Oklahoma State transfer Brandon Garrison signs with Kentucky

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Shortly after announcing his commitment to Kentucky, Oklahoma State transfer center and 2023 McDonald's All-American Brandon Garrison officially signed with the Wildcats.

"Brandon's a McDonald's All-American and a FIBA U18 Americas gold medalist with Team USA who crushed me at BYU last year and crushed Coach [Alvin] Brooks at Baylor last year," UK head coach Mark Pope said via press release. "We're unbelievably glad he's on our team now. He's an incredible person with a brilliant, joyful smile that BBN will fall in love with. We're really excited about our front line and Brandon will be a key piece to it."

His decision to sign with Kentucky comes after visits to former UK head coach John Calipari and Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas. He never visited Lexington.

He is the transfer portal's 21st best player and fourth best center per 247Sports transfer rankings.  

Garrison, a 6-foot-11 center, was a 2023 McDonald's All-American and earned an invitation to the Jordan Brand Classic. He was the 45th best player in the class of 2023 rankings, the seventh ranked center and the top prospect out of the state of Oklahoma.

As a freshman at Oklahoma State last season, the Oklahoma City native played in 32 games, starting 29 in which he averaged 7.5 points per game, 5.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.5 blocks and 0.8 steals per game. He shot 57.2 percent from the field and 64.8 percent from the free throw line. 

He scored a season-high 21 points in a win over Pope and BYU went for 20 points both in a loss to Baylor and victory over West Virginia, logged a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds in a victory over South Carolina State and had a 10-point, six-block performance in a win over Houston Christian.

"Garrison provides size, length, and a sturdy interior presence,' 247sports' Director of Scouting Adam Finkelstein wrote after the season. "He can executive defensive coverages and offensive sets alike and is typically credited for his good awareness on both ends of the floor."

Garrison will have three years of eligibility to use in Lexington.

The addition of Garrison gives Kentucky five transfer portal commits so far this offseason, as he will join Drexel forward Amari Williams, San Diego State guard Lamont Butler, Oklahoma small forward Otega Oweh and Wake Forest forward Andrew Carr in Lexington. In total UK is up to seven scholarship players as incoming four-star freshmen guards Collin Chandler and Travis Perry.