Mark Pope will likely make another run at this 6'6 guard in the transfer portal

The portal is officially open in less than a week, as the calendar has turned to April, and another interesting guard has announced that he will hit the portal when it opens on the 7th. That guard is San Francisco’s Tyrone Riley IV, and that name might sound familiar to Big Blue Nation.

The Kentucky coaching staff made a run at Riley IV, but he ended up staying in the WCC. Now he is officially ready to take the jump to the next level. This season for the Dons, Riley IV averaged 12.2 points, 4.8 rebounds, 1.2 assists, and one steal per game. The 6’6 guard shot 47.2% from the field and 36.8% from three on 3.7 shots from deep per game.

March 10, 2025; Las Vegas, NV, USA; San Francisco Dons guard Tyrone Riley IV (5) dunks the basketball against the Gonzaga Bulldogs during the second half in the semifinal of the West Coast Conference tournament at Orleans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images | Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

Riley IV is an off-ball guard who can play the two or three, depending on what type of lineup the Wildcats are running. In a small-ball lineup, Riley IV can play the three, but he will likely see more minutes at the two this season for the Wildcats.

Riley IV has a ton of NBA upside, but he will need to make the jump to high-major college basketball to showcase these skills to the scouts. This is why Riley IV will be leaving San Francisco to try to find a new home in the transfer portal.

I see Riley IV as a player who would come off the bench for the Wildcats but If Pope were to land the 6'6 guard, he could have a massive offseason and turn into a starter for this Kentucky team. Riley IV has the skill and upside to do this, but I feel it will take him a little bit to fully tap into this talent.

San Francisco’s Tyrone Riley IV will enter the transfer portal, his advisor Paolo Zamorano of Prodigy Sports tells me.

Rangy, athletic 6’6” lefty wing who’s drawn the attention of NBA scouts.

The All-WCC Freshman Team selection looks poised for a high-major jump. pic.twitter.com/k7Csl2YYjA
— Jon Chepkevich (@JonChep) March 27, 2025

Analytically, Riley IV is a really solid defender, which is great, knowing most of the players projected to have Kentucky involved in the recruitment have been putrid defenders. Knowing Riley IV can hold his own on both ends of the floor is going to have Big Blue Nation a lot more interested in this recruitment.

This offseason, Kentucky needs elite starters in the portal and high-level depth pieces. I see Riley IV being a high-level depth piece, but one that has a ton of upside. I expect Kentucky to give Riley IV a phone call right when the portal opens on the 7th, and knowing he already has a relationship with Kentucky, I think the Wildcats have a real shot to land him.