Yes, Thursday night's exhibition loss to Georgetown was ugly. It was a jarring, disjointed performance that left a bad taste in everyone's mouth. But as Big Blue Nation collectively tries to rinse that 84-70 reality check away, some huge news just dropped on the recruiting trail that serves as a powerful reminder of the program's bright future.
Tyran Stokes, the consensus No. 1 overall recruit in the country, just announced his final three schools. And the Wildcats are still firmly in the hunt.
A battle of blue bloods and Nike billions
Stokes, whose secretive recruitment has kept fans and analysts guessing for months, officially cut his list, and it's a heavyweight fight: Kentucky, Kansas, and Oregon. (Sorry, Louisville, you didn't make the final list). This sets the stage for a massive recruiting battle for the undisputed best player in high school basketball.
A 6-foot-8, physically imposing "point forward," Stokes is a generational talent drawing comparisons to elite playmakers for his incredible court vision and passing ability at his size. He’s a versatile, positionless mismatch who can bully defenders to the rim or find the open man with ease.
The competition is fierce. Oregon can offer an unparalleled financial pitch, backed by Nike co-founder Phil Knight's deep involvement in Eugene. Kansas offers another historic blue-blood program where Stokes could immediately compete for a national title. However, the Jayhawks' status as an Adidas school might be a significant NIL disadvantage compared to the two Nike powerhouses remaining.
This leaves Kentucky in a very strong position. Mark Pope can offer Stokes the best of both worlds: the unparalleled prestige and championship legacy of a blue-blood plus the full marketing power of a premier Nike school. With the real season tipping off Tuesday, this news is the perfect reminder that while exhibitions can be ugly, the ultimate goal, landing generational talent and chasing Banner 9, is still right on track. We just hope he chooses Kentucky.
Drew Holbrook is an avid Kentucky fan who has been covering the Cats for over 10 years. In his free time he enjoys downtime with his family and Premier League soccer. You can find him on X here. Micah 7:7. #UptheAlbion