According to Joe Tipton of On3, Kentucky will host Sam Houston guard Lamar Wilkerson on a visit as Pope looks to add elite shooting to his backcourt. Wilkerson, a 6-foot-5 junior from Arkansas, just finished a breakout season that put him on everyone’s radar — and now he’s weighing offers from some of the SEC’s best.
Wilkerson is also expected to visit Indiana, Auburn, and Ole Miss before making his final decision.
But what sets Kentucky apart? Opportunity.
Wilkerson averaged 20.5 points per game last season, shooting an impressive 44.5% from three and 47.7% from the field. The kid can flat-out score. He also added 4.0 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.1 steals per game. He’s not just a shooter — he competes on both ends and brings a gritty, veteran presence.
And Pope needs a guy like him.
People will focus on the shooting — and they should — but don’t overlook Wilkerson’s rebounding. Pulling down 4 boards a night as a 6'5" guard shows a willingness to mix it up in the paint and help out defensively. He’s a 205-pound physical guard who could be an instant contributor in the SEC.
Kentucky’s current backcourt has athleticism and potential. Adding Wilkerson would bring proven production.
The next step for Pope is clear: build out the frontcourt, keep recruiting his own players to stay, and find the right balance of talent and toughness. With Wilkerson, he gets both — plus the kind of microwave scorer that can win you games in March. The Cats had good scorers last year, Oweh could take a game over. However, Oweh was not the same 3 point shooter as Wilkerson, meaning teams could back up off him. They can't afford to do that with Lamar, and that makes him super dangerous.
One visit down, a few more to go. But Kentucky’s officially in the mix — and with the way Pope is recruiting, don’t count out the Wildcats.