From Aaron Bradshaw to Big Z, here’s how Calipari’s Cats fared in their new school debuts.

Just a few months ago, the Kentucky basketball program was in a state of flux.

John Calipari’s abrupt offseason departure to Arkansas led to a complete roster turnover in Lexington: All 12 scholarship players on Mark Pope’s 2024-25 team are new to UK.

The widespread fallout from Calipari’s coaching move includes members of last season’s Kentucky team who hit the transfer portal, as well as former UK recruits electing to go elsewhere.

In total, 12 former UK players or recruits from the final season of the Calipari era are now playing basketball at different schools across the country.

By Thursday morning, those teams had all played their first game of the 2024-25 season.

Here’s how the former Wildcats fared in their new school debuts.

Players listed in alphabetical order by last name.

Aaron Bradshaw

Bradshaw — a 7-foot-1 big man who played one season at Kentucky — debuted for Ohio State on Monday night in an 80-72 upset win for the Buckeyes over No. 19 Texas in Las Vegas.

Bradshaw started for Ohio State and played 21 minutes, scoring two points, recording one block and grabbing one rebound.

Bradshaw — who averaged 4.9 points and 3.3 rebounds per game last season at Kentucky — also picked up four fouls, a notable recurrence of a season-long problem that plagued Bradshaw as a freshman.

Bradshaw, the No. 4 recruit in the 2023 class per the 247Sports Composite, was the first player from the 2023-24 UK roster to announce his transfer to a new school during the offseason.

Ohio State, which received votes in the first AP Top 25 poll of the season, hosts Youngstown State on Monday night.

Jordan Burks

Burks — a 6-foot-9 forward who played one season at Kentucky — debuted for Georgetown on Wednesday night against Lehigh.

The Hoyas outlasted the Mountain Hawks for an 85-77 win, and Burks impressed in the victory. Burks played 28 minutes off the bench for Georgetown and grabbed seven rebounds, the second-most among Georgetown players. Burks also had two points, two blocks and an assist.

Burks was a late addition to Kentucky’s top-ranked 2023 recruiting class, and he averaged 1.9 points and 1.7 rebounds in 7.1 minutes per game last season. He played in 20 games for the Wildcats as a freshman, including early-season minutes as a backup post player due to injuries.

Burks was one of only five three-star recruits to ever play for Calipari at UK.

Georgetown will next play Fairfield at home on Saturday afternoon.

Somto Cyril

Cyril — a 6-foot-11 center who was Calipari’s first commit at Kentucky from the 2024 recruiting class — debuted for Georgia on Monday night in a five-point home win over Tennessee Tech, a program led by ex-Cat John Pelphrey.

Cyril came off the bench and played 10 minutes for the Bulldogs, scoring two points and recording an assist, a block, a rebound and a steal. Cyril also picked up a foul and had a turnover.

Originally from Nigeria, Cyril finished as the No. 44 overall player in the 2024 recruiting class.

Georgia, which was picked to finish 12th in the 16-team SEC this season, hosts Texas Southern on Sunday afternoon.

Boogie Fland

Fland — a 6-foot-2 guard from just outside New York City — is part of the large gaggle of former UK players and recruits who made their new school debuts Wednesday when Arkansas, Calipari’s new team, defeated Lipscomb 76-60.

Fland started for Arkansas and played a team-high 36 minutes. In those minutes, Fland had a team-best 17 points, along with three assists, which also led all Razorbacks players. Fland missed seven of his eight 3-point shots, and he took a total of 18 shots from the field.

Fland was a McDonald’s All-American this year and finished the 2024 recruiting cycle as the No. 20 player in the class.

The Razorbacks, who are ranked No. 16 in the nation in the first AP Top 25 poll of the season, have a marquee game coming up Saturday night against No. 8 Baylor in Dallas.

Joey Hart

Hart —a 6-foot-5 guard who was also a late addition to Kentucky’s recruiting class last season — debuted for Ball State on Monday night in a road loss to Georgia State.

Hart played just six minutes off the bench for Ball State in the 71-66 loss, grabbing one rebound while committing two turnovers.

Hart was the least-used scholarship player on last season’s Kentucky team: He played only 10 minutes over seven appearances with the Wildcats. Before coming to Kentucky, Hart was originally signed to play college basketball at Central Florida.

Ball State is next in action on Friday evening against Franklin College, an NCAA Division III school.

Zvonimir Ivisic

Ivisic — a 7-foot-2 big man from Croatia — is also at Arkansas this year after spending a memorable 2023-24 season at Kentucky.

Ivisic debuted for the Razorbacks on Wednesday night against Lipscomb. In a starting role, Ivisic played 21 minutes and was an efficient 5-for-6 from the field. Ivisic scored 12 points and had three blocks and rebounds each.

