Kentucky Lands Local Guard Jerone Morton

0:00On April 29, Kentucky coach Mark Pope keeps building his back court, landing Washington State Transfer Guard Jerome Morton to join Zoom Diallo and Alex Wilkins. With last year's entire guard crew gone, this move plugs the key dep poll for the Wildcats. Morton hails from Lexington, prepped at George Rogers Clark and Winchester, then spent two seasons at Morehead State before hitting the Cougars this year. There he put up 7.8 points, 2.6 assists, and 1.9 rebounds per game. Big blue nation is buzzing about welcoming home a local talent who's set to thrive off the bench, spelling the starters without needing big minutes. It's the kind of reliable role player every contender craves, much like Pope's pickup of James Madison's Justin McBride for front court back of duties. Pope stacking solid pieces, but the hunt continues for a true star, likely an international standout or someone pulling out of the NBA draft. That gap has fans a bit antsy as roster spots tighten.

1:01These smart depth grabs like Morton position Kentucky Strong. Once that headliner lands, they're primed to roll deep into March.