The arrival of Tyran Stokes and Rob Wright III in Lexington on Monday night took the Big Blue Nation by storm. Painted banners calling for the recruits to commit to Kentucky went viral, in addition to the nation's No. 1 recruit himself, Stokes, going live on Instagram to showcase a late-night shootaround in Rupp Arena. We're all going nuts in the bluegrass, and you couldn't blame us if you tried.
It's just exciting to see big names land in Lexington with positive momentum. Of course, Mark Pope still has to close, but reeling Wright - arguably the transfer portal's top point guard - in at the same time as Stokes was an especially sharp recruiting strategy; and it doesn't stop there.
Per Jeff Goodman, Kentucky is hosting transfer forward Donnie Freeman for a visit today. To what extent his trip will overlap with the previous two guys is unclear, but if Pope's idea is to stack all his favorite prospects and sell them on one another, he's certainly making the most of it.
Making the Most of a Timeline
Even if Kentucky doesn't land all three players - a truly insane thought - you've got to give Pope props for squeezing Stokes, Wright, and Freeman into what is essentially the same window.
Much has already been said about what the former two prospects bring to the table; Freeman, as opposed to two shot-creating, boasts a well-rounded presence in the paint. A potential pairing with Malachi Moreno could yield an SEC-best frontcourt, allowing Kentucky's current big to flourish alongside a veteran one year his senior in the process.
Last season with the Syracuse Orange, Freeman averaged 16.5 points and seven boards per contest, holding things together down low for a program that would soon rebuild upon his leave. Posting just barely below one block and steal on a nightly basis, too, Freeman's defense would do well to spell the absence of Mo Dioubate at the same spot down low.
The expected issue? The Wildcats aren't the only team after him.
Pope Isn't Pursuing Alone
The aforementioned Goodman noted that Freeman is, as of right now, eyeing a visit to UConn this weekend. Whether or not that happens could be down to the success of his time with Pope and Kentucky.
That begins right now. In addition to his name on the "Banner Boys'" signage, Coach Pope needs to do anything he can to land Freeman and basically tie a bow on Kentucky's frontcourt. Stokes and Wright are one thing on their own, but throw Freeman into the mix, too?
You've got an undeniable recipe for massive national success. The BBN are fully locked in, waiting (mostly) patiently for what feels like imminent news.
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