With the departures of Amari Williams, Andrew Carr, and Ansley Almonor from the frontcourt, Kentucky is expected to be one of the teams pursuing Davidson transfer Reed Bailey, who entered the transfer portal on Friday.
A 6-foot-10, 230-pound forward from Groton, Mass., Bailey was named the Atlantic 10 Most Improved Player this season. As a junior, he averaged 18.8 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game, while shooting 41.5% from beyond the arc.
Bailey scored in double figures in 30 of 33 games, including 12 games with 20 or more points, two 30-point performances, and three double-doubles. Notably, he posted 18 points, 11 rebounds, and four assists in a win over Providence and 19 points, five rebounds, and three assists in a loss to Gonzaga.
After graduating from Brewster Academy in Wolfeboro, N.H., Bailey was ranked as a top-200 prospect in the 2022 class by the 247Sports Composite. 247Sports Director of Scouting Adam Finkelstein also had high praise for Bailey as a prospect.
“Reed Bailey is a skilled late-bloomer with excellent positional size who is joining a Davidson program that is not only a great fit for his game but also offers an early opportunity,” Finkelstein stated.
“Bailey has consistently improved each year throughout high school and now stands at 6-foot-11. He handles the ball exceptionally well for his size, possesses significant shooting potential, and is beginning to display new explosiveness. While he needs to continue developing his body and become more consistent as a rebounder, if he does, it’s easy to envision him taking on a key role at Davidson sooner rather than later.”
Kentucky made its move this offseason by adding top-25 transfer Kam Williams from Tulane on Friday.
UK head coach Mark Pope’s first transfer portal class, consisting of nine players, was ranked No. 5 nationally by 247Sports. The group featured notable talents, including No. 20 Brandon Garrison (Oklahoma State), No. 31 Otega Oweh (Oklahoma), No. 33 Jaxson Robinson, No. 44 Lamont Butler (San Diego State), No. 67 Andrew Carr (Wake Forest), No. 84 Amari Williams (Drexel), No. 87 Koby Brea (Dayton), No. 122 Kerr Kriisa (West Virginia), and No. 316 Ansley Almonor (Fairleigh Dickinson).
In 247Sports’ final re-rank of the 2024 transfer class, Oweh (No. 7), Williams (No. 18), and Butler (No. 19) all made the top 20.
Kentucky will lose Robinson, Butler, Carr, Williams, Brea, and Almonor, all of whom are out of eligibility. Kriisa, who has not played since Dec. 7 following surgery for a broken foot, could apply for a medical redshirt but is not expected to return.
The NCAA launched the transfer portal on Oct. 15, 2018, giving athletes a way to explore their options. Players no longer need permission from their coaching staff to transfer; they simply request to have their name entered. It typically takes 24-48 hours for a player to appear in the portal after submitting the request. Once a player’s name is listed, schools can contact them freely.
Entering the transfer portal signals a player’s intent to explore other options, but it doesn’t guarantee they will leave. Players can withdraw their name at any time. However, once a player enters the portal, schools are not required to keep them on scholarship.
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