Recruiting never sleeps and, fitting, Mark Pope doesn't either. His shortcomings on that front this offseason have not been for a lack of trying; few coaches are as public with their consistent and tireless recruiting effort than the guy representing the blue and white.
While his work on this year's team isn't yet finished, Pope is already on the hunt for talent fitted from the 2027-28 class. Not only is he counting on this year's team to find greater success than most seem to expect, but he's hard at work to cover up his recruiting woes with big names out of next year's bunch.
Say what you want about them man, but he's doing all he can.
Coach Pope posted an road trip graphic on his X account. Tagged with a "Memphis, TN" banner, it appears that Kentucky's head coach is kicking things off with the Nike EYBL event, beginning on Friday.
Starting Things Off Down South
A ton of high-profile recruits will be competing at the event, but chief among them for Kentucky's interest may be LivOn's Ryan Hampton. We can't be completely sure, but I'd wager Pope has a conversation with the five-star forward before the two part ways this weekend.
— Mark Pope (@CoachMarkPope) May 15, 2026
Hampton, who is currently receiving similarly intense interest from LSU and SMU, among others, has been a rumored reclass candidate for weeks now. Kentucky already conducted an in-home visit with the high-ceiling wing, and a campus meeting could soon be in the works, if it isn't already.
Hampton won't be the only potential Wildcat racing on the Memphis circuit, but his potential relevance to the team's current roster makes him by far the most important.
Kentucky's pursuit of Milan Momcilovic seems to be the staff's top priority as far as the three-spot goes, but if that falls through, don't be surprised if a full pivot to Hampton is in order. Through my lens, he's a guy that checks a lot of the same boxes.
A Strong Potential Pivot
Momcilovic has more experience and a higher floor as a scorer on the collegiate level, it seems, but he's both considering the NBA Draft and other schools outside of Lexington. In Hampton, the Cats' are investing in a somewhat risky, although incredibly high-reward prospect that fits Pope's offensive bill to a tee.
He's a trim offensive prodigy that can score on multiple levels. Hampton may be a kind of on-off guy depending on the SEC defenses he's facing down, but surrounded with good passers and similar weapons, Kentucky may be able to unlock his full potential.
With a blue and white offer sitting on his table, this is one to keep circled as the offseason progresses. If Momcilovic falls through, Hampton could quicky become the Cats' go-to guy to plug a hole in th 2026-27 roster.
If not? Expect Kentucky to remain hot on his trail for next year's class. He's been circled by the staff, either way, and their pursuit isn't expected to fall off anytime soon with Pope headed to watch Hampton play.
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