Deron Rippey Jr. and Christian Collins to visit Kentucky together
Kentucky basketball’s recruiting board just circled a weekend in bright blue ink.
Per KSR, five-star point guard Deron Rippey Jr. has rescheduled his long-awaited Lexington visit for Oct. 3–5 — and he won’t be the only headliner in town. That same weekend, the Cats will also host Christian Collins, the No. 2 overall prospect and top power forward in the Class of 2025, according to 247Sports.
Weather delays pushed back Rippey’s first trip, but the New Jersey floor general says the change in timing might have been fate.
“I love how (Kentucky) continued on the winning program after Coach (John) Calipari left,” Rippey told KSR. “Mark Pope, I think he’s a very high-level coach, he’s a guard’s coach, he’s just an overall savant of the game of basketball. Using that terminology, I think I’m a high-level point guard that can think the game fast, so being able to play for a coach like that will be important for me.”
Rippey’s admiration for Pope’s guard-first mentality could mesh beautifully with Collins’ frontcourt dominance. If the two click during the visit, the Wildcats might just be looking at a foundational 1–4 pairing for years to come.
The timing works well for both recruits — football will be out of town playing Georgia in Athens, but Keeneland will be in full swing. If history is any guide, few recruiting tools are more effective than a fall afternoon at the track.
Rippey’s visit slate underscores how hotly contested his recruitment will be. His current itinerary:
Miami (Aug. 27–29)
North Carolina (Aug. 31–Sept. 2)
Alabama (Sept. 12–14)
Texas (Sept. 19–21)
Syracuse (Sept. 26–28)
Kentucky (Oct. 3–5)
Indiana (Oct. 17–19)
Tennessee (Oct. 25–26)
Kansas (Nov. 1–3)
That’s a murderer’s row of programs, but Kentucky will get him with Collins which could be a big selling factor for both, giving Pope and his staff the chance to make the last lasting impression before the early signing period heats up.