Mark Pope’s latest recruiting win didn’t slow Kentucky down for long.
After landing Mark Mitchell on Saturday to lock in the 2026-27 roster, the Wildcats are already pressing ahead with the next wave, and one of the biggest names on the board has set a date to come to Lexington. Benjamin “Benji” Berrouet will take an official visit to Kentucky on Oct. 9, according to 247’s Dushawn London. It will be his first official visit anywhere.
The timing is notable, with the football team hosting LSU at Kroger Field that same weekend. Kentucky is also still waiting on the announcement of one remaining basketball exhibition, and that event could land during Berrouet’s trip.
Berrouet is a 6-foot-8, 230-pound forward from McKinney, Texas, and he sits near the top of the 2028 class. Rivals Industry Ranking lists him as the No. 13 player nationally and the third-ranked small forward.
Kentucky has already spent plenty of time tracking him. The Wildcats were on hand at the Peach Jam, where KSR’s Zack Geoghegan spoke with Berrouet after Cody Fueger and Mo Williams watched from courtside.
“I mainly talk to Mo. We talk a lot,” Berrouet told KSR.
“He’s really real with you. He’s like a father figure to me.
He talks like a dad and he treats you nice, explains what you did wrong during the game so you can do better next game.”
Berrouet’s recruitment has also widened beyond Kentucky. Illinois and Louisville have recently jumped into the picture, while Ole Miss, USC, Texas, Baylor, and Houston are all involved.
He is not yet a consensus five-star prospect, but that may not last much longer. Berrouet helped Latvia win its first-ever U16 FIBA EuroBasket title and earned MVP honors after averaging 23.5 points, 15.0 rebounds, and 3.5 blocks across seven games. He closed out the tournament with 22 points and 13 rebounds in the championship game against Spain in Romania.
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