Kentucky Adds Diallo and Kepnang From Washington

Two Washington transfers, guard Zoom Diallo and center Franck Kepnang, have joined the Kentucky basketball program.

Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Basketball

Kentucky Adds Diallo and Kepnang From Washington

Franck Kepnang and Zoom Diallo have transferred from Washington to Kentucky basketball. Kepnang received a medical hardship waiver from the NCAA in May, and Diallo averaged 15 points last season at Washington.

Why it matters

The transfers add size and scoring to Kentucky's frontcourt and backcourt. Coach Mark Pope's prior coaching at Washington was his primary pitch to both players.

Diallo, 6-foot-6, averaged 15 points and nearly five assists last season at Washington. Kepnang, 7-foot and 270 pounds, ranked third in the Big Ten with 55 blocks while averaging six points and six rebounds.

The players

Mark Pope

Kentucky's head basketball coach, who previously coached at Washington and used that experience to recruit both transfers.

Zoom Diallo

A 6-foot-6 guard who averaged 15 points and nearly five assists per game at Washington last season.

Franck Kepnang

A 7-foot, 270-pound graduate transfer center who ranked third in the Big Ten in blocks last season.

The details

Pope called Diallo at midnight on the first day the transfer portal opened to begin recruiting him. Diallo is expected to attack the rim to create open shots for teammates, while Kepnang is expected to start the season after rounding into shape. Kepnang also holds a master's degree in information systems with an emphasis in artificial intelligence and cybersecurity.

May: Kepnang receives NCAA medical hardship waiver.
October 2: Diallo arrives at Big Blue Madness in a new Corvette.

Season Trajectory

Both players moved through the NCAA transfer portal, the mechanism that now drives most roster rebuilding in college basketball. Their additions give Kentucky four 7-foot players in the frontcourt, a size advantage that will shape the team's competitive position in the Southeastern Conference.

Diallo's assist and scoring numbers make him a notable addition for fantasy managers tracking guard production. Kepnang's shot-blocking ranks him among the conference's top rim protectors if he holds a regular rotation spot.

The takeaway

Portal-driven roster changes can reshape a team quickly, and players with prior conference experience often adapt faster to new systems. Readers following Kentucky should watch how the two transfers integrate once the season begins.