If Kentucky lands Furman transfer Alex Wilkins Mark Pope has a future star on his hands

Mar 20, 2026; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Furman Paladins guard Alex Wilkins (10) dribbles the ball against the UConn Huskies in the second half during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

If Kentucky lands Furman transfer Alex Wilkins Mark Pope has a future star on his hands

Originally posted on Kentucky Wildcats on SI
By Andrew Stefaniak | Last updated Apr 16, 2026 4:29 PM ET

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Zoom Diallo has officially committed to Kentucky, but Mark Pope and the coaching staff will still be looking for more guards to add to the 2026-27 roster. A few different guards have been on campus over the last few days, but one name that is really growing on me is Alex Wilkins.

This year at Furman, the true freshman point guard averaged 17.8 points, 4.7 rebounds, and two assists per game while shooting 46% from the field and 32.8% from three. The 6’5 guard scored 21 points when the Paladins took on UConn in the NCAA Tournament in March. A massive stat line like this from Wilkins proves that he can still put up impressive numbers against elite teams.

Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Wilkins is currently on a visit to Kentucky, and I am wondering what the staff is telling him, role-wise. Obviously, Diallo is here to be the starter at point guard, so I am curious if Wilkins would want to be a starter somewhere. Perhaps the staff is talking to him about playing the two, which he is capable of doing at 6’5.

Obviously, Wilkins still has some interest in playing at Kentucky, knowing he came on his visit, even though Diallo has already committed to be the starting point guard for Pope.

The one concern I have for Wilkins is his defense. He graded out at a 0.09 defensively on EvanMiya.com and that was in the SoCon. If defense is an issue in this conference, there is no question that it could be an issue in the SEC. This is really my only concern with Wilkins, knowing he is a high-level scorer and a pretty good distributor.

Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

Also, we have to remember that this kid was just a freshman, which means he could continue to develop and become something scary. Knowing this 6’5 guard would have a bunch of eligibility left if Kentucky were able to land him, he could stick around Lexington for multiple years and become a staple.

If Wilkins picks Kentucky and has a really good year, there is a world where he could be an NBA Draft pick in the future. The skill set that Wilkins put on film as a freshman at Furman was very impressive, and it seems like Coach Pope really wants him to be a Wildcat. Wilkins is a name for Kentucky fans to pay attention to over the next day or two as he picks his next school.

This article first appeared on Kentucky Wildcats on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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