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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Scores Season-High 42 Points with Game Winner: Accomplishes Chamberlain-Jordan Like Feats

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Instagram/Oklahoma City Thunder

It has been evident that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has found his groove, being the centerpiece of a young and hopeful Oklahoma City Thunder Franchise.

On the season, Gilgeous-Alexander has been on an absolute tear, averaging 32.2 points on 54.6 percent shooting from the field, and pairing that stat line with 4.5 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game.

Through a player’s first 14 games of a season, Shai is just the 2nd player in NBA history to have ten 30-point games, while also shooting 50% from the field.

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The only other player to do that? Wilt Chamberlain – the guy who holds the 100-point single-game scoring record – in the 1962 season.

On Wednesday Night, against the home team Washington Wizards, Gilgeous-Alexander tallied a season-high 42 points to go alone with 6 rebounds, and 7 assists. That goes without saying, he also hit an impressive last-second 3-point shot to seal the game.

The record-breaking doesn’t stop there.

With his 42-point performance, Gilgeous-Alexander is now on pace to become only the second guard in NBA history to average at least 30 points per game on less than three attempts from three-point range since Michael Jordan.

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The NBA and the analysts involved are more than aware of the tear Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been on. JJ Reddick on his podcast, Old Man & The Three, went on a tangent (NSFW).

“You’re missing a f***king show if you’re not watching OKC.”

Here is a snippet of what Reddick had to say:

NSFW

At all levels, Gilegous-Alexander has exceeded expectations.

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Coming into Kentucky as the No. 31 overall recruit and presumed multi-year player, he became the Wildcat’s starting point guard and was drafted with the 11th pick after just one year.

As a rookie in the NBA, Gilgeous-Alexander was projected to be more of a role player/low-end starter. Now in his 5th season in the NBA, it’s safe to say that the 24-year-old guard looks to be an All-Star lock and continues to surpass expectations.

JJ Reddick said it best, Gilgeous-Alexander has been specular so far and is rising in talks for All-NBA First and Second Team honors. Who knows, if he continues to produce, and helps push Thunder into the playoffs (1 game behind), he could receive some MVP votes.

Also posted on GrandadsAtticMedia.com

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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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