5 early Transfer Portal targets emerging for Mark Pope to lock in on

The portal opens in 3 days, and as we get into the middle of Easter weekend, expect more names to jump in the portal. We have seen 3 departures from Lexington as of this writing (Jaland Lowe, Brandon Garrison, Jasper Johnson), and we expect to hear from the rest of the team as the weekend progresses.

With no recruits, Tyran Stokes almost surely heading to Kansas, and at least 5 scholarships open, Mark Pope has to be ready to pounce. That means he has to lock in now so he can grab the guys as soon as they become available.

Every Kentucky coach since 1951 has been to at least 1 Elite 8 before they entered year 4. Mark Pope is heading into year 3 with 1 Sweet 16 on his resume. If he wants to see year 4, he needs guys who can play together and make each other better. That is where the struggle happened last year. Individually, the team was okay. But together, they just didn't work.

You had your two best players, Otega Oweh and Denzel Aberdeen, play the exact same way. They struggled to create shots for others, and the rest of the roster was filled with guys who could play off a lead guard. It was a mess. That can't happen again. Which means Mark Pope has to land a great point guard first. He needs to find at least 2 shooters who can fill it up from deep. And he needs a tough center to anchor the paint.

Let's jump in.

5 names that could help Kentucky basketball get back to the promised land

1. Christian Bliss

Christian Bliss is the best true point guard currently in the portal. Yes, Tyler Tanner is good, but Bliss brings a different level of attitude to the court. He first committed to Virginia and had a redshirt year. He then sat out a year with an injury before committing to Delaware. The 6'4 PG then won the CUSA freshman of the year averaging 16 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists. He can finish at the rim, defend, and shot nearly 40% from deep. There is not a weakness in his game.

2. Flory Bidunga

The former Kansas Jayhawk is the number 1 player in the portal in my rankings. He is one of the most physically gifted big men in college, averaged nearly a double-double while blocking almost 3 shots a game. If you need someone to defend the paint, he is your man. If you could pay JQ $2 million, Flory may be worth $6, he is that good.

3. Jalen Haralson

Jalan Haralson may not be a name that you know because he played on a Notre Dame team that really struggled. But go watch any of his games, and you will quickly see why he is one of the best offensive prospects in the portal. He shoots it at 51% from the floor at averaged 16 a night. Now he is not a good 3-point shooter yet, but he has a nice shooting motion that should allow him to be better than the 20% he shot this year.

4. Isiah Harwell

A former 5-star top 20 player Harwell never found his footing with the Cougars. He only played in 19 games and averaged 4 points during those contests. But his high school tape shows a player who is able to score effectively from the midrange. His driving is still developing, but he competes defensively and would be a great player if given the right environment. His basketball IQ is his best trait and you can't have too many of those.

5. Conrad Luczynski

Conrad Luczynski is not a name I knew ahead of the portal, but once I saw how he plays he would make the perfect backup big man. Florida killed Kentucky down low last season, dominating the paint. Luczynski is a legit 7'2 near 300 pound big man. He gets almost 3 blocks a night, plays tough defense, and can rebound. Everything you need in a backup big man.

Of course, this all depends on who decides to stay in Lexington and who decides to leave, but we will soon find that out as well. Stay with us, the news is just now getting started.