Mark Pope is showing all the haters, Kentucky basketball recruiting is going nowhere but up
Mark Pope and his staff are wasting no time swinging for the biggest names in recruiting — and the work they’re doing right now could pay off in a massive way for Kentucky basketball’s future.
Recently, Kentucky hosted Tyran Stokes, the consensus No. 1 player in the 2026 class, on an official visit. Pope and his staff are working hard to close the deal on the 6-7 forward, who has long been one of the most talked-about high school prospects in the country. Stokes has elite athleticism, positional versatility, and a game tailor-made for the modern college game. Getting Stokes would immediately give Kentucky a program centerpiece in the 2026 class.
But Pope isn’t stopping there.
According to Jacob Polacheck of KSR, Kentucky is also heavily involved with Baba Oladotun, the early No. 1 ranked player in the 2027 class. Oladotun, a 6-foot-9 wing out of James Blake High School in Maryland, has quickly built a reputation as one of the elite long-term prospects in the country. The scouting report from NBADraftRoom.com is glowing:
“Baba is an elite recruit in the 2027 recruiting class. A long and wiry wing with big-time shooting ability, he has a chance to grow into a special high school player and one of the top recruits in his class. He’s got great size for his age and good movement skills. Has the length to be disruptive on defense but will have to add strength. At this point, his shooting and overall scoring ability really stand out.”
At 6-9, 175 pounds, Oladotun already possesses a rare combination of length, fluidity, and pure shooting touch for a player his age. Simply put: his ceiling is enormous.
Oladotun’s father recently spoke with KSR and emphasized that because Baba is still so young, he wants to “handle all the calls” and conversations with coaches personally. But one thing is already very clear — the family has been captivated by what Pope is building at Kentucky. In fact, just a month ago, Oladotun’s father said he was “almost brought to tears” watching Pope's first season in Lexington, calling what’s happening “very historic.”
Landing both Stokes and Oladotun would be a recruiting one-two punch that could set the table for Kentucky’s next championship run in two consecutive seasons. The 2024 class has laid a strong foundation, these next three cycles have the potential to build even more on that.
Mark Pope made a national statement in year one. Now he’s aiming to back it up by going head-to-head for the very best.