Kentucky Lands James Madison Forward Justin McBride to Bolster Frontcourt Through Transfer Portal
The Kentucky Wildcats have secured a major addition from the transfer portal, landing a commitment from former James Madison forward Justin McBride as they continue reshaping their roster for next season.
McBride becomes Kentucky’s third transfer addition of the current portal cycle, joining guard Zoom Diallo from Washington and forward Alex Wilkins from Furman. His commitment addresses one of the Wildcats’ most pressing roster concerns after the departures of power forwards Mo Dioubate, who transferred to LSU, and Andrija Jelavic, who left for Ohio State. Those exits had left Kentucky without a true power forward on the roster until McBride’s decision.
The 6-foot-7 forward from Plano, Texas, recently visited Lexington for an official trip, and Kentucky quickly emerged as his top choice. Though several high-profile programs—including Louisville, SMU, Florida State, and Baylor—showed serious interest, McBride ultimately decided to commit to the Wildcats after his lone official visit.
McBride arrives in Lexington following a breakout junior campaign at James Madison, where he earned Third Team All-Sun Belt honors after averaging 15.3 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game during the 2025–26 season. He also posted efficient shooting numbers, connecting on 49 percent from the field, 40 percent from three-point range, and 78 percent from the free-throw line.
His production at James Madison marked a significant leap after a winding collegiate journey through multiple programs. McBride began his career at Oklahoma State during the 2023–24 season, where he averaged 2.5 points and 1.5 rebounds as a freshman. He then transferred to Nevada for the 2024–25 campaign, improving to 7.8 points and 4.2 rebounds per game before making his way to James Madison and eventually breaking out.
Coming out of high school, McBride was viewed as a highly regarded recruit. According to the Rivals Industry Ranking, he was rated the No. 125 overall player in the 2023 recruiting class and the No. 40 power forward nationally.
His breakout at James Madison came under head coach Preston Spradlin, a former Kentucky assistant who spent five years on John Calipari’s staff from 2009 to 2014. Spradlin helped unlock McBride’s full potential during his first season leading the Dukes, and the forward responded by becoming the team’s most consistent offensive weapon.
McBride led James Madison in scoring ten different times and started 30 of the team’s 31 games, playing a key role in helping the Dukes finish 18-15 and place eighth in the Sun Belt Conference.
Spradlin praised McBride’s impact and versatility during his time with the program, emphasizing the skill set that made him such an attractive transfer target.
“The addition of Justin will change the entire complexion of our team,” Spradlin previously said. “With his size, skill, and athleticism, he will be a true inside/out mismatch. His efficiency in limited minutes shows great promise for his future production as he steps into a larger role on our team.”
Now, McBride will look to carry that momentum into the SEC as he joins a Kentucky program seeking to reload under Mark Pope.
With his size, scoring ability, and perimeter shooting, McBride gives the Wildcats a much-needed versatile option in the frontcourt and could play an immediate role as Kentucky continues building its roster for the upcoming season.
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