Kentucky Center Brandon Garrison Entering NCAA Transfer Portal

Garrison plans to leave Wildcats after one season as backup center

Apr. 3, 2026 at 10:26pm

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A cubist-style painting depicting a basketball player's movements broken down into overlapping geometric shapes and planes in shades of blue, white, and black.Garrison's departure creates an opportunity for Kentucky to reshape its frontcourt rotation and build around its young core.Del City Today

Kentucky center Brandon Garrison has announced plans to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal, giving him the opportunity to explore playing options at other schools for his final season of eligibility. Garrison, a former four-star recruit, served as a backup to freshman standout Malachi Moreno this past season, averaging 4.7 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game.

Why it matters

Garrison's decision to transfer represents a potential roster shakeup for Kentucky, which is looking to build on its second-round NCAA Tournament appearance this past season. The Wildcats will need to find a replacement for Garrison's production and minutes in the frontcourt.

The details

Garrison, a 6-foot-10 center, made 36 appearances and five starts for Kentucky in the 2025-26 season. He stepped up his game in the postseason, scoring a career-high 17 points in the SEC Tournament and recording 10 points, seven rebounds, and six blocks in the Wildcats' first-round NCAA Tournament win over Santa Clara. Prior to joining Kentucky, Garrison spent his freshman season at Oklahoma State, where he started all but three games and averaged 7.5 points per contest.

  • Garrison plans to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal, which opens on April 7 and closes on April 21.
  • Kentucky's 2025-26 season ended with a second-round loss in the NCAA Tournament.

The players

Brandon Garrison

A 6-foot-10 center who played one season at Kentucky after transferring from Oklahoma State, where he started as a freshman.

Malachi Moreno

Kentucky's starting center this past season, a freshman who played ahead of Garrison in the rotation.

Amari Williams

Kentucky's starting center in the 2024-25 season, before Garrison and Moreno joined the team.

Mark Pope

Kentucky's head coach, who discussed the team's offseason plans and the importance of retaining young players.

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What they’re saying

“Retention is a big part of this, and we have good young players. You think about you're starting a first-year center and a first-year power forward and a sophomore 2-guard.”

— Mark Pope, Kentucky Head Coach

What’s next

Garrison will have until April 21 to officially enter the NCAA Transfer Portal and explore options for his final season of eligibility. Kentucky will need to identify a replacement for Garrison's production in the frontcourt.

The takeaway

Garrison's decision to transfer represents a potential roster shakeup for Kentucky, which is looking to build on its second-round NCAA Tournament appearance this past season. The Wildcats will need to find a way to replace Garrison's contributions in the frontcourt as they aim to take the next step in their program's development.