Cats fans, your second bout of brutal waiting is finally over. After landing Zoom Diallo in a big commitment earlier this week, Mark Pope and Kentucky have officially secured his backcourt running mate in the form of portal highlight Alex Wilkins (per Joe Tipton).
Wilkins, who should be set to play the two-spot for Kentucky, impressed high-majors in his most recent season with the Furman Paladins on the basis of his outlandish scoring prowess. Scoring 18 points per game on 46% shooting from the field, the guard was bound to get attention from a number of big-name schools this offseason.
Now, amidst noise that Alabama was pushing hard for Wilkins, Pope and Kentucky's pitch evidently won out. Wilkins will join the aforementioned Diallo in what may end up being one of the best backcourt's in the SEC. The two provide a perfect bedrock for Pope to build the rest of his 2026-27 team on, too.
Kentucky Wins Out For Wilkins
Alabama and Nate Oats aren't unfamiliar with Kentucky recruiting battles, as Pope and the Wildcats won out last year for Jasper Johnson in similar fashion. What exactly sold Wilkins on Lexington is unclear, but the Big Blue Nation should be thrilled with what he brings to the roster.
In addition to his high-level scoring - the guard dropped 21 points on UConn in the first round of this year's NCAA Tournament - Wilkins also averaged just below five assists and a steal per contest, too.
He's the sort of well-rounded playmaker that bigger schools tend to grab a few years into their collegiate careers. Kentucky, though, lucked out; Wilkins is headed into just his second year, boasting a great potential for even further improvement from here on out.
As Pope now likely turns his attention to the frontcourt, the Wilkins commitment should take at least a measure of pressure off of his shoulders. With back-to-back grabs, Pope has answered perhaps the biggest issue with this past year's Kentucky team.
The Wildcats have a backcourt that can score, and score plentifully. Diallo and Wilkins are only the start of what is (cautiously) shaping up to be an promising third year for Mark Pope's regime.
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