The college basketball landscape is shifting-and fast. With recent moves like James Nnaji (Baylor) and Charles Bediako (Alabama) returning to the NCAA ranks, the traditional route from high school to college to the pros is starting to look more like a choose-your-own-adventure. And now, Kentucky might be the next big program to tap into that evolving pipeline.
Enter Dink Pate, a name that’s already carved out a place in basketball history. In 2023, he became the youngest professional basketball player in U.S. history, bypassing college to join the G League Ignite straight out of high school. Now 19, Pate is playing for the Westchester Knicks and weighing a decision that could shake up the college hoops scene: a return to the NCAA.
Pate isn’t rushing the process. He’s committed to finishing out his G League season before making any final call, but he’s open about the fact that college basketball is on the table. And Kentucky, with its storied program and fresh coaching staff under Mark Pope, is firmly in the mix.
There’s already a strong connection in place. Wildcats assistant coach Jason Hart previously worked with Pate during his time with G League Ignite, and that relationship appears to be a major factor in Kentucky’s interest. The two have stayed in touch since Hart joined the Wildcats’ staff, and that familiarity could give Kentucky a leg up in what’s shaping up to be a crowded field of suitors.
While Pate says he hasn’t committed to any school-and that his agent is fielding interest from over 50 programs-Kentucky is currently the only school he’s speaking with directly. That’s a telling detail, especially considering the timing.
The Wildcats have yet to land a commitment for next season, either from the high school ranks or the transfer portal, which doesn’t open for several more months. Adding a talent like Pate could be a foundational piece for Pope’s vision moving forward.
What stands out about Pate’s potential move is the mindset behind it. He’s not viewing this as a step back, but rather a second chance at a college experience he initially passed on. And he’s doing it with a long-term view toward the NBA still firmly in place.
“I’m going to finish out the season, regardless,” Pate said, noting that he’s been told there’s a strong chance he’ll receive NCAA clearance-and that the Knicks are supportive of his situation.
He also took note of Mark Pope’s recent comments about G League players making the jump to college, calling them encouraging. For a player like Pate, who’s still the same age as many college freshmen, the move makes sense. He’s not trying to reset his career-he’s trying to expand it.
“It sounds like he’s with it,” Pate said of Pope’s stance. “Like I said the first time with this experience, I can do it, and I’m going to do it.
I’m 19. I’m not 25.
Everybody else who’s doing it is way older than me. I’m the exact age as these other dudes that are in the system right now.”
That’s the key point here. Pate’s not a grizzled veteran coming back to dominate college kids-he is a college kid, just one who took a different path. And now, with the NCAA’s eligibility rules evolving and programs like Kentucky looking to build in bold new ways, his timing couldn’t be better.
Whether or not Pate ends up in Lexington, his situation is a sign of the times. The G League-to-college route may not be the norm yet, but it’s no longer a novelty. And for a program like Kentucky, always looking for the next edge, this could be a move that pays off in a big way.