When Ryan Hampton's commitment came on a Sunday morning in June, Kentucky fans began to believe that Mark Pope had finally turned a recruiting corner. After whiffing on No. 1 overall recruit Tyran Stokes (among many others), the Cats coach found his groove with Milan Momcilovic and Hampton back to back. And now, I'm here to predict his next "big get," if you will.
On what basis, you might ask? We're running this thing on pure vibes. I believe that five-star big Paul Osaruyi, one of the most athletic and all around compelling prospects in the 2027 class, will end up in the blue and white. Not only is he currently working to set up a visit, but with no forward momentum at that position after this season, Pope going after a paint presence next makes too much sense.
And again, the vibes are off the charts here. Just take a look at this clip from Hoop Herald of Osaruyi throwing down an effortless between-the-legs jam:
Class of 2027 Paul Osaruyi is a FREAK athlete
— Hoop Herald (@TheHoopHerald) July 21, 2026
Not sure I have ever seen a drop step Eastbay before
INSANE athlete
Sources say he is visiting Kentucky soon pic.twitter.com/rYz5ajoyLA
Although, if Pope wants to take the lead in this recruitment - or potentially even land Osaruyi on his pending visit - there may be a school already pushing ahead that Kentucky will have to leap.
Kentucky Must Beat the Pack for Paul Osaruyi
247Sports has the West Virginia Mountaineers at the top of Osaruyi's list of suitors, slated as the only program of the vast bunch with apparent "warm" interest. Arkansas (ugh), Indiana, Kansas, and North Carolina are also notably involved. It's gonna be an all-out war for the five-star.
But it should be - Osaruyi is built like an NBA big, at 6-foot-10, 220 lbs, and is ranked as a top 15 player nationally for a reason. Whether you put him at the four or the five, his ability to get a full head of steam downhill looks basically unmatched in this class. He finishes well at the rim, even through contact, and excels with put-backs and offensive boards.
He's the typical "body on the line" big that can make all the difference in the SEC. And, alongside the aforementioned Hampton, he'd help form a nationally feared duo at Rupp Arena.
A Nationally Feared Duo Under Mark Pope
Not even considering who could potentially return on next year's team, Osaruyi would help anchor Kentucky's lineup next to Hampton's more spry, score-first build and style of play. It's a give and a take between two players, only Kentucky takes everything and it's only their opponents who give.
What's more, Coach Pope could use another decisive recruiting win like this one. I'd say that the fans' current faith in him is still higher than it's been in a long while, but catapult the Cats' 2027 class into top contention with Osaruyi's commitment?
We may be nearing introductory press conference levels of energy from the BBN at that point. I'm chalking this up as my official recruiting prediction... just don't hold me to it.
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