Kentucky’s recruiting board for the 2027 class just got a little cleaner.
After landing a commitment from 5-star center Cherif Millogo on Wednesday morning, the Wildcats briefly lined up a visit for AJ Williams to come to Lexington this weekend. That trip is off now, though, according to Jack Pilgrim of KSR. Kentucky has canceled the visit and taken its name out of that race.
Pilgrim also reported that Mark Pope and Kentucky have backed out of the Adan Diggs pursuit as well. With Diggs now announcing his commitment date, Kentucky is no longer in the mix there either.
The move leaves some room for interpretation. One possibility is that Pope decided the asking price climbed too high and Kentucky wasn’t going to keep pushing.
Another is that the staff is simply shifting its focus elsewhere. At the moment, CJ Rosser is the only other player Kentucky has pursued in the 2027 class who is still uncommitted and still drawing interest from the Wildcats.
There are also two 2028 names still on Kentucky’s radar as possible reclass candidates: Yann Kamagate and Benji Bourret. Kamagate plays with and lives with Millogo, Kentucky’s newest 2027 pledge, and he also has ties to Alfred Aboya, who was recently added to the staff. Bourret, meanwhile, recently visited Kentucky and remains a possibility after not fully shutting the door on reclassifying.
For now, Kentucky’s 2027 class sits with two commitments in Millogo and Ryan Hampton. That may be enough, especially with the NCAA’s newest 5-for-5 model and the makeup of Kentucky’s current roster pointing toward a team that could lean heavily on retention next season.
Milan Momcilovic, Mason Williams, Alex Wilkins, Zoom Diallo, Kam Williams, Braydon Hawthorne, Ousmane N’Diaye, Justin McBride, Trent Noah, Zyon Hawthorne, Jerone Morton, and Reece Potter could all be back. Malachi Moreno could return too, though the expectation and hope is that he becomes a high draft pick in the 2027 NBA Draft.
So while this isn’t the end of the story, Kentucky stepping away from Williams and Diggs does suggest the next recruiting update may not come quickly.
In Other News...
Kentucky Just Lost Two Five-Star Paths At A Crucial Recruiting Moment
Kentuckys 2027 recruiting board took a hit at a time when the staff is trying to stay aggressive with elite talent. The Wildcats have officially removed themselves from consideration for five-star prospects AJ Williams and Adan Diggs, and Williams planned official visit to Lexington has been canceled. It is a notable turn in a cycle where every top-end target matters, especially as Kentucky keeps working to position itself with the classs best players.
Diggs list is now down to Arizona, Arkansas and USC, leaving Kentucky to regroup while still pursuing other high-profile names. The Wildcats remain in the mix for prospects such as CJ Rosser, Benji Berrouet and Yann Kamagate as the early signing period draws closer, and the next stretch will show whether the staff can turn its attention toward other priority targets without losing momentum. [Read more 🡒]
Zoom Diallo Just Gave Kentucky Fans A Reason To Believe
Zoom Diallos first few weeks in Kentucky uniform came with the usual noise that follows a high-profile transfer, especially after a couple of preseason exhibition outings that drew early criticism. But in the season opener against Manhattan, the Washington transfer gave fans something sturdier to hang onto, finishing with 12 points while also contributing in other ways that fit the role Mark Pope has been asking him to grow into.
Pope has been clear that Diallo is still working through the learning curve in Kentuckys offense, and the guards night was another reminder that development here is going to come with both good stretches and rough ones. Still, the reaction around him shifted quickly once the game started to settle in, and Diallo said he appreciated the support while staying focused on improving, which is exactly the kind of response Kentucky wants to see as the season moves forward. [Read more 🡒]
Kentucky Gets A Huge Opening In Its Biggest Tennessee Game Yet
Kentucky is walking into one of its biggest Tennessee games in recent memory with both teams carrying real early-season momentum. The Volunteers have leaned on a punishing rushing attack and a defense that has been tough to crack, which makes this a demanding test for a Wildcats offense that will have to find answers against one of the nations best pass defenses.
The opening Kentucky has been handed comes from the uncertainty under center for Tennessee, where the starting quarterback situation is still clouded by injury. Faizon Brandon and George MacIntyre have both seen the field this season, and the Wildcats will be watching closely to see which direction the Volunteers go when the stakes rise. For Kentucky, the path to turning a big-stage matchup into something more manageable may depend on whether that uncertainty lingers. [Read more 🡒]