Kentucky adds FDU transfer Ansley Almonor: ‘He’s an elite shooter’

By ADAM ZAGORIA

New Kentucky coach Mark Pope continued to add to his roster with the addition Thursday of Fairleigh Dickinson graduate transfer Ansley Almonor.

“It was always a dream of mine,” he told ZAGSBLOG. “Growing up I had a picture of the [Kentucky] logo in front of my bed as a goal of mine. It’s just crazy to think that I’ve achieved that goal but the job definitely isn’t finished.

“I got a lot more goals to accomplish but achieving a big one like this means a lot. I will bring my shooting ability, my toughness, my willingness to work and my winning attitude to this program, just to name a few.”

The 6-foot-7, 220-pound wing from Spring Valley, N.Y. averaged 16.4 points and 5.1 rebounds on 43.6% shooting last season and 39% from deep. He made 93 3-pointers last season and ranked 44th in Division 1 in percentage.

Almonor told ZAGSBLOG he will get to campus on June 6.

“Ansley’s an elite shooter with size that has a great basketball IQ and a knack for knocking down big shots,” FDU coach Jack Castleberry told ZAGSBLOG.

Said Our Saviour Lutheran coach Peter Wehye, who recruited Almonor to the school:

“He’s a juggernaut of a shooter. He’s going to stretch the floor out. I know they’re going to be super dangerous [with Almonor and Kobe Brea].

“When you’re talking about Ansley, you’re talking about adding a high-level shooter at the power forward position.”

6'7 forward Ansley Almonor has officially committed to Kentucky, per @TiptonEdits.

We talked about it on today's show – but love this as a depth piece for UK, which now sits at 11 scholarship players.

LOVE the first roster Mark Pope has put togetherhttps://t.co/Uakjx5QF9R

— Aaron Torres (@Aaron_Torres) May 16, 2024

The Wildcats previsously added West Virginia transfer guard Kerr Kriisa and Dayton transfer guard Koby Brea after previously adding Oklahoma transfer guard Otega Oweh, San Diego State transfer guard Lamont Butler and Drexel transfer big man Amari Williams.

“Ansley is one of the best shooting mid-major bigs out there and he is a tremendous mover without the basketball,” Pope said. “He’s a fearless competitor with great leadership qualities. Ansley is a finance major who comes from an unbelievable family from Haiti. He’s a great addition to this roster as a veteran presence with a lot of college basketball under his belt.”

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