Can Mark Pope steal a star recruit from Calipari and Louisville?

Newport guard Tay Kinney has Kentucky in his newly announced top 8, but the Wildcats are playing from behind for the in-state talent

For the new coaching staff at Kentucky, the mission is clear: re-establish dominance and lock down the state’s borders. That mission is facing its first major tests in the recruitment of Tyran Stokes, and Tay Kinney, a dynamic guard from Newport, KY, who recently included the Wildcats in his top eight schools.

The list is a who's who of college basketball royalty: Kentucky, Louisville, Oregon, Texas, Kansas, Miami (FL), Indiana, and Arkansas. But for UK fans, two of those names stand out as major threats for the homegrown talent. Arch-rival, Louisville, and former coach, John Calipari, now at Arkansas.

Unfortunately for BBN, the early returns aren’t promising. According to 247Sports national analyst Travis Branham, Kentucky is currently fighting an uphill battle. "They're trying really hard on Tay Kinney, but I don't necessarily like their chances," Branham recently told the Herald-Leader. "I think Louisville is very much in the driver's seat."

The competition is stiff. Kinney already has official visits lined up with Calipari’s Razorbacks, along with Indiana, Oregon, and Texas.

So what makes Kinney such a coveted prospect? Adam Finkelstein, Director of Scouting for 247Sports, describes him as a "scoring and playmaking lead guard who is smooth and versatile." Finkelstein praises his "creative and crisp handle," his ability to score at all three levels, and his excellent passing instincts, noting he averages 5 assists per game. Standing just over 6-foot-1, he "plays much bigger than his size" thanks to a massive 6-foot-6-plus wingspan and a physical style of play.

Kinney is the total package, a modern combo guard who can both score and create for others. He's exactly the kind of player you can't let leave your backyard if you're Kentucky.

The question now becomes, can Mark Pope and his staff make up ground? They are clearly making him a priority, but with Louisville positioned as the favorite and an old coach making a hard push from Fayetteville, this recruitment will be a bare-knuckle brawl down to the wire. Landing Tay Kinney wouldn't just be a huge win on the court; it would be a massive statement for the new era of Kentucky basketball. But you can't miss on both Stokes and Kinney.

Drew Holbrook is an avid Kentucky fan who has been covering the Cats for over 10 years. In his free time, he spends time with his family, and watching Premiere League soccer. #UpTheAlbion