Men's Basketball

Chris Livingston Emerging as “That Guy”, John Calipari Says He Was Listening to “Too Many Voices”

Published

2 years ago

February 20, 2023

Chris Livingston came to Kentucky this season as a five-star freshman and McDonald’s All-American. Typically, a player of that caliber is given some room for error from John Calipari, but not Livingston.

Through the first 21 games of the season, Livingston was plagued with inconsistency and was relegated to playing an average of just sixteen minutes per game. In that span, his play did not make a case for more playing time either, averaging just 5.3 points on 2.7 rebounds on 39.7 percent shooting.

However, given injuries to CJ Fredrick, Cason Wallace, and Sahvir Wheeler over the past few weeks, Livingston has been given more minutes and has made the best of his opportunity. This culminated in his first collegiate double-double, with 12 points and 10 rebounds – outrebounded Oscar Tshiebwe – in a win over No. 10 Tennessee.

After the game, Rick Barnes jokingly said, “I am not sure what Calipari was thinking earlier in the year.” Fortunately, Calipari did give some insight and some context to Livington’s struggles. “Cares, like too much. Was listening to too many voices,” he said after the game.

Overcoming those challenges has helped Livingston develop as a player, and he recognizes that. “I’d be lying if I said I was just happy-go-lucky the whole time,” Livingston said when reflecting on his season struggles. “I waited my turn, trusted the process.”

At 6-foot-6, 220-pounds, Livingston has had the physical tools, but is now starting to put the rest of his game together. Arguably the biggest piece of that was building his confidence. “Building confidence. He was doing it in practice, but then you have to have a demonstrated performance in the game,” Calipari said.

Over the last six games, he has been demonstrating what he is capable of on the basketball court, almost doubling his production with 9.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 56.7 percent shooting. Playing the best basketball of the season, “He’s now that guy,” Calipari said.

No one is more proud of Livingston than his mother Julia and Grandpa Joe, who were in tears after his performance against Tennessee.

“I’ve always known he had this in him,” Julia told Kyle Tucker of The Athletic. “I’ve just been waiting for this moment. It’s surreal because I think back to when he was playing for the Tiny Tots as a 6-year-old. To think how far he’s come and that he’s here doing this, it’s just amazing. I’ve been in tears, thanking God for the opportunity, because I knew it was coming.”

If you attend a game, you may hear a ‘Boyeeeeeee!’ from Grandpa Joe, something he has cheered on Livingston with since he was little. “That way, instead of telling him what to do and making him nervous, I just yell, ‘Boyeeeeeee!’ to give him encouragement and let him know we’re there.”

Also published on A Sea of Blue.

Men's Basketball

CBS Sports: Kentucky Has “ended pursuits” in Transfer Portal Following Aberdeen Commitment

In the wake of yet another addition to Kentucky’s incoming roster, CBS Sports reports that Coach Pope and staff may have closed the portal.

Published

3 days ago

April 23, 2025

Lane Mills

Mark Pope and staff may have everything they need from the transfer portal.

Chet White | UK Athletics

Following another flurry of transfer portal additions in his second year at the helm, it appears that Mark Pope and staff are satisfied with their sophomore haul. The portal in Lexington may be officially closed for the 2025-26′ season.

Right after Kentucky received the surprising commitment of Denzel Aberdeen, Matt Norlander, an analyst for CBS Sports, posted the following on X (Twitter):

“Barring any portal defections, Kentucky has ended its pursuits of all other portal targets, sources told CBS Sports. Getting Aberdeen today [April 21] meant they’ve moved off Andrej Stojakovic, Rylan Griffen, etc. Otega Oweh going through pre-draft process-but I expect him back in Lex”.

With the addition of Aberdeen, the Wildcats’ roster ballooned to near-max capacity for next season. Seeing two of the team’s walk-on players, Grant Darbyshire and Walker Horn, enter the transfer portal seemed to all but confirm this suspicion, too.

Losing One of Our Own

That is, until last night. With less than two hours remaining for players to do so, Travis Perry shocked much of the Big Blue Nation by throwing his name into the hat. This came just weeks after a string of comments from the Kentucky-native point guard seemed to confirm his return for a sophomore season.

Though all the same, given Kentucky’s bulk of back-court additions this offseason, his departure makes sense for the sake of playing time alone. The Lyon King will be sorely missed.

So while the Kentucky staff may still be very much content with their current roster, with hundreds of players remaining in the portal and an unexpected spot on the roster coming open, another grab is far from out of the question.

Who Coach Pope and company would go after is entirely unclear, as that potential player would likely have to accept a minimized role off the bench for a stretch of his time in Lexington. If anything, the logical replacement would be a direct fill-in at the PG2/PG3 spot in Perry’s absence.

Either way, the ‘Cats are set to come into next season as one of the most exciting teams in college basketball with a ceiling far out of view. Mark Pope continues to prove his prowess in the transfer market, too, easing the worries of Wildcats fans and closing the door on many supposed “insiders” who’ve spent the last month suggesting otherwise.

Men's Basketball

REPORT: Travis Perry Enters Transfer Portal

Published

4 days ago

April 22, 2025

Tristan Pharis

Kentucky basketball Travis Perry talks about growing more comfortable on the court.

Jordan Prather | IMAGN

The transfer portal has been kind to Kentucky in the Mark Pope era. Last season, the staff was able to build a Sweet Sixteen roster almost exclusively from the portal, and this offseason have put together a top-five portal class.

While the portal giveth, it also taketh. Just hours before the deadline to enter, Kentucky native and fan favorite Travis Perry has entered the transfer portal, per multiple reports.

Coming to Kentucky as the state’s all-time high-school scoring record holder, fans were excited to see how his career would unfold in Lexington.

Not expecting to play much freshman, he was called upon due to injuries and played some key minutes for the Wildcats into the postseason. He averaged 2.7 PPG and .6 APG on 32% shooting from three.

Looking at the depth chart, it was difficult to see where Perry would get much playing time next season, leading to his decision to enter the portal.

Perry has yet to release an official statement, but all the best to him in his future.

Men's Basketball

Top Transfer Guard Denzel Aberdeen Commits to Kentucky

Former Florida guard Denzel Aberdeen commits to Kentucky, likely closing the transfer portal for next year’s roster.

Published

4 days ago

April 22, 2025

Lane Mills

UF Athletics

Another day, another “boom.” Denzel Aberdeen has officially committed to Kentucky for the 2025-26’ season.

A soon-to-be senior guard fresh off his championship win with Florida, Aberdeen spent his first three years of eligibility in Gainesville. Now, following an apparent conflict in the Gators’ rotation, he’s swapped teams in the southeast.

At 6 ‘5”, 190, Aberdeen spent much of this past season beating defenders off the dribble and making them pay at the rim. His speed and size made him a nightmare off the bench for opposing teams, and for the short stretch of play that he started during the year, Florida didn’t miss a beat.

In 19 minutes, Aberdeen averaged 8 points, two rebounds and one assist per game. His consistent contribution to the Gators’ title run made him one of the most coveted transfers in the cycle this season, and given his big blue commitment just days after entering the portal, Mark Pope clearly wasted no time in Kentucky’s pursuit.

Aberdeen slots in as yet another addition to what was already one of the strongest portal classes going into next season. His SEC experience and combo-guard intangibles make Aberdeen one of the most exciting portal players to come through Lexington in a long while, reinforcing Kentucky’s back court to what may be the final degree.

Whether or not Mark Pope is officially done for next season, nobody is sure, but this commitment only further cements the fact that he knows exactly what he’s doing. Just like the fanbase behind him, Coach Pope seems to never sleep.