The Kentucky Wildcats are showing considerable interest in Dink Pate. The G-League star has been a target for Mark Pope for some time now.
Zoom Call with Pate
Kentucky hosted a Zoom call with Pate on Tuesday, according to KSR’s Jack Pilgrim. This happened after Pope travelled to New York to watch Pate play his regular-season finale with the Westchester Knicks at the end of March. Pope had also been in Philadelphia to watch Pate play earlier in March.
Competition from SMU
Pate also had a Zoom interview with SMU on Tuesday. He is a highly sought-after player on the college basketball scene. SMU now has Jason Hart, who was Pope’s top recruiter while with UK.
Some thought Hart’s move to SMU could end the Wildcats’ chances of landing Pate, but Pope clearly isn’t throwing in the towel.
Pate’s Timeline
Pate has repeatedly said he wants to play college basketball during the 2026-2027 season. Although he has a great relationship with Hart, the Wildcats are still making a run at the Dallas, Texas native.
The Kentucky Wildcats are in full go mode as the transfer portal opened Tuesday at midnight. Mark Pope and staff have been reported to be interested in a number of guys already.