LEXINGTON — Brandon Garrison is here to stay.
The talented junior forward for the Kentucky basketball squad made an exciting announcement on Saturday: he will be returning next season to join coach Mark Pope and the Wildcats. He shared this thrilling news through a video on his personal Instagram account.
Standing tall at 6-foot-10 and weighing 250 pounds, Garrison hails from Oklahoma and played in 35 of the 36 games for UK during the 2024-25 season. All his contributions came off the bench, supporting the starting big man, Amari Williams. In his second season on the collegiate circuit, Garrison averaged 5.9 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game.
He dazzled fans by hitting double digits in points on seven occasions. Moreover, he made his mark by leading the team in blocks for seven games and in steals during another seven matchups.
His highest scoring game came when he netted 15 points, first against South Carolina on February 8, and he matched that tally again in a face-off with LSU on March 4. Garrison also showcased his prowess on the boards, pulling down a season-best nine rebounds in Kentucky’s thrilling comeback win over Gonzaga in Seattle on December 7.
Garrison made the leap to the University of Kentucky as a transfer after kicking off his college journey at Oklahoma State, where he spent one season (2023-24) with his home-state team. Throughout that single season as a Cowboy, Garrison showcased his skills in all 32 games, starting in 29 of them. He averaged an impressive 7.5 points and 5.3 rebounds in just under 23 minutes of play each game. Notably, he hit an impressive 57.2% (91 of 159) of his shots from the field, leading Oklahoma State in dunks with a total of 22.
In a twist of fate, Garrison achieved his career bests of 21 points and 12 free-throw attempts in a game against Pope, which took place during an Oklahoma State win over BYU in February 2024—ironically, the former school of his coach. Prior to his college success, Garrison earned a spot in the prestigious McDonald’s All-American Game in 2023 while playing for Del City High in Oklahoma. In his senior year, he averaged 15.7 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, 1.2 steals, and 1.7 blocks per game, highlighted by a standout performance of 17 points and 16 rebounds in a thrilling 37-35 overtime triumph against Carl Albert for the Class 5A state championship. Garrison was also a crucial member of Del City’s 5A state championship team.