Syracuse PF committed to St. John's after Kentucky visit
Pitino closed with the highest offer (~$3M+). UK's #1 PF target and biggest portal battle of the spring, lost to the former UK head coach.
SOURCE: ON3 / PETE NAKOS · APR 20, 2026
UConn freshman C committed to USC
Kentucky's initial contact never progressed beyond outreach. Not a critical miss — C position was already filled by Moreno + Potter.
SOURCE: A SEA OF BLUE / ESPN · APR 21, 2026
Utah SG Terrence Brown commits to UNC over Kentucky, Kansas, Arizona State
UNC closes out the Brown sweepstakes. UK visit was postponed and then canceled — family matter. 20 PPG scorer UK could've used if it had landed him.
SOURCE: ON3 / A SEA OF BLUE / INSIDE CAROLINA · APR 22, 2026
Portal #1 PG returned to BYU after UK visit
Zoom Diallo landed as the alternative PG solution.
SOURCE: 247SPORTS · APR 15, 2026
Slovakian stretch-4 chose FSU after UK visit
PF need deepened. Freeman and Rancik both lost in the same 72-hour window.
SOURCE: ON3 · APR 17, 2026
5-star SF chose Ohio State over UK
Top-10 national prospect off the board for 2026 class.
SOURCE: 247SPORTS · OCT 15, 2025
5-star SG committed to BYU
Another top-5 national prospect off the board for the 2026 class.
SOURCE: 247SPORTS · JAN 1, 1970
G-League PG Dink Pate committed to Providence
Luxury PG option off the board after UK filled PG with Diallo and Mason Williams.
SOURCE: ON3 · APR 10, 2026
Butler combo guard committed to WVU
UK never went all-in. Wilkins landed instead.
SOURCE: ON3 (JOE TIPTON) · APR 14, 2026
5-star PF chose USC over UK and Louisville
McDonald's All-American goes west. Part of UK's 2026 HS class struggles.
SOURCE: ESPN · MAR 18, 2026
5-star SG Caleb Holt chose Arizona
Highest-ranked Arizona recruit since Ayton. Tommy Lloyd / USA Basketball ties decisive.
SOURCE: ESPN · MAR 10, 2026
UPDATED Apr 29, 2026, 10:00 PM