Ivisic was the first former UK player to announce he would be following Calipari to Arkansas. Ivisic played in 15 games as a freshman at Kentucky last season, averaging 5.5 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.3 blocked shots in 11.7 minutes per game.

Of course, Ivisic’s time in Lexington will best be remembered for the drawn-out NCAA investigation into his amateur status and his electric first game with the Cats in a home rout of Georgia.

Ivisic is one of nearly two dozen international-born players to appear in a game for Kentucky.

Karter Knox

Knox — 6-foot-6 forward — is also now at Arkansas after committing to Kentucky on the same day as Calipari’s final win with the Wildcats (a March 9 road triumph at Tennessee).

On Wednesday night against Lipscomb, Knox came off the bench and played 11 minutes for Arkansas. He scored five points, grabbed two rebounds and had a steal.

Knox was a McDonald’s All-American this year, and he was the first former UK recruit to announce he was following Calipari to Fayetteville.

In the final 2024 recruiting rankings, Knox was ranked as the No. 22 overall player in the class.

Ugonna Onyenso

Onyenso — a 7-foot center — entered the transfer portal following both of his seasons at Kentucky. While he opted to return to the Cats for his sophomore season, Onyenso moved on from Lexington this offseason when he landed at Kansas State.

The Nigerian made his K-State debut on Tuesday night in a 24-point home win over New Orleans. Onyenso came off the bench and played 11 minutes for a Kansas State team that received votes in the first AP Top 25 poll of the season.

Onyenso scored two points, grabbed two rebounds and had one block and turnover each against New Orleans.

In his final season at UK, Onyenso emerged as Kentucky’s starting center down the stretch and had averages of 3.6 points and 4.8 rebounds in 18.6 minutes per game. Onyenso owns the UK record for the most blocks in a game at Rupp Arena.

Kansas State next plays Cleveland State at home on Saturday afternoon.

Jayden Quaintance

Quaintance — a 6-foot-9 forward — was expected to be a two-year addition for the Wildcats when he committed to UK last November. Because of his young age, Quaintance isn’t eligible for the NBA draft until 2026.

In the post-Calipari shakeup, Quaintance elected to play college basketball at Arizona State.

Another former McDonald’s All-American, Quaintance made his debut for the Sun Devils on Tuesday night in a 55-48 home win over Idaho State. Quaintance started for Arizona State and played 18 minutes, scoring two points but missing all of his shots from the field.

Quaintance did have an impressive six blocks in his college debut, which marked the most rejections in one game by an Arizona State player since 2017.

Quaintance finished this year’s recruiting cycle as the No. 9 player in the 2024 class. This made him the top-ranked prospect among the six recruits Calipari had lined up to come to Lexington.

Arizona State is next in action against Santa Clara on Friday in Las Vegas.

Billy Richmond

Richmond — a 6-foot-5 forward — was the final player from UK’s 2024 recruiting group to decommit from the Wildcats following the offseason coaching change. He also followed Calipari to Arkansas.

Like several Calipari players in recent years, Richmond holds family ties to the now-Arkansas coach. Richmond’s father, Billy Richmond Jr., played for Calipari at Memphis in the early 2000s.

In his first game playing for Calipari, Richmond came off the bench and played 15 minutes Wednesday night against Lipscomb. Richmond registered four points, two assists, two rebounds, one steal and one block in his college basketball debut.

Richmond finished the 2024 recruiting rankings as the No. 27 prospect in the class.

Adou Thiero

Thiero — a 6-foot-8 junior — was the first Kentucky basketball player to enter the transfer portal this offseason. He did so prior to Calipari’s decision to leave the UK program.

But, Thiero landed back with Calipari anyway as another ex-Cat who is now at Arkansas.

In his first game with the Razorbacks on Wednesday against Lipscomb, Thiero started and played 20 minutes. He went 4-of-6 from the field and scored eight points, while grabbing four rebounds. Thiero’s three steals led all Arkansas players in the win.

During his sophomore year at UK last season, Thiero started 19 of the 25 games he played. He averaged 7.2 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 1.1 blocks.

Thiero’s father, Almamy, also played for Calipari at Memphis.

D.J. Wagner

Wagner — a 6-foot-4 guard — was the centerpiece of Calipari’s final recruiting class at Kentucky. Wagner finished the 2023 recruiting cycle as the No. 6 prospect in the nation.

After an underwhelming (relative to preseason expectations) freshman season at UK, Wagner left Lexington this offseason and also followed Calipari to Arkansas.

During the Razorbacks’ season opener against Lipscomb on Wednesday night, Wagner started and played 32 minutes. Wagner scored seven points, dished out two assists and grabbed two rebounds.

Last season with the Wildcats, Wagner was UK’s starting point guard and had per-game averages of 9.9 points and 3.3 assists in 25.8 minutes per contest. Wagner played much of last season while nursing an ankle injury.

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