Kentucky could be about to miss on another potential roster addition

The Kentucky Wildcats and coach Mark Pope are on the hunt for players to fill out their 2026-27 roster. They still have three spots open, and have a need for another scoring threat and more depth at center. If Malachi Moreno stays in the NBA draft, that second need becomes even greater.

To that end, Pope recently made a trip to Israel to watch forward Marcios Santos, a 6'8" frontcourt player for Maccabi Tel Aviv in the Euroleague. He has shown an ability to score and rebound, but has made 40% of his three-point shots, making him a solid fit for Kentucky's offense under Pope.

It seemed likely that Santos would become a Wildcat, but that outlook has changed, and it's now expected that he will land elsewhere. Reports seem to indicate that Santos will take a bigger offer from the LSU Tigers, making another miss for Pope.

If Santos does choose LSU, spuring Kentucky, it leaves Kentucky in a tough situation. A player like Milan Momcilovic pulling out of the draft and heading to Lexington would be a huge win, and there are a few other players available in the portal. However, time is running out, and the list of players who could make a difference is getting short. It's desperation time for Kentucky, and Pope as his seat gets hotter and hotter.

This article originally appeared on UK Wildcats Wire: Kentucky basketball expected to miss on forward Marcios Santos