Top three transfer portal options for Mark Pope at the point guard position

Mark Pope will be looking to land an elite point guard in the portal.

Mar 7, 2026; Provo, Utah, USA; BYU Cougars guard Robert Wright III (1) dribbles the ball during the first half against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Marriott Center. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Baker-Imagn Images | Aaron Baker-Imagn Images

Knocking the transfer portal out of the park is going to be very important for Mark Pope, and the most important position for him to land will be point guards. Obviously, Pope will have to replenish multiple positions, but the point guard is the one that has Kentucky fans the most concerned.

Injuries and lack of depth have created issues for Pope and the staff at the point guard position during his two years in Lexington, so Coach Pope wants to end this narrative. He has already been in contact with some elite point guards in the portal.

Let’s take a look at the top three point guards Mark Pope has reached out to in the portal.

Top three point guard targets for Kentucky in the transfer portal

Rob Wright III

Mar 19, 2026; Portland, OR, USA; BYU Cougars guard Robert Wright III (1) shoots against Texas Longhorns guard Tramon Mark (12) in the first half during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images | Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images

Rob Wright III should be Mark Pope’s top target overall in the transfer portal. This year, he averaged 18.1 points, 4.6 assists, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.2 steals per game. Wright III can shoot the ball but is also a great passer. Despite being on a 6’1 point guard, he can defend at a pretty high level, so he is the perfect fit for Pope. He will be considered a top-five point guard in college basketball next season, so Kentucky needs to go all out for the former Cougar.

Zoom Diallo

Mar 11, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; Washington Huskies guard Zoom Diallo (5) celebrates his team’s win against the Southern California Trojans at United Center. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | David Banks-Imagn Images

Zoom Diallo is another elite point guard, as the former Washington Husky averaged 15.7 points per game and 4.5 assists. He is 6’4 and a freak athlete, so the staff has a ton of interest in Diallo and he will be on campus this weekend for a visit. Diallo is an elite defender who can score and pass, so Pope needs to try to land him. Diallo is a stud on both ends of the floor and at the point guard position this is a must. Kentucky was missing this a year ago.

Terrence Brown

Feb 28, 2026; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Utah Utes guard Terrence Brown (2) against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Desert Financial Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Terrence Brown is the best scorer out of this group as he averaged 19.9 points per game for the Utah Utes this season. Brown is a player who has a knack for scoring and, in his 6’3 frame, is not a small point guard. Pope has also shown a ton of interest in Brown, and for good reason. Brown averaged over 20 points per game at FDU before heading to Utah, so at multiple stops, he has proven to be an elite scorer. If Pope wants a point guard who can score, Brown is the guy.

Assuming each of these guys will be asking for a ton of NIL money, Pope will likely only really try to land one of them, so it will be interesting to see who he and the staff will choose.