Mark Pope is already stacking the board for Kentucky’s future, and the latest moves show the Wildcats aren’t waiting around to get involved with the next wave of elite talent.
Kentucky has begun extending offers to 2028 prospects, and two five-stars have quickly emerged as especially notable targets: guard Brady Pettigrew and forward Evan Willis.
Pettigrew was the first to make his Kentucky offer public, posting it on X with a Kentucky-heavy message:
Blessed to receive an offer from the university of Kentucky!!🤍💙 pic.twitter.com/quXn78yQw0
- Brady Pettigrew (@BradyPettigreww) July 21, 2026
Pope had been in person to watch Pettigrew at Peach Jam this past week, and that presence clearly mattered. According to KSR, Pettigrew came away impressed by Kentucky’s effort and said: "[Pope is] that guy in college basketball."
At 6-foot-3 and 185 pounds, Pettigrew looks like the kind of guard built for the SEC, and he was only the first of Kentucky’s early 2028-29 targets to surface.
Willis followed with his own offer announcement on social media after Kentucky was on hand to watch him at the NXTPRO Puma Circuit in Texas this past weekend. The top-five prospect, per 247Sports, gave the staff enough to move quickly, and Kentucky’s interest fits the type of player Pope has been chasing: shot creators who can score at multiple levels.
Willis also brings value on the defensive end. He has a nose for the ball and the athleticism to challenge shots around the rim with the bigger players.
Kentucky has been busy with plenty of other offer announcements as well, including four-star wing Howard Williams, but Pettigrew and Willis stand out as especially strong early wins. Landing one would put the Wildcats in a good spot. Landing both would be something else entirely.
With reclassification talk still very much in play, either player could end up in a class sooner than expected. NIL has changed the recruiting landscape enough that the old lines don’t really hold anymore, and some schools may already be recruiting Pettigrew and Willis with that possibility in mind.
For Kentucky, the next step is simple: build the relationship, get them on campus, and keep pushing. If that happens, and “The Closer” Mo Williams gets involved, things could move fast.
In Other News...
Goose Givens Just Singled Out One Kentucky Frontcourt Addition
Mark Popes frontcourt overhaul has given Kentucky a pair of new power forwards to sort through this summer, and Justin McBride has already started to separate himself in the eyes of people around the program. The former James Madison standout arrives with a proven scoring rsum after averaging 15.3 points and 5.6 rebounds last season, while Ousmane NDiaye is the more likely candidate to open at the 4, giving the Wildcats a mix of size, skill and options as they settle into practice.
Among the early observers, Jack Goose Givens has been especially struck by McBride, who has drawn attention for how he has looked in workouts. Givens has pointed to the way McBride is moving and shooting as reasons for the buzz, and that kind of early impression matters in a rotation that figures to lean on both newcomers. Even if NDiaye is the name most associated with the starting job, McBride appears positioned to carve out meaningful minutes and become one of the more valuable pieces in Kentuckys frontcourt mix. [Read more 🡒]
Kentucky Recruiting Momentum Just Took Shape After A Huge Weekend
With the major AAU weekends now wrapped up, Kentuckys recruiting staff spent the live period doing what it does best at this time of year: identifying the next wave. The Wildcats were busy across the event circuit, evaluating top prospects in the 2027 and 2028 classes and turning that work into a fresh batch of offers, a sign that the program is already pressing ahead with the long view while keeping close tabs on players who stood out in real time.
Among the names to come out of the weekend were 2028 prospects Colton Hiller, Evan Willis, Bamba Touray, DJ Okoth and Brady Pettigrew, along with 2027 targets Asa Montgomery and Howard Williams. Kentucky also had eyes on Cayden Daughtry and Beckham Black during the live period, and the staff reportedly left with a few new names on its radar after a strong stretch of evaluation, the kind of momentum that can quietly shape a class before most fans even realize it is taking form. [Read more 🡒]
Kentucky Is Chasing A Guard Who Could Change Everything For Pope
Mark Pope has already landed one major piece for Kentuckys 2027 class in five-star guard Ryan Hampton, but the Wildcats are still working to build something bigger around him. The next name on their board is Reese Alston, the top-ranked point guard in the class and the son of former NBA guard Rafer Alston, who has been on Kentuckys radar since last year and remains one of the most intriguing guards in the country.
Kentucky got an early look at Alston with an unofficial visit last October, and an official visit is lined up for this fall, giving Popes staff another chance to make its case. Louisville is pushing hard as well, so this one has the feel of a recruiting fight that could shape the backcourt picture in Lexington for years to come. [Read more 🡒]