Kentucky men’s basketball head coach Mark Pope continues to build out his 2026-27 roster. He’s recently added a couple of starting guards through the portal with Washington’s Zoom Diallo and Furman’s Alex Wilkins, but there is still plenty of work to be done.

A new name for the Big Blue Nation to monitor surfaced on Saturday. Just a day after entering his name into the transfer portal, Southern California center Gabe Dynes heard from the Wildcats. Jacob Polacheck of KSR+ reported that Pope recently spoke with Dynes over a Zoom call, which was followed by a report on Sunday from On3’s Joe Tipton that Dynes will visit UK this coming Wednesday, April 22. The likes of Louisville, Xavier, NC State, and Georgia are also after the towering big man.

Currently a junior at USC, Dynes will have one year of eligibility remaining at his next stop. On3 ranks him as the 152nd-best player and 17th-best center to enter the portal this offseason. Let’s get to know him a little bit better through another edition of KSR’s Bio Blast.

Listed at 7-foot-5, Dynes is no stranger to the Bluegrass State. Born in Independence, KY, he graduated from the local high school, Simon Kenton. Easily the tallest player to take the floor in any game he played in, Dynes shot 74 percent from the field as a senior for the Pioneers, averaging 12.5 points and 9.8 rebounds per game along the way. He was named Division 1 Defensive Player of the Year by the NKBCA.

Dynes wound up at Youngstown State for his first two college seasons. His offensive impact was limited, but he was an elite rim protector for the Penguins. Dynes appeared in 27 games (four starts) as a true freshman in 2023-24, averaging 3.9 points, four rebounds, and 2.3 blocks (which led the Horizon League) in just 13.7 minutes per outing while shooting 70.6 percent from the field. Dynes posted a pair of double-doubles, making the Horizon League All-Freshman Team and Horizon League All-Defensive Team as a result.

His playing increased in 2024-25 as a sophomore, although his role as a shot blocker and paint scorer remained the same. Dynes once again led the Horizon League in blocks per game at 3.1. He also averaged 6.8 points and 5.8 rebounds in 21.8 minutes per contest, starting seven of his 34 games played while shooting 69.9 percent from the field. He recorded four double-doubles this time around, making his second straight Horizon League All-Defensive Team in the process.

Dynes hopped into the portal from there, landing at USC with head coach Eric Musselman for the 2025-26 campaign. He was a regular rotational piece for the Trojans, but his counting numbers slipped. Dynes posted per-game averages of 2.9 points, 2.3 rebounds, and one block in just 11.9 minutes, starting six of his 30 games played. He still shot an impressive 78.8 percent from the floor, but with fewer than two shot attempts per outing.

What the advanced stats say about his game

As you might expect for someone listed at 7-foot-5, Dynes’ game is limited in ways. Those limitations contain positives, though. For instance, his effective field goal percentage of 78.6 last season at USC ranked him in the 100th percentile among all Division I centers, per CBB Analytics. His shot-blocking numbers are equally impressive. His block percentage of 8.9 (higher than anyone from last season’s Kentucky team) ranked him in the 95th percentile. Dynes also graded out as a very good offensive rebounder. Nearly 98 percent of his points last season with the Trojans came via layups or dunks, a 99th percentile figure.

But then there are the negatives to his limitations. Dynes has missed all four of his three-point shots across his three-year college career. He’s a career 43.6 percent free-throw shooter (48-110). His defensive rebounding percentage of 11.0 ranked in the 13th percentile among all centers last season. Turnovers were a real issue for him in the Big Ten, and he’s not someone who consistently draws fouls. Dynes is surprisingly mobile and quick for being 7-foot-5, but he’s at his most effective when roaming around in the paint on either end of the floor.

It’s Transfer Portal SZN on KSR+

If you’ve ever been curious about KSR+, our premium sister site, now is the time to try it out. We’re doubling down our efforts to bring you bonus coverage of the Cats and the intel and analysis you can’t get anywhere else. Subscribe now for an inside look at a pivotal offseason for Mark Pope and Kentucky Basketball and Will Stein’s first year at the helm of Kentucky Football, along with access to KSBoard and House of Blue, the most vibrant message board communities in BBN. Join the club right now for 50% off an annual subscription.