Ex-BYU guard reunites with Mark Pope, gives Wildcats offensive jolt to….

Former BYU guard  has reunited with his former coach Mark Pope, joining the Kentucky Wildcats and providing a significant boost to their offense. Barcello, known for his scoring ability and leadership, previously played under Pope at BYU, where he developed into one of the top guards in the country. His transfer to Kentucky is expected to enhance the Wildcats’ backcourt with his shooting prowess, playmaking skills, and experience. This reunion with Pope, who now coaches Kentucky, highlights a strategic move to strengthen the Wildcats’ roster for the upcoming season.

Former BYU guard Jaxson Robinson is transferring to Kentucky for his final season of eligibility after exploring the NBA’s pre-draft process, CBS Sports’ Matt Norlander confirmed Thursday. UK will be the fourth stop in Robinson’s collegiate journey, having previously played at Texas A&M in 2020-21, Arkansas for one season, and then two seasons with the Cougars.

The former four-star prospect from the Class of 2020 finally blossomed at BYU under coach Mark Pope, who is entering his first season at Kentucky. Robinson earned Big 12 Sixth Man of the Year in the 2023-24 campaign while leading the Cougars with 14.2 points per game in 26.4 minutes.

Landing Robinson gives Pope another veteran transfer on a roster nearing completion. The lanky 6-foot-7 guard will add a needed dose of offensive punch to UK’s rotation, having reached double-digits in 25 games last season.

Kentucky’s roster is undergoing a complete overhaul as there isn’t a single player returning from the Wildcats’ 2023-24 team that was coached by John Calipari, and none of UK’s current commitments played together last season. Despite this, Pope is poised to field a competitive team thanks to the combination of experience and talent UK has secured from the transfer portal. Robinson is the ninth inbound transfer and the sixth who has already played four seasons of college basketball.

He joins Kerr Kriisa (West Virginia, Arizona), Lamont Butler (San Diego State), Koby Brea (Dayton), Andrew Carr (Wake Forest, Delaware), and Amari Williams (Drexel) as part of the contingent of players using the extra season of eligibility provided due to the COVID-19 pandemic to play a fifth year at UK.