Mark Pope’s recruiting reach keeps stretching west, and Kentucky Basketball is back in Utah with another scholarship offer for the Class of 2028.
The latest name on the board is Evan Willis, a 5-star prospect from Hurricane, Utah. That adds another high-level target to a 2028 recruiting push that has already picked up steam, with Pope and his staff offering top-five players Bamba Touray and Colton Hiller earlier this week.
Willis brings the kind of profile that jumps off the screen. He’s listed at 6-foot-7 and plays above the rim with real ease, gliding through the air with the ball in his hands.
He’s also already showing a willingness to defend, which stands out at this stage. His outside shot is still a work in progress, but his midrange game is already at a college level.
The highlight reel draws a comparison to what Braydon Hawthorne looked like during his senior season, and there’s also the kind of lean frame that leaves room for projection. Even so, the source of his appeal is clear: Willis has the tools to become an elite-level player, and his game already carries plenty of polish.
Kentucky’s Utah connection continues to show up in these offers, and this one reaches a different corner of the state than Collin Chandler’s high school stop in Farmington. The distance is notable, but the recruiting message is the same: Pope and his staff are working hard to build real traction with elite 2028 talent.
For now, Willis is simply the newest big-name addition to that list. And if Kentucky can land him, it would be a strong place to start.
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La Familia Survived A Tense TBT Test And Kentucky Fans Will Care
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For Kentucky fans, the appeal is obvious: this roster still has enough talent and enough familiarity to make every round feel like a reunion with a purpose. The next hurdle is still to be determined, with La Familia waiting on the winner of JHX Hoops and Aftershocks, and if this one was any indication, the margin for error is going to stay thin. [Read more 🡒]