Miami transfer and Kentucky recruiting target Wooga Poplar has withdrawn his name from the 2024 NBA Draft, according to college basketball insider Jon Rothstein.
The Wildcats are still awaiting the decision of BYU transfer Jaxson Robinson, has until 11:59 PM ET to pull out in order to return to college.
Poplar is ranked as the No. 19 overall transfer and No. 5 shooting guard in the portal by 247Sports.
New UK head coach Mark Pope scouted Poplar at the G League Elite Camp in Chicago earlier this month.
As a junior this season, Poplar started all 29 games in which he appeared for Miami, averaging a career-high 13.1 points to go along with 4.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists while shooting 42.6% from the field, 38.5% from 3 and 86.4% from the free throw line. He scored a season-high 25 points in a victory over La Salle, scored 19 points and grabbed eight rebounds in a loss to Kentucky inside Rupp Arena and logged three double-doubles on the season, including a 13-point, 11-rebound performance in a win over Georgia.
As a sophomore in 2022-23, Poplar started 36 of 37 games for the Hurricanes, averaging 8.4 points, 3.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.1 steals while shooting 37.5% from beyond the arc. He helped Miami reach its first-ever Final Four by scoring 16 points in an Elite Eight win over Texas.
Over three collegiate seasons, all with the Hurricanes, Poplar has played in 100 career games with 65 starts, averaging 7.7 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game while shooting 36.5% from beyond the arc with over 100 career makes.
In addition to Kentucky, Villanova, Oregon and Arkansas are also involved in his recruitment.
After losing all 13 scholarship players from last season’s roster to graduation, the transfer portal or the NBA Draft, Pope’s inaugural 8-man transfer class is currently ranked No. 5 nationally by 247Sports and features No. 23 Brandon Garrison (Oklahoma State), No. 34 Otega Oweh (Oklahoma), No. 48 Lamont Butler (San Diego State), No. 71 Andrew Carr (Wake Forest), No. 88 Amari Williams (Drexel), No. 91 Koby Brea (Dayton), No. 126 Kerr Kriisa (West Virginia), and No. 319 Ansley Almonor.
In addition, Pope has also signed former BYU signee Collin Chandler, who is coming off a 2-year Mormon mission, Kentucky Mr. Basketball, the state’s all-time leading scorer and 4-star guard Travis Perry from state champion Lyon County, as well as Harlan County 4-star and former South Carolina signee Trent Noah to bring the Wildcats’ number of scholarship players to 11.
“I have two really, really important pieces that I have to add. The 13th scholarship is a floating piece,” Pope said. “It could be a place for a young player. It could be a place for a senior player who is going to take a redshirt year. It could be a place for a project. It could be a place for a high-risk guy. We’re really dialed in on filling these last two spots. It is a priority right now.”
