A little under a week ago, news broke that Utah guard Deivon Smith was entering the NCAA transfer portal.
On Thursday, 247 Sports’ Travis Branham reported that another Utah tie, former BYU coach Mark Pope, is interested in the dynamic guard.
Smith is expected to visit Kentucky, where Pope is the new head coach, this weekend, according to Branham.
The 6-foot Smith averaged 13.3 points, 7.1 assists and 6.3 rebounds in his lone season at Utah. He also broke the Pac-12 single-season record with five triple-doubles.
Smith started his college career at Mississippi State (2020-21), then played two seasons at Georgia Tech (2021-23) before joining the Utes last season. He has one year of eligibility remaining.
Smith is rated a four-star transfer and the No. 38 transfer overall in the portal, according to 247 Sports, and the 10th-best point guard. Six of those point guards rated above Smith already have committed to another school.
Pope was officially announced as Kentucky’s head coach on April 12 after five seasons at BYU.
Pope has also taken a pair of Cougar ties with him to Kentucky. Longtime BYU assistant Cody Fueger followed him to the blueblood program, while former BYU four-star signee Collin Chandler also is joining Kentucky following his two-year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
