In a turn of equally surprising and exciting news, freshly graduated Ansley Almonor will be returning to Lexington this summer to play for the TBT alumni team, LaFamilia.

Almonor, who provided a legendary midseason spark off the bench for the Cats just last season, announced his decision live on BBN Tonight, saying, “What’s up BBN! I’ll be coming back to Lex this summer to play for LaFamilia.”

“I already miss playing in front of BBN… so I can’t wait to go out there and represent you guys one more time.”

After multiple seasons at FDU and transferring to Kentucky as a sub-300 ranked player in the portal, Almonor proved his worth and then some as one of the Wildcats’ most consistent shooters from downtown.

Not only that, but he stood as a shining example of what can be achieved in the transfer portal in spite of arbitrary rankings and miscalculated projections.

A truly one-of-a-kind story that, with this latest development, has been given another chapter.

Almonor joins the Harrison twins (Aaron and Andrew), Willie Cauley-Stein, Doron Lamb, and DeAndre Liggins as the youngest player on a roster full of former fan-favorite Cats, and he likely won’t be the last.

You can get tickets now at tbthoops.com to support these blue and white alumnus at Rupp Arena and elsewhere. Once a Wildcat, always a Wildcat: whether you wore the jersey for the last time nearly two decades ago, or barely more than two months.

Kentucky’s star guard Otega Oweh has instantly been involved since his decision to return to the Wildcats, appearing at the father and son camp and taking pictures with young fans, to practicing with the team as summer unfolds.

Getting to this point in the timeline may seem like a blur to some Kentucky fans, with so many rumors swirling around his name during the NBA Draft process. At one point, we had no idea what Oweh’s future looked like, then his stock elevated after his performances in the combine and speculation that he could go late in the second round started to become a reality.

Oweh, on record, took every workout that was seemingly available and did his rounds before ultimately making his decision, which was smart in his book, but Big Blue Nation (BBN), and maybe even some SEC rivals were really watching the clock as the deadline ticked closer.

Ultimately, Oweh confirmed in a recent media scrum that he did record his announcement video beforehand and didn’t bother to make the alternate version.

It was always Kentucky one would say, but as the season inches closer, it’s always fun to revisit the past and add in the details as time passes.

What exact feedback did Oweh receive from the NBA? The now senior revealed that he heard some positive things, but also felt there’s some clear indicators why one wouldn’t deem him a “lock” to be one of the sixty players selected in the draft.

“They really just wanted to see me take more,” Oweh said when talking about his shooting. “My percentage was good both years, it was just the volume.”

On the bright side of things, Oweh wasn’t just told “we need to see more” entirely, but received some very good comments on his aggression and hunger to score.

“(They liked) my intensity, my motor, my ability to produce and rack up points,” Oweh said. “Just gotta improve my playmaking and shooting, but everyone said they like my game.”

Thankfully, BBN won’t have to “worry” about anything NBA related until around this time next year, where Oweh will eventually and more than likely hear his name called. Before that, however, the superstar will look to sharpen his skills this offseason and become an even bigger household name than he already is.

It’s rare for a team to poach a key player from within its own conference — and even more unlikely to lure one away from the reigning national champions. So when Mark Pope and Kentucky landed senior guard Denzel Aberdeen after three seasons at Florida, his former SEC foe turned teammate Otega Oweh — along with Big Blue Nation — was buzzing with excitement over the possibilities ahead.

While most projections have Aberdeen slotted into the two-guard spot in Kentucky’s starting lineup, Oweh believes his versatility could make an even greater impact, particularly at point guard.

“He’s fresh off of a ring. He’s a solid PG,” Oweh said. “You know he’s going to bring that calmness to our group.”

The 6-foot-5, 190-pound Aberdeen steadily improved each year of his college career, raising his scoring average from 1.6 points per game in 2022-23 to 3.3 in 2023-24, and finishing last season with 7.7 points, 1.7 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game. He shot 41.8% from the field and 35% from beyond the arc while helping Florida win a national championship.

When a player transfers out of a program, the reaction from that school’s fan base can speak volumes. In Aberdeen’s case, many Florida fans were visibly upset about losing him — especially to a conference rival like Kentucky.

They knew just how dangerous he could be when paired with a certain wing returning to the Wildcats. Regardless of where Aberdeen lines up in the backcourt next season, his combination with Oweh has the potential to become one of the most explosive duos in the country.