Kentucky's Mark Pope has set up a zoom call with an elite combo guard from FAU

It is day one of the transfer portal, and Mark Pope will be looking to add a bunch of players from the portal to his 2026-27 roster. The Wildcats through graduation and the portal, have lost a lot of players in the backcourt, so reloading guards is going to be very important for the staff.

Coach Pope has set up a Zoom call with a former FAU combo guard named Devin Vanterpool, and he could be a perfect addition to the team. What I like so much about Vanterpool is the fact that he is a scorer but also an elite defender.

FAU's Devin Vanterpool is a long-term guy who caught my attention early. Some of the best defensive guard tape I've seen—quick hands, flies for blocks, super aggressive, dives for balls. Also making 2.2 3PTM, 49% pullup shooter. Great positional rebounder. Transition and PnR… pic.twitter.com/IF0wsDmSPD
— Jonathan Wasserman (@NBADraftWass) January 13, 2026

This season for FAU, the 6’4 combo guard averaged 15.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.5 steals per game. He shot 43.8% from the field and 35.1% from three. Analytically, Vanterpool had a 1.96 defensive rating, which is really good for the sophomore guard. Coach Pope wants players who can score and play defense. Vanterpool is a great example of a player like this as he shoots a great clip from three, can help on the glass, and plays high-intensity defense.

It sounds like Vanterpool has a lot of early interest, so Coach Pope is going to have to work hard to land him, as many top dogs are expected to be involved. Last cycle in the portal, Coach Pope was involved with a ton of the top players but wasn’t able to land really any of them. He needs to change this narrative this go around, and Vanterpool is a great player to get started with.

It is also great that Vanterpool is only a sophomore because this means he has multiple years of eligibility left and could spend two years in Lexington. If Collin Chandler sticks around and Coach Pope lands Vanterpool, this would be a really good one-two punch at the shooting guard position.

Devin Vanterpoo — Mar 22, 2026; St. Louis, MO, USA; Kentucky Wildcats head coach Mark Pope reacts to a play during the first half against the Iowa State Cyclones during a second round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Enterprise Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

Vanterpool and Pope will hop on this Zoom call, and then the hope is that he gets into Lexington for a visit here in the next few days. Coach Pope has to prove to Big Blue Nation that he can land elite talent in the portal, so bringing in Vanterpool would be a massive step in the right direction.

Coach Pope really wants to land some players who are capable of dominating on both sides of the floor, which is something the Wildcats have been lacking. Vanterpool is a player who can score 15 points every night, plus lock down the opponent's best guard. This is a must-get for the Kentucky staff.