Franck Kepnang Receives Waiver to Play for Kentucky in 2026-27

Mark Pope added a 13th player to the 2026-27 Kentucky basketball roster on Saturday. Franck Kepnang (pronounced Frank KEP-nong) is a 6-foot-11 center who’s spent six seasons in college basketball. Some wondered, will he be cleared for a seventh? There is no need to ask that question any longer.

On3’s Pete Nakos reported on Monday morning that Kepnang received a medical hardship waiver to play college basketball next season. The University of Kentucky confirmed the news to Kentucky Sports Radio and officially announced that he will have one year of eligibility remaining.

Kepnang, who is originally from Cameroon, reclassified to join the Oregon Ducks in the middle of the pandemic-plagued 2020-21 season. He spent two years in Eugene before transferring to Washington.

During his time in Seattle, the enormous center experienced numerous injuries. His first year at Washington ended abruptly after only eight games, thanks to an ACL injury. He was limited to only ten games the following year, and 14 during the 2024-25 season.

Despite the many injury setbacks, Kepnang recovered and started in 25 games last season for Washington, where he played alongside Kentucky guard Zoom Diallo. He battled through what Danny Sprinkle described as a “stress reaction in his fibula or tibia,” but was sidelined for the final eight games of the year.

The new Kentucky center can’t catch a break from the injury bug. When healthy, he’s a fierce rim protector. Last season, he ranked second in the Big Ten with 2.1 blocks per game, and ranked in the Top 15 nationally in block percentage. Hopefully, Kepnang can find some injury luck during his final college basketball season at Kentucky.

[READ: 6 Things You Need to Know About Franck Kepnang]

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