Three guards Mark Pope should pursue in the transfer portal when it opens

Mark Pope needs to give these guards a call when the portal opens.

Georgetown’s KJ Lewis (5) drove to the basket for a score as the Kentucky Wildcats host the Georgetown Hoyas at Rupp Arena in Lexington on Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025. | Jeff Faughender/Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

To have the Kentucky Wildcats ready to make some noise next season, Mark Pope and his staff are going to have a lot to do in the transfer portal. One position in particular that will be very important for the Wildcats to take care of in the transfer portal will be the guard position.

During the 2025-26 season, the Wildcats only had one true point guard, and that was Jaland Lowe, who went down with an injury early in the year. This meant the Wildcats had to play some players out of position at the point guard position. The goal this season for the Wildcats will be to have enough depth at the point guard position and elite depth.

When it comes to the rest of the backcourt, the Wildcats are losing Otega Oweh and Denzel Aberdeen so this room will be very thin.

This means Pope will have to get some guards out of the transfer portal. Let’s take a look at three guards who have declared for the transfer portal that Pope should reach out to when it opens on April 7th.

Three guards Kentucky needs to reach out to when the transfer portal opens

Christian Hammond

Mar 20, 2026; St. Louis, MO, USA; Santa Clara Broncos guard Christian Hammond (1) warms up before a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament against the Kentucky Wildcats at Enterprise Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

Christian Hammond is a guard whom the Wildcats just faced on Friday in the NCAA Tournament, as he played for Santa Clara. The Broncos' leading scorer averaged 15.6 points, three rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game. He shot 39% from three this season and is a true three-level scorer. Hammond would be a great addition for the Wildcats to help reload this backcourt.

Neoklis Avdalas

Feb 21, 2026; Blacksburg, Virginia, USA; Virginia Tech Hokies guard Neoklis Avdalas (17) shoots a shot as Wake Forest Demon Deacons forward Juke Harris (2) defends during the second half at Cassell Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Brian Bishop-Imagn Images | Brian Bishop-Imagn Images

Neoklis Avdalas is the highest upside player on this team as the true freshman put up impressive numbers for Virginia Tech. He averaged 12.1 points to go with 4.6 assists and 3.1 rebounds. He is a 6’9 guard who is capable of taking a game over. He is called “Baby Luka” because his game is very similar to that of Lakers guard Luka Doncic. Avdalas will be one of the best players in the portal, and if his upside hits next year, he could be a top ten player in the nation. This is why Coach Pope needs to try to land the 6’9 guard.

Jan 31, 2026; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Georgetown Hoyas guard KJ Lewis (5) celebrates after a play against the Butler Bulldogs during the first half at Hinkle Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-Imagn Images | Robert Goddin-Imagn Images

KJ Lewis

KJ Lewis is a name that might be familiar to Kentucky fans, as he was a member of the Georgetown team that came to Lexington and beat the Wildcats in an exhibition. In this game, he had 19 points for the Hoyas. On the season, the veteran guard averaged 14.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 2.1 steals per game. Lewis is a 6’4 guard, but he isn’t known much as a shooter. Kentucky will need to recruit elite shooters, and Lewis is not that player, but he could be the player who gets the Wildcats a bucket at the rim if Kentucky recruits him. This is a player Coach Pope could take a look at in a few weeks.