Kentucky is actively continuing to try and fill the final roster spot

Mark Pope has said he's only taking a 15th man if he's the 'right fit', and the staff has not stopped searching.

Kentucky head coach Mark Pope looks on as his Wildcats squad face the Bellarmine Knights at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky on Dec. 23, 2025. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The Kentucky Wildcats look like legit contenders next season, putting together a top 20 roster with a very high ceiling with how well they seem to fit Mark Pope's system. A backcourt of creators like Zoom Diallo and Alex Wilkins, combined with a versatile five-man in Malachi Moreno who you can play through on offense and perimeter shooters in Kam Williams and Milan Momcilovic, the Wildcats can make serious noise.

Even with all of that, there is still one last spot open on the roster. Of course, Mark Pope and his staff like what they have now, but after previously saying they are pursuing a 15th man, the head coach said on Friday that the search is continuing as they wait for more information on the five-in-five ruling by the NCAA, which could lead a number of players to transfer.

Kentucky coach Mark Pope works the sideline against Florida during their quarterfinal game of the 2026 SEC Men’s Basketball Tournament at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn., Friday, March 13, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

"I love our roster right now," Pope said. "I like the way the pieces fit. I like the versatility of our guys. I think we have depth because we have versatility. We've already seen that this summer as we've had some guys that have had to miss some time, and so I think we could function at a really high level, but we have a spot open, and so we're actively every day in conversations with everything from international guys, reclass guys, still, transfer portal guys, and then of course this looming fifth-year eligibility, which would bring a huge influx of talent into the recruitable pool right now, some guys that could be game-changers. And as we, like everybody else, wait to see how that how that works out, we're definitely holding this spot to to see if there's something that can make us better."

Feb 28, 2026; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Kentucky Wildcats head coach Mark Pope yells to his players during the first half against the Vanderbilt Commodores at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

We'll, hopefully that gets worked out soon, but Kentucky really doesn't need a 15th guy, but if he's an impactful one, you obviously have to take him. Whatever happens, the Wildcats are still contenders heading into next season and are a roster that fits how Mark Pope likes to play to a tee. There are a lot of ways Kentucky can go about filling that final spot, as the head coach alluded to, and there's the potential of that big-time addition still being out there.

Will Kentucky fill the final spot with one last bang or is the roster as-is going to be it? We'll see, but the staff is continuing to search for the 'right' guy.

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