Full court press: A complete guide to Kentucky’s 2026 basketball recruiting board
If Mark Pope had any doubts about what his second full recruiting cycle would look like at Kentucky, the 2026 board makes it crystal clear—this staff is going hard after wings.
With 17 total offers out to rising high school juniors, Kentucky has prioritized the small forward and power forward spots more than any other position. Seven small forwards and four power forwards headline the list, along with four point guards, one shooting guard, one combo guard, and one center.
The shift is strategic. In the transfer portal era, most elite bigs and backcourt leaders come from the portal. But the wings—versatile, switchable, foundational pieces—are still being molded in high school, and Pope is aiming to mold them in Kentucky blue.
Let’s break it down:
Point Guards (4)
– Brandon McCoy (St. John Bosco, CA) – No. 3 PG nationally. Mark Pope visited in 2024. OV to Duke (Nov. 1).
– Jason Crowe Jr. (Inglewood, CA) – Committed to Missouri.
– Taylen Kinney (Overtime Elite) – OV to Kentucky (June 24); other visits include Purdue, Louisville, Kansas, Indiana, Oregon, Texas, Arkansas.
– Deron Rippey Jr. (Blair Academy, NJ) – OV to Kentucky (Aug. 1); others: Miami, UNC, Alabama, Texas, Syracuse, Indiana, Tennessee.
Shooting Guard (1)
– Jordan Smith (Paul VI, VA) – OV to Kentucky (Oct. 10); also visited Duke, Louisville, Arkansas.
Combo Guard (1)
– Ikenna Alozie (Dream City Christian, AZ) – Pope visited in April. OV to Alabama (Sept. 5).
Small Forwards (7)
– Caleb Holt (Prolific Prep, FL) – OV to Kentucky (Sept. 12); others: Ole Miss, Alabama, Auburn.
– Tajh Ariza (St. John Bosco, CA) – OV to Oregon, UNC, USC.
– Anthony Thompson (Western Reserve, OH) – Pope has visited. No OVs yet.
– Qayden Samuels (Bishop McNamara, MD) – No visits scheduled.
– Cole Cloer (IMG Academy, FL) – OV to Louisville (Aug. 30), Florida (Sept. 6), Alabama (Oct. 18).
– Bryson Howard (Heritage, TX) – OV to Texas (Sept. 12).
– Maximo Adams (Sierra Canyon, CA) – No visits scheduled.
Power Forwards (4)
– Tyran Stokes (Notre Dame, CA) – OV to Kentucky (June 8); also visited Kansas and Louisville.
– Christian Collins (St. John Bosco, CA) – OV to Kentucky (Oct. 12), USC (Aug. 30).
– Cameron Williams (St. Mary's, AZ) – OV to Kentucky (Sept. 26); also visiting Texas, Purdue, Duke, USC.
– Miikka Muurinen (Compass Prep, AZ) – OVs to Arkansas (Sept. 20), Michigan (Sept. 14).
Center (1)
– Arafan Diane (Iowa United Prep) – No visits scheduled.
It’s early, but this 2026 class is shaping up as a blueprint of Pope’s recruiting philosophy. Go after top guys that fit his culture.