How 14 ex-Kentucky basketball players are faring since the 2024-25 season started

Posted by Admin December 19, 2024 Basketball

LEXINGTON — There are 14 former Kentucky basketball players still suiting up for college teams around the country. That’s enough to field an entire team of scholarship players — at least, before the scholarship number increases from 13 to 15 for the 2025-26 season.

The tally of 14 ex-Wildcats doesn’t even include the five 2024 recruits who once had committed to former coach John Calipari before being released from their letters of intent to enroll elsewhere. Three members of that quintet: (Boogie Fland, Karter Knox and Billy Richmond) followed Calipari to Arkansas, Somto Cyril remained in the SEC after signing with Georgia, while Jayden Quaintance went west to Arizona State.

So how are the 14 former Kentucky players faring since the 2024-25 season started?

Here’s a look:

(Note: Team records and player stats as of Dec. 17.)

Time at UK: Three seasons (2019-20 through 2021-22)

Current stats: 5 points, 2.5 rebounds per game, 0.5 assists in 20 minutes per game (10 games)

Wyoming’s 2024-25 record: 5-5 (0-1 Mountain West Conference)

Of note: Throughout his career, Dontaie Allen has been defined by his 3-point shooting. But his form hasn’t been there this season. Allen has made just 16.2% (6 of 37) of his attempts beyond the arc in 2024-25. At one point, he had a four-game stretch — starting with Wyoming’s game versus Tennessee State on Nov. 10 and lasting through a matchup with Southeastern Louisiana 12 days later — in which he missed every triple he launched, going 0 for 11.

Time at UK: One season (2020-21)

Current stats: 18.2 points, 4.7 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.9 steals in 35 minutes per game (12 games)

Long Beach State’s 2024-25 record: 4-8 (2-0 Big West Conference)

Of note: Though it’s still early in the 2024-25 season, Devin Askew is on pace for the best campaign of his college career. If he keeps up his torrid play, he’ll set single-season personal bests in nearly every statistical category, including points, rebounds, assists and steals per outing as well as 3-point and free-throw percentage.

Time at UK: One season (2023-24)

Current stats: 7.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, 1.8 blocks in 23.8 minutes per game (four games)

Ohio State’s 2024-25 record: 7-4 (1-1 Big Ten)

Of note: A five-star signee in UK’s top-ranked 2023 recruiting class, Aaron Bradshaw transferred after last season ended. Now at Ohio State, Bradshaw is working through issues off the court. He was not permitted to participate in team activities for nearly a month after the university opened an investigation into an alleged domestic incident at his off-campus apartment.

Time at UK: One season (2023-24)

Current stats: 5.7 points, 3.2 rebounds, 0.5 assists, 0.8 steals, 0.5 blocks in 17.2 minutes per game (10 games)

Georgetown’s 2024-25 record: 8-2

Of note: Jordan Burks played in 20 games off the bench for Kentucky last season. In half the time at Georgetown (10 contests), and playing a far more prominent role than he did at UK, Burks already has bettered his totals in nearly every statistical category, from minutes played and field goals made to points scored and rebounds grabbed.

Time at UK: Two seasons (2021-22 and 2022-23)

Current stats: 7.2 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2 blocks in 19 minutes per game (nine games)

LSU’s 2024-25 record: 9-2

Of note: Daimion Collins is averaging personal bests so far in nearly every notable statistical department. But nowhere has his progress been more evident than rejecting opponents’ shot attempts. He’s averaging two blocks per game — more than double his career average (0.8) entering this season. Collins has blocked at least two shots seven times in 2024-25, with a season-high four swats Dec. 3 in a win over Florida State.

Time at UK: One season (2020-21)

Current stats: 2.7 points and 3.3 rebounds in 6.3 minutes per game (three games)

Xavier’s 2024-25 record: 8-3

Of note: Cam’Ron Fletcher’s 2023-24 campaign at Florida State ended prematurely, as he suffered a knee injury against North Carolina in December 2023 that brought his season to a close after only seven games. Following the season, he entered the transfer portal and joined Xavier. The Musketeers haven’t rushed Fletcher as he continues to work his way back to health after the calamitous knee injury; he appeared in three of the team’s first 11 games in 2024-25. But his third outing bore fruit: Fletcher scored eight points on 3-of-3 shooting (2 for 2 on 3s) in a 119-58 victory over Morgan State on Dec. 10.

Time at UK: Two seasons (2021-22 and 2022-23)

Current stats: 1.6 points and 0.4 assists in 9.6 minutes per game (five games)

Cincinnati’s 2024-25 record: 8-1

Of note: It’s been a frustrating season for CJ Fredrick to this point. After playing 15 minutes versus Arkansas Pine Bluff on Nov. 4 and 21 minutes against Morehead State four days later, he’s been on the floor a combined 12 minutes since then. And those dozen minutes were spread across three games: Nicholls, Northern Kentucky and Alabama State. If his numbers don’t begin to improve, he’ll set single-season career lows in most statistical categories.

