Denzel Aberdeen is the perfect final addition to Kentucky's roster

Kentucky picked up the final piece to their 2025-26 roster on Monday when Florida transfer guard Denzel Aberdeen committed to the Wildcats not too long after it looked like Aberdeen was emerging as one of their top options. Before Aberdeen committed, Kentucky's backcourt constisted of athelticism, playmaking, and a little bit of shooting. Now, they have every category checked in the backcourt with Aberdeen in the fold.

Aberdeen, a 6-5 guard, is very versatile and can play both the one or the two spot on the court. Kentucky was looking for a shooter to round out the roster with, and Aberdeen brings that, too. Last season with Florida, Aberdeen averaged 7.7 points, 1.7 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game, shooting 41.8 percent overall and 35 percent from three-point range. Above all that, it was really his performance throughout SEC play that makes him so intriguing and why he was so vital to Florida, helping lead them to a Natiional Championship. In SEC play, Aberdeen started five of his 18 conference games played, where in those he averaged 14.4 points, but the most staggering stat being his three-point percentage, as he shot 41.4 percent in those games.

He was impressive all throughout conference play last season, not just in those games he started. Aberdeen had six games in double figures in SEC play, including a 22-point game against South Carolina, where he shot 8-12 overall and an impressive 5-7 from deep. Aberdeen may be seen more as a versatile athletic guard in many people's eyes, but his shooting in SEC play, especially in the five games he started, should be praised a lot more.

Aberdeen is the perfect final piece to a Kentucky roster filled with defense, playmaking, a lot of athleticism, as well as shooting. Mark Pope checked all of the boxes with next season's roster, capped off with a veteran SEC guard.