Kentucky basketball rumors: Wildcats lose big name, target another transfer
Kentucky basketball just lost Sahvir Wheeler to the transfer portal but the Wildcats could soon add a new body with reported interest in UNC’s Puff Johnson.
This past season, John Calipari’s Kentucky grabbed their first NCAA Tournament victory since 2019. Still pressure is mounting on the head coach to put the Wildcats back in contention.
Every offseason move will have a potentially huge impact on the direction of the program
Kentucky will have to take their next step next season without two-time All-SEC second teamer Sahvir Wheeler. The Georgia transfer is back in the transfer portal after two years in a Wildcats uniform, according to Jeff Borzello of ESPN.
Wheeler started 29 of 30 games in his first year at Kentucky, averaging 10.1 points and 6.9 assists per game. However, this past season he averaged just 7.7 points per game while starting 14 games. Though some of his diminished role was linked to injuries, it wasn’t exactly a surprise to see him opt to leave Kentucky after the campaign.
Kentucky basketball rumors: Sahvir Wheeler out, Puff Johnson in?
The good news for Wildcats fans is that Calipari clearly isn’t sitting still in the transfer market.
According to Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports, Kentucky is one of several teams that have already reached out to North Carolina transfer Puff Johnson.
Johnson isn’t a like-for-like replacement for Wheeler, nor does he project to have as big an impact, but the 6-foot-8 forward is looking for a fresh start in a new environment. His three-year career with UNC never quite off the ground as he started just two games while averaging 11.4 minutes in three seasons.
The former four-star shouldn’t be the only player Calipari looks at in the transfer portal, but the connection to the head coach is pretty clear. Johnson went to the same high school as Calipari in Pennsylvania, leading Moon Area High School to a state championship during his junior year.
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