From Jeff Borzello and Jonathan Givony of ESPN
Former Wake Forest big man Olivier Sarr, arguably the top college basketball transfer this spring, is transferring to Kentucky, he told ESPN on Wednesday.
“I felt that was the best fit and the best opportunity for me,” Sarr told ESPN. “Being able to play for that great program and showcase my winning drive on that stage. Coach Cal made me understand that I was needed over there.”
After coach Danny Manning was fired, Sarr informed Wake Forest that he wanted to enter the transfer portal, which he did shortly after the Demon Deacons hired East Tennessee State’s Steve Forbes as their new coach last week.
Sarr told ESPN that he heard from more than a dozen schools, including Duke, Baylor, Florida State and Gonzaga. He also met with Forbes and the new Wake Forest coaching staff over the weekend.
The decision ultimately came down to Kentucky and a return to Winston-Salem.
“I don’t think people realize how hard it is for me,” Sarr said. “I hope they understand that I’m not transferring because I don’t like the school, the team, the new coach. Just that I felt like this was the best opportunity and I had to take it.
“It’s going to be tough, talking to my coaches and teammates, fans, professors, managers. It’s a tough decision. I don’t know how to explain it. I loved Wake. They welcomed me with open arms, when I was a skinny freshman who barely spoke English. I will always be a Deacon. I hope they always remember me as a Deacon.”
