New Kentucky head coach Mark Pope’s leading scorer from last season at BYU is joining him in Lexington.
According to ESPN’s Jeff Borzello, BYU transfer Jaxson Robinson has withdrawn from the NBA Draft and committed to Kentucky.
Robinson, a 6-foot-7 guard and the 2023-24 Big 12 Sixth Man of the Year, has one year of college eligibility left.
Originally from Ada, Oklahoma, Robinson was a four-star recruit in the class of 2020 and initially signed with Texas A&M. During his time with the Aggies, he played 14 games, starting four, and averaged 2.1 points and 1.1 rebounds in 9.8 minutes per game.
Before the 2021-22 season, Robinson entered the transfer portal and joined Eric Musselman’s Arkansas team. In his single season with the Razorbacks, he appeared in 16 games, starting four, and averaged 3.4 points and 1.3 rebounds in 10.2 minutes per game, shooting 38.0 percent from the field and 32.6 percent from three.
After one season at Arkansas, he transferred again, this time to join Mark Pope at BYU.
In his 2022-23 debut season with the Cougars, Robinson played all 33 games, starting 30, and averaged 28.1 minutes per game. He averaged 8.5 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 1.8 assists, shooting 38.6 percent from the field and 34.3 percent from three.
Last season was his best yet.
Robinson earned Big 12 Sixth Man of the Year honors, starting just six games but averaging 26.4 minutes per game. He led the team with 14.2 points per game, shooting 42.6 percent from the field, 35.4 percent from three, and 90.8 percent from the free throw line. He also averaged 2.5 rebounds and 1.3 assists.
The 6-foot-7 guard scored a season-high 28 points in a win over Denver, 25 points in an NCAA Tournament loss to Duquesne, and 18 points in an upset road win over then-ranked No. 7 Kansas.
Ranked as the 36th best player in the transfer portal by 247Sports and the eighth best small forward, Robinson is Kentucky’s ninth transfer portal addition this offseason. He joins Amari Williams (Drexel), Lamont Butler (San Diego State), Otega Oweh (Oklahoma), Andrew Carr (Wake Forest), Brandon Garrison (Oklahoma State), Koby Brea (Dayton), Kerr Kriisa (West Virginia), and Ansley Almonor (Fairleigh Dickinson), along with three incoming freshmen, Travis Perry, Collin Chandler, and Trent Noah.
UK now has just one open scholarship spot remaining.