Should Camron Justice be UK’s primary grad transfer guard target?

John Calipari and his staff once again went to the transfer portal to find some depth this year. Nate Sestina will be coming from Bucknell to give the Kentucky Wildcats some versatility in the front court.

Now, with the departure of Jemarl Baker, do they need to try and do the same for another guard? If they do, there is one player I know Kentucky fans would be excited about.

Camron Justice was a 3-star recruit in the 2015 recruiting class. He was ranked No. 207 in the 247 Sports composite ranking. He had offers from Tennessee, Clemson, Western Kentucky, Wake Forest, and Butler, but chose Vanderbilt when all was said and done.

He got some decent minutes off the bench in his first season, but Bryce Drew barely let him see the light of day his second year. After considering giving up basketball altogether, Justice ultimately transferred to IUPUI, with the long-term plan of getting back to a high-major program.

At IUPUI, Justice led the Jaguars with 18.6 points per game, making 35.2% of his three-point attempts and 85.4% of his free throws. He was third in the Horizon League in scoring, and he picked up an All-Conference second team honor at the end of the year.

There are probably better players available on the transfer portal that Coach Cal could pursue. There are better scorers, better defenders, and guys that were more highly ranked coming out of high school.

But Justice would bring as much experience as anyone. He has played in the SEC for two seasons, played in the post-season for three years, and continued to improve his game.

At 6-3, 180 pounds, Justice would not be a direct replacement for Baker. But you have to factor in the idea of having another in-state player on the roster. As we saw with Dominique Hawkins and Derek Willis, the fan base is much more engaged with Kentucky kids on the court, and even on the bench.

Justice is skilled and experienced enough to be a solid back up option for Kentucky next season. Is the margin of ability between him and the other players enough to overcome the value of being raised in Hindman, KY and graduating from Knott County Central High School?

There are multiple scholarships available. And depending on what happens with Jaden McDaniels (Matthew Hurt is not picking Kentucky), I think Justice is worth a look whether or not they add another guard before the recruiting cycle is out.

But does Coach Cal agree with me?

Time will tell.