Collin Chandler was earmarked for a significant position on Kentucky Basketball’s 2026-27 roster.
First, he and Mark Pope have been great friends for the past decade, and Pope began recruiting Chandler in 2019. Last season, Chandler was the Wildcats’ only player who shot above 36% from beyond the arc.
Chandler chose to enter the transfer portal on Wednesday night, with a “Do Not Contact” tag. Only three days later, Chandler declared his intention to attend BYU via Instagram.
Since enrolling at Kentucky, Chandler has felt the urge to return home, openly admitting that he was “homesick” during his first year. Getting married in 2025 was something his wife was also keen on. This relocation puts them just 60 miles away from their relatives.
The most compelling draw, however, is money. Kentucky was ready to pay Chandler around $2 million this season, but BYU reportedly provided more than $3 million to persuade Chandler to leave Mark Pope and Kentucky. While Chandler is a terrific athlete and shooter, that is a high price to pay for someone who has difficulty regularly producing for themselves, as seen by his performance throughout the playoffs.
Chandler had numerous critical plays and spectacular dunks throughout his time in Lexington, and we wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors.
