In a surprising turn of events, elite 2026 guard Jason Crowe Jr. has committed to the Missouri Tigers, passing on a heavily anticipated offer from the Kentucky Wildcats.
Crowe, a 6-foot-3, 170-pound combo guard, made his announcement on Friday via a live stream on CBS Sports HQ. The highly coveted recruit is considered a consensus top-15 player in the 2026 class, with ESPN ranking him as high as No. 4 overall. 247Sports slots him at No. 5, while Rivals ranks him 13th.
Crowe’s decision deals a blow to Kentucky, who had long been in the mix for the talented guard. His father, Jason Crowe Sr., is a close friend of UK assistant coach Jason Hart, a connection that had many believing the Wildcats were strong contenders.
However, momentum gradually shifted toward Missouri in recent weeks, and by the time decision day arrived, Kentucky was no longer viewed as a frontrunner.
With Crowe off the board, the Wildcats will now shift their recruiting focus to other top prospects. Kentucky has made notable progress with 5-star point guard Derron Rippey Jr., who received an offer in June and is scheduled to take an official visit to Lexington on August 1. The Wildcats are also gaining ground in the recruitment of 5-star shooting guard Caleb Holt.
While Crowe’s commitment marks a recruiting loss, Kentucky remains in the hunt for top-tier talent as Coach Mark Pope looks to reload for the future.
