Kentucky is still in the hunt for one of the best wings in the 2027 class, but the clock is ticking.
Five-star small forward AJ Williams has trimmed his recruitment to 10 schools, according to Rivals’ Joe Tipton, and the Wildcats made the cut. Kentucky is joined by Arkansas, Auburn, BYU, Duke, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Illinois, Mississippi State and North Carolina.
Williams, a 6-foot-7 senior at Eagles Landing Christian Academy (GA), said he is working through plans for several official visits. He has already taken unofficial visits to Duke, Auburn and Georgia Tech.
The race may be trending toward the top of the list already. BYU and Georgia have been mentioned as the likely landing spots, with the Cougars currently viewed as the favorite.
Williams recently reclassified from 2028 to 2027, and the move only sharpened the spotlight on a prospect who already sits near the top of the rankings. He is rated No. 4 overall in the 2027 class and No. 2 among small forwards in the Rivals Industry Ranking.
His production backs up the buzz. Last season, he averaged 31.8 points and 12.7 rebounds per game as a sophomore at Eagles Landing. This summer with Team CP3 on the Nike EYBL circuit, he put up 19.3 points, 7.9 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game.
Williams also added a gold medal with USA Basketball at the FIBA U17 AmeriCup to his résumé.
A long list of major programs had already extended offers, including UConn, USC, Kansas, Florida State, Alabama, Miami, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Louisville and Indiana, but they did not make his final 10.
A commitment is expected during the early signing period, and Williams told Tipton that a decision is expected this fall. Kentucky’s window to get him on campus and make its case is a short one.
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For a program that is often gauged not just by wins and losses but by how often it shows up in the national conversation, that kind of exposure matters. The weekly Nielsen tracking has made clear that the SEC is still the center of gravity for college footballs biggest audiences, and Kentuckys place on that list is another reminder that even early-season results can have a wide reach. The more interesting question now is whether the Wildcats can keep turning those kinds of spotlight games into something bigger once the ratings numbers stop and the real pressure starts. [Read more 🡒]
Kentuckys 2027 Class Still Hinges On Two Huge Frontcourt Battles
Kentucky has at least gotten off the board early for 2027 with the addition of four-star forward Ryan Hampton, a useful first step as the Wildcats start shaping another recruiting class around size and long-term upside. Even so, the frontcourt picture is still very much in flux, especially after five-star power forward Marcus Spears Jr. wrapped up his recruitment early by choosing Texas.
That leaves Kentucky continuing to chase several other high-end bigs, with CJ Rosser and Lewis Uvwo both still in play as they sort through multiple programs. Both prospects have official visits on the schedule, and those trips should go a long way toward showing whether Kentucky can turn one early commitment into a stronger foundation in the paint. [Read more 🡒]
Former Wildcats Just Sent A Loud Week 1 NFL Message
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ZaDarius Smith and Josh Hines-Allen were among the biggest defensive standouts, each piling up pressure off the edge, while Deone Walker was part of Buffalos late push in a tight win over Houston. WanDale Robinson also kept his name in the box score by leading his team in receptions and yards, and Luke Fortner was in the starting lineup at center, another reminder that Kentuckys pro pipeline is still producing players who are hard to miss when the games count. [Read more 🡒]