Kentucky transfer to follow Calipari if he doesn't stay in draft

Adou Thiero. Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports

Kentucky transfer to follow John Calipari if he doesn't stay in NBA Draft

By Andrew Kulha | Last updated 5/6/24

The college basketball world witnessed a major shake-up a few weeks ago in the aftermath of March Madness.

Kentucky was bounced in the first round of the tournament by Oakland and John Calipari found himself on the hot seat. Meanwhile, USC basketball head coach Andy Enfield was lured away to SMU, which led to the Trojans going after Arkansas head coach Eric Musselman.

Musselman leaving Arkansas meant the Razorbacks had a pretty big opening. And with Calipari potentially on the outs in Lexington, a deal was struck to bring the national championship-winning head coach to Fayetteville.

The last piece of the full-circle coaching shift was Kentucky stealing Mark Pope from BYU. Now the action has shifted to the transfer portal.

Small forward Adou Thiero, who averaged 7.2 points and five rebounds per game for Kentucky in 2023-24, will be re-joining Calipari if he returns to college for another year, according to Jeff Goodman of Field of 68.

Kentucky transfer Adou Thiero following Calipari to Arkansas - if he doesn’t keep his name in the NBA Draft.

Would be huge for the Razorbacks if he does decide to go to Fayetteville. Not really sure what it is, but Thiero knows Cal’s system, does all the little things.
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) May 6, 2024

Thiero entered the transfer portal on March 28 and after considering the likes of Indiana and North Carolina, the 6-foot-8, 222-pound soon-to-be junior opted for the Razorbacks.

It's worth noting that Thiero could keep his name in the NBA Draft, but he would really benefit from one more year in college in a system where he could thrive and potentially improve his draft stock. As of now, he's projected to be a first-rounder for 2025.

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