The transfer portal All-Stars were on one side, a collection of talent that reportedly cost more than $20 million.
Kentucky had a big spring, bringing in high-upside talent like Denzel Aberdeen of Florida, Mouhamed Dioubate of Alabama, Jayden Quaintance of Arizona State and Jaland Lowe of Pittsburgh. The Wildcats were supposed to be one of the premier teams in the country, a deep and talented group that could reach the final weekend of the season.
But so far, coach Mark Pope’s team has been a disappointment, partly due to injuries to Quaintance and Lowe. Their struggles continued Tuesday night at the Garden, in a one-sided 83-66 loss to No. 17 Michigan State, a team built the old-school way, almost entirely through player development and high school recruiting. Contributors Trey Fort (Samford) and Divine Ugochukwu (Miami), it should be noted, are transfers new to the program.
Spartans forward Jaxon Kohler stops Wildcats guard Denzel Aberdeen at the basket during the first half of Michigan State’s 83-66 win over Kentucky in the opener of the Champions Classic on Nov. 18, 2025. Robert Sabo for NY Post
The opener of the Champions Classic, the annual showcase featuring Michigan State, Kentucky, Duke and Kansas, provided a reminder that the old method can still be effective. You don’t need to be atop transfer portal rankings or land elite freshmen to be a Final Four contender. Michigan State’s four leading scorers — Jaxon Kohler, Carson Cooper, Coen Carr and Jeremy Fears Jr. — are all returning players. Carr and Cooper weren’t starters last season, but that didn’t make them want to look elsewhere.