Another potential transfer portal target for Kentucky has emerged

As soon as April 7th hits Mark Pope will be hitting the transfer portal hard.

Jan 24, 2026; Providence, Rhode Island, USA; Providence Friars guard Stefan Vaaks (7) drives the ball to the basket during the first half against the Georgetown Hoyas at Amica Mutual Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images

The transfer portal will open on April 7th after the 2025-26 college basketball season comes to an official end, and Mark Pope will be looking to add some talent to next year's roster. Players are not officially in the portal yet, but with the season over for a lot of teams, some players are announcing they will hit the portal when it officially opens on the 7th.

One player who has done this is Providence freshman guard Stefan Vaaks. This season, the Estonian guard averaged 15.8 points, 3.2 assists, and 2.5 rebounds. On the season, Vaaks shot 40.4% from the field and 35% from three. This 35% from Vaaks was on 8.4 attempts per game as he went 91-260 from deep.

Mar 12, 2026; New York, NY, USA; Providence Friars guard Stefan Vaaks (7) shoots over St. John's Red Storm guard Joson Sanon (3) during the second half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images | Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

The elite freshman season, Vaaks had earned him Big East All-Freshman Team honors. He stands 6’7 and weighs 206 pounds, so he is a bigger guard, which Coach Pope will love to see. Vaaks will definitely be one of the top players in the portal when it opens here in a few weeks, as he is a star in the making.

When looking at the stats on Vaaks, most would assume that he is just an elite shooter, but that is not the case, as the film tells a different story. Vaaks can dribble the ball to create open shots, he can make the midrange jumper, but most impressively, his passing will surprise folks. Obviously, his passing won’t be the first thing many see when looking at Vaaks as a player, but he is an underrated passer.

Providence freshman Stefan Vaaks is the absolute truth

The 6’7 combo guard out of Estonia has had a very productive freshman season so far

16.7 PPG, 2.3 RPG and 2.3 APG while shooting 37.5% from 3 and has gone 13-13 at the line in only 23 MPG.

His professional background… pic.twitter.com/V48oqvRO47

— Arman Jovic (@PDTScouting) November 13, 2025

Vaaks will definitely be one of the top players in the portal this year, and when the Kentucky staff is allowed to reach out to him on the 7th, there is a good chance this is one of the first phone calls they make in the portal. The fact that Vaaks is only a freshman is just truly amazing. Watching his game, he looks like a seasoned veteran, so it is scary to think how much he can develop next season in college.

Last season, Coach Pope missed on some players in the portal that have gone on to have very good seasons in college hoops this season, and Vaaks is a player who needs to be a Kentucky Wildcat. This is a name for Kentucky fans to remember over the next few weeks as the transfer portal picture starts to become clear.