One Kentucky basketball player in the transfer portal has chosen her new home

For the second year in a row, a core piece of the Kentucky women’s basketball’s roster is transferring to Baylor.

Starting sophomore guard and second-leading scorer Jada Walker announced via social media on Friday that she’s committed to play for Nicki Collen’s Baylor Bears.

“Walker to Waco!” Walker captioned her post. “COMMITTED! #baylorbears”

The song “Stay Ready” by Jhené Aiko featuring Kendrick Lamar was included in Walker’s Instagram announcement. This announcement arrives mere days after Walker posted an Instagram story of her wearing a Baylor uniform with the text: “Waco???”

Walker was one of only five returning players for the Wildcats following their historic race to a 2022 SEC Tournament title, and served as a major contributor in what turned out to be an underwhelming 12-19 (2-14 SEC) season in 2022-23. She started all 31 of the Wildcats’ games this season, averaging 12.9 points, 3.1 rebounds and 3.1 assists.

Walker also led the Southeastern Conference in steals per game with 2.6.

Walker announced her intent to transfer on March 8, not even a week after the Cats’ season ended at the hands of Tennessee in the third round of the 2023 SEC Tournament. Walker was UK’s second portal departure following freshman Kennedy Cambridge’s transfer announcement two days earlier.

UK finished the 2022-23 season tied for last in the SEC. Baylor ended up sixth in the Big 12, going 20-13 overall and 10-8 in league play, and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

At Baylor, Walker will reunite with former UK forward Dre’Una Edwards. Edwards, who arrived at UK by way of the University of Utah, transferred to Baylor upon the conclusion of the Wildcats’ 2021-22 season: a first-round upset bounce by Princeton.

Edwards did not suit up for the Bears during the 2022-23 season due to NCAA ineligibility. Because the move to Baylor was her second transfer, and she did not graduate from Kentucky, she was required to sit out a year. This came to a head on Jan. 5, when she issued a statement via Twitter that suggested UK head coach Kyra Elzy was at fault for her inability to play at her new school.

The departures of Walker and Cambridge, as well as leading scorer Robyn Benton’s graduation, leave an already-shallow UK roster thin at the guard position. Fifth-year senior Blair Green also decided not to continue her career even though she had a season of eligibility still available.

Starter Maddie Scherr, as well as freshman Amiya Jenkins — both of whom are former Miss Kentucky Basketball winners — are currently expected to carry the load in the backcourt with Eniya Russell next season. Senior Emma King, as well as freshmen Cassidy Rowe and Saniah Tyler are also options at guard, though none of them made much of an impact this season.

Four-star wing Jordy Griggs of Montverde (Fla.) Academy is the sole signee in the Wildcats’ 2023 recruiting class. The Wildcats are expected once more to dip into the transfer portal to round out the roster.

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