Kentucky Basketball Recruiting: Mark Pope’s Offers to the 2025 Class
Kentucky basketball has already made a significant move in the 2025 recruiting cycle, securing a commitment from local standout Malachi Moreno. However, the work for first-year head coach Mark Pope and his staff is far from over. According to 247Sports, the Wildcats have extended scholarship offers to 17 other prospects in the 2025 class. Among them, only five-star point guard Darius Acuff Jr. has committed elsewhere, choosing to join John Calipari at Arkansas last month.
Kentucky’s chances with the top-ranked player in the 2025 class, AJ Dybantsa, appear slim. Despite offering him a scholarship, the Wildcats did not make the final seven schools on Dybantsa’s list. Additionally, another top-10 prospect, Meleek Thomas, has also trimmed his list to seven schools, excluding Kentucky.
Here’s an overview of the top uncommitted 2025 recruits with offers from Kentucky:
Nate Ament
- School: Highland (Warrenton, Virginia)
- Position: Power Forward
- National Ranking: 13
- Position Ranking: 5
- What to Know: Nate Ament, a 6-foot-9 power forward, received an offer from Kentucky in June and is scheduled to visit Lexington next week. Known for his versatility, Ament is considering several top programs and will likely make his decision after the early signing period in November. He has praised Pope’s coaching style, especially his offensive schemes, and has shown a strong interest in Kentucky’s program.
Cameron Boozer
- School: Columbus (Miami)
- Position: Power Forward
- National Ranking: 2
- Position Ranking: 1
- What to Know: Cameron Boozer is one of the most sought-after recruits in the 2025 class. While Kentucky initially made him a priority, recent reports suggest that Duke and Miami are leading the race for his commitment. Pope and his staff have made significant efforts to stay in the running, but the Wildcats’ chances are considered slim.
Cayden Boozer
- School: Columbus (Miami)
- Position: Point Guard
- National Ranking: 18
- Position Ranking: 3
- What to Know: Cayden Boozer, Cameron’s twin brother, is also a highly regarded prospect. Although not as highly ranked as his brother, he has expressed interest in Kentucky. Despite speculation that the Boozer twins might attend college together, it’s unclear if Kentucky remains a serious contender.
Niko Bundalo
- School: Prolific Prep (Napa, California)
- Position: Power Forward
- National Ranking: 23
- Position Ranking: 8
- What to Know: Niko Bundalo is a rising star who recently transferred to Prolific Prep for his senior season. Kentucky is among the eight finalists for Bundalo, who plans to visit Lexington in October. However, with Kansas entering the mix, his recruitment remains wide open.
Brayden Burries
- School: Eleanor Roosevelt (San Bernardino, California)
- Position: Combo Guard
- National Ranking: 14
- Position Ranking: 3
- What to Know: Kentucky extended an offer to Brayden Burries last month, and he has quickly become one of the top guards in the 2025 cycle. Despite interest from numerous high-profile programs, Burries has yet to set up any official visits. He is known for his impressive performance at Peach Jam and is expected to make a decision by January.
Chris Cenac
- School: Link Academy (Branson, Missouri)
- Position: Center
- National Ranking: 16
- Position Ranking: 1
- What to Know: Chris Cenac is the top-rated center in the 2025 class. Kentucky is among the 12 finalists for Cenac, who has yet to take any official visits. Cenac’s perimeter-oriented game makes him a unique prospect, and Kentucky’s offensive system could be a good fit for him.
BYU (Mark Pope) | Five-Out Offense
Tenets of Pope's offense:
🏀 Keeping the lane open (hence Five-Out)
🏀 And the refusal to "fight the defense" – when overplayed simply cut into the open space near the rim#5outsummer pic.twitter.com/4H5JRHhSnG— Radius Athletics (@RadiusAthletics) April 12, 2024
Jasper Johnson
- School: Overtime Elite (Atlanta)
- Position: Shooting Guard
- National Ranking: 10
- Position Ranking: 2
- What to Know: Jasper Johnson’s recruitment has been a roller coaster, with various schools emerging as front-runners at different times. Kentucky is reportedly back in the mix, with recent predictions favoring a UK commitment. Johnson, a Lexington native, could be a significant addition to Pope’s 2025 class.
Acaden Lewis
- School: Sidwell Friends (Washington)
- Position: Combo Guard
- National Ranking: 47
- Position Ranking: 8
- What to Know: Acaden Lewis, a four-star combo guard, is considering Kentucky among his eight finalists. He plans to commit around the November early signing period, with an official visit to Kentucky expected soon. Despite strong competition from other schools, Kentucky remains in the running for Lewis.
Braylon Mullins
- School: Greenfield-Central (Greenfield, Indiana)
- Position: Shooting Guard
- National Ranking: 73
- Position Ranking: 13
- What to Know: Kentucky is reportedly confident in its chances with Braylon Mullins, one of the top shooters in the 2025 class. Mullins has scheduled an official visit to Kentucky in October, and his connection with Moreno could play a role in his decision.
Koa Peat
- Position: Power Forward
- National Ranking: 5
- Position Ranking: 3
- What to Know: Koa Peat earned an offer from Kentucky in 2023 and included the Wildcats among his 10 finalists. However, Kentucky’s focus has since shifted, and Arizona is now the presumed leader for Peat’s commitment.
Darryn Peterson
- School: Prolific Prep (Napa, California)
- Position: Combo Guard
- National Ranking: 3
- Position Ranking: 1
- What to Know: Darryn Peterson remains a top priority for Kentucky, but Kansas is widely considered the favorite due to Peterson’s ties with Adidas. Despite Pope’s efforts to keep Kentucky in the mix, Peterson’s recruitment seems to be leaning towards Kansas.
Eric Reibe
- School: Bullis (Potomac, Maryland)
- Position: Center
- National Ranking: 38
- Position Ranking: 4
- What to Know: Eric Reibe was expected to take an official visit to Kentucky next month, but Moreno’s commitment may change the Wildcats’ plans. Kentucky is reportedly considering only one center in the 2025 class, and Reibe’s interest in Kentucky could hinge on Pope’s ongoing recruitment strategy.
Caleb Wilson
- School: Holy Innocents’ Episcopal (Atlanta)
- Position: Power Forward
- National Ranking: 4
- Position Ranking: 2
- What to Know: Caleb Wilson has emerged as a key target for Kentucky, with the Wildcats earning one of his two official visits. Wilson will visit Kentucky in September, shortly after a trip to Alabama. His performance at Peach Jam, where he earned defensive MVP honors, has solidified his status as a top prospect.
Tounde Yessoufou
- School: St. Joseph (Santa Maria, California)
- Position: Power Forward
- National Ranking: 20
- Position Ranking: 6
- What to Know: Tounde Yessoufou is another rising star who has caught Kentucky’s attention. He is scheduled to visit Kentucky for Big Blue Madness in October and has expressed admiration for Pope’s coaching style. Yessoufou is expected to make a decision between November and January.
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