Kentucky to host big-time grad transfer Nate Sestina

UPDATE

Jeff Goodman is reporting the visit will take place next Monday:

Brian Snow is also reporting the same now.

Regardless of when the visit actually happens, it’s still good to see John Calipari getting Sestina on campus as early as possible.

On Monday, John Calipari said the Kentucky Wildcats would look at graduate transfers this offseason.

Thanks to the success of Reid Travis coming from Stanford and becoming the leader of this team in less than a year, it’s safe to say Calipari is much higher on pursuing outside players from other programs now.

That’s why it shouldn’t come as much surprise that Kentucky is already pursuing one of the top grad transfers in 2019. According to Brian Snow, Kentucky is hosting Bucknell Bison big man Nate Sestina.

According to a source close to the situation, Sestina’s phone has been extremely busy.

“He has had about 50 schools reach out,” said the source. “Many, many of those schools were high-major programs.”

“Nate is visiting Kentucky as we speak,” said the source.

It’s certainly early in the process for Sestina, but already getting a visit has to bode well for Kentucky’s chances in the long run.

Sestina is arguably the best grad transfer right now, which explains why Kentucky is already getting him for a visit on campus. He would be a major addition to whoever lands him, and Calipari is already making a push to get his program in the picture.

This past season, the 6-9, 245-pound Sestina averaged 15.8 points and 8.5 rebounds per game. He also shot 38 percent from three-point range.

With only Nick Richards and EJ Montgomery as the lone big men projected to be on next season’s roster, adding a guy like Sestina would be a home run for Kentucky. Sure, guys like Keion Brooks and Kahlil Whitney can play the 4 in small lineups, but Kentucky absolutely has to get one more true big man for the 2019-20 roster.

Kentucky is still in the running for five-star recruits Matthew Hurt and Jaden McDaniels, but at this point, it’s more likely they end up elsewhere.

Check out some highlights of him in action:

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