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Exploring the the Brother Like Bond Formed Between Oscar Tshiebwe and Ugonna Onyenso

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Tristan Pharis/ KY Insider

If you arrive at a Kentucky basketball game early enough, you will catch Oscar Tshiebwe and Ugonna Onyenso battling each other one-on-one in warmups. The battles are filled with competition, but also smiles and laughter, two things that have been scarce at times this season.

Both coming from Africa, the two have created a brother-like bond, sharing many of the same experiences. At 23 years old, Tshiebwe assumed the older brother role “immediately” and has been an invaluable help to the 18-year-old Onyenso, both on and off the court.

On the court, they build up each other, specifically in practice, where they say the battles are most intense. Tshiebwe possesses the physicality that Onyenso needs to improve against, the same can be said for Oneynso possessing the length that Tshiebwe needs to improve against.

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“We go at each other in practice, every time. Every time,” Onyenso tells KY Insider. “To get me ready for the next level. He helps me, I help him. It’s a 50/50 thing.” As a sign of improvement, Onyenso says he has won the last two-three battles, “surprising” Tshiebwe in the process.

Yet, off the court, is where most of the teaching and learning is happening. When asked specifically, Tshiebwe says he is teaching four specific things to his newest teammate:

  1. Be a fighter.
  2. Stay in the gym, always keep improving,
  3. Treat others with respect, “treat them how you would want to be treated.”
  4. Keep God in your life.

Using these four key principles, Tshiebwe believes he is preparing Onyenso for “his time”, saying, “I just want to get him ready for when I am not here.”

That starts with a fighting spirit. “He (Tshiebwe) is always telling me, ‘Know where you come from,’” Onyenso says. “Where we are from, being from Africa, we need to work. We should have that fighting spirit in us, we don’t quit. He always tells me, whenever things get harder, that’s when I know I am really working.”

Yet, it doesn’t stop there. Leaning into the narrative that Tshiebwe is different from the rest of the roster, Onyenso actually confirms that, but not for the reasons you may immediately think of.

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“Oscar is very different,” Onyenso tells KY Insider. “For someone who is National Player of the Year, he doesn’t act like it. It’s a very good thing. He treats people the same way. He treats every with the same love and the same respect.”

This example being set for Onyenso is “big” for him as he wishes “to follow in his (Tshiebwe) footsteps.”

When asked what he wants to be remembered for most at the end of his time in Lexington, Onyenso didn’t answer with any accolades, but would rather be remembered for the person he strives to be. Without hesitation, “Not on the court, but off the court. The kind of person I am, the kind of impact I want to have on people. How I am willing to help people any way I can.”

At a time when people are talking about Tshiebwe’s ball-screen defense and not living up to his performance from last season, it is just as important to talk about his humanity. That is something that be seen in his relationship with Onyenso.

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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.

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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”.

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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.

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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.

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Men's Basketball

REPORT: Travis Perry Enters Transfer Portal

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Denzel Aberdeen commits to Kentucky.
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. 

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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.

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