Time at UK: One season (2023-24)

Current stats: 1.4 points and 1.8 assists in 10.2 minutes per game (nine games)

Ball State’s 2024-25 record: 4-6

Of note: Joey Hart scored just three points during his lone season as a Wildcat in 2023-24: He sank a 3-pointer in the final minute of the team’s 118-82 victory over Marshall on Nov. 24, 2023. That triple helped UK set a single-game record for points during the Calipari era. The good news for Hart in 2024-25: He’s already surpassed last season’s point total (he had six through Ball State’s first 10 games). But after leading Linton-Stockton High to a 29-2 record and a spot in Indiana’s Class 2A state final in 2023, Hart’s still trying to adapt to the speed of the college game.

Time at UK: One season (2021-22)

Current stats: 17 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal in 30.3 minutes per game (three games)

Providence’s 2024-25 record: 7-5 (1-0 Big East)

Of note: When Bryce Hopkins’ 2023-24 campaign met a disappointing conclusion — a knee injury ended his season in January 2024 — he was on a tear. At the time of his injury, Hopkins had been averaging 15.5 points and 8.6 rebounds per outing. The injury prevented him from appearing in the Friars’ first nine games this season. But when he made his season debut Dec. 3 versus BYU, he showed little signs of rust: Hopkins had 16 points, five rebounds and four assists in an 83-64 win. His averages so far are in line with the stellar numbers he’s compiled the previous two seasons for Providence.

Time at UK: One season (2023-24)

Current stats: 9.9 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1 assist and 2.3 blocks in 19.9 minutes per game

Arkansas’ 2024-25 record: 9-2

Of note: With the NCAA eligibility drama of last season behind him, Zvonimir Ivišić has taken his game to another level in 2024-25. He’s posted a double-figure point total seven times already; he reached that mark only four times last season. Ivišić is averaging a block more per game (2.3 to 1.3) than he did as a Wildcat. And his 3-point shooting is rounding into form, as he’s knocked down more than half his attempts (20 for 39) in 2024-25.

Time at UK: Two seasons (2022-23 and 2023-24)

Current stats: 3.7 points and 3.2 rebounds in 8.3 minutes per game (six games)

Kansas State’s 2024-25 record: 6-4

Of note: The good news for Ugonna Onyenso: He poured in a career-high 16 points (on 6-of-7 shooting from the field and 4-for-4 aim at the free-throw line) in a 74-56 win over Mississippi Valley State last month. The bad news: He was an extraordinary shot blocker at Kentucky; he’s been ordinary at K-State so far. His 0.7 blocks per game this season is less than half his career average (1.9) entering the 2024-25 campaign. Even extrapolated out to 40 minutes, Onyenso is averaging just 3.2 blocks per game for Kansas State. His per-40 block marks the past two seasons at UK were 5.8 (in 2022-23) and 5.9 (in 2023-24), respectively.

Time at UK: Two seasons (2022-23 and 2023-24)

Current stats: 18 points, 5.9 rebounds, 2 assists, 2.1 steals in 35 minutes per game (10 games)

Arkansas’ 2024-25 record: 9-2

Of note: Adou Thiero is having the type of breakout season observers had long envisioned for him. He ranks among the top 10 in the SEC in points, steals, field-goal percentage, field goals made, free-throw attempts and is inside the top 30 in the league in rebounds per game. Thiero has scored 23-plus five times this season; his high at Kentucky was 16 in a Champions Classic loss to then-top-ranked Kansas last season.

Time at UK: One season (2023-24)

Current stats: 10.1 points, 3.2 rebounds per game, 3.3 assists in 33.6 minutes per game (11 games)

Arkansas’ 2024-25 record: 9-2

Of note: D.J. Wagner has made significant strides shooting from distance since joining the Razorbacks. He made just 29.2% (28 for 96) of his attempts last season at Kentucky. He’s already knocked down 15 triples this season at Arkansas — and he’s converting at a 41.7% clip (15 of 36).

Time at UK: Three seasons (2020-21 through 2022-23)

Current stats: 14.5 points, 7 rebounds per game, 1.3 assists, 1.5 steals, 2.5 blocks in 31 minutes per game (six games)

UT Arlington’s 2024-25 record: 5-6

Of note: Lance Ware never has been a major contributor — at least statistically — in four seasons as a collegian. He entered the 2024-25 campaign averaging 2.3 points and 2.5 rebounds per game for his career. But he’s turned those numbers on their head this season: He’s leading the Mavericks in points and rebounds per outing and won the Western Athletic Conference’s Newcomer of the Week award for the week ending Dec. 15. In his two games that week, against Arkansas State and Louisiana-Monroe, respectively, he averaged 14 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals and 3 blocks per outing. In that two-game span, Ware connected on 70.6% (12 for 17) of his shots from the field.

Reach Kentucky men’s basketball and football reporter Ryan Black at rblack@gannett.com and follow him on X at @RyanABlack.