Kentucky Head Coach Mark Pope Meeting With Maccabi Tel Aviv Forward Márcio Santos

Kentucky head coach Mark Pope is flying to Israel on Wednesday to meet with an international prospect. Sources tell KSR that Pope will be meeting with Maccabi Tel Aviv center Márcio Santos.

Santos, a 6-foot-8 center with Maccabi Tel Aviv, averaged 8.7 points, 3.9 rebounds, one assist, and 0.6 blocks during the 2025-26 Winner League Season with Maccabi Tel Aviv. He previously played with Sesi Franca in the NBB Americas League from 2018 to 2024, and then Ratiopharm Ulm in the Basketball Bundesliga from 2024-25.

Kentucky has already made a run in the international ranks, signing Senegalese forward Ousmane N’Diaye on April 24. Could Santos be next?

INCOMING

RETURNERS (5)

• Malachi Moreno (7.8 PPG) – Testing NBA Draft waters
• Kam Williams (6.0 PPG)
• Trent Noah (3.0 PPG)
• Reece Potter (DNP)
• Braydon Hawthorne (DNP)

PORTAL ADDITIONS (3)

• Zoom Diallo (Washington)
• Alex Wilkins (Furman)
• Justin McBride (James Madison)

INTERNATIONAL ADDITIONS (1)

• Ousmane N’Diaye (Senegal)

HS SIGNEES (2)

• Mason Williams (No. 124)
• Zyon Hawthorne (N/A)

OUTGOING

GRADUATED (2)

• Otega Oweh (18.6 PPG)
• Denzel Aberdeen (13.5 PPG) – Pursuing another year at Florida, will require a waiver

NBA DRAFT (1)

• Jayden Quaintance (5.0 PPG)

PORTAL (7)

• Jaland Lowe (8.0 PPG) ➡️ Georgetown
• Jasper Johnson (4.9 PPG) ➡️ Oregon
• Brandon Garrison (4.7 PPG) ➡️ Alabama
• Denzel Aberdeen (13.5 PPG) ➡️ Florida (Will require waiver)
• Mo Dioubate (8.8 PPG) ➡️ LSU
• Andrija Jelavić (5.5 PPG) ➡️ Ohio State
• Collin Chandler (9.7 PPG) ➡️ BYU

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IMPORTANT DATES

• April 24: NBA Early Entry Deadline
• May 8-10: NBA G League Combine (Chicago)
• May 10: NBA Draft Lottery
• May 10-17: NBA Draft Combine (Chicago)
• May 27: NCAA Division I Early Entry Withdrawal Deadline
• June 13: NBA Early Entry Withdrawal Deadline
• June 23-24: 2026 NBA Draft

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