Mark Pope Might Be Closing in on His Biggest Recruit Yet — Here’s the Twist

Kentucky hasn’t landed its first 2026 commitment yet, but the recruiting landscape just shifted in a huge way — and Mark Pope is already right in the middle of it.

On Saturday, Bruce Branch III, the No. 1 player in the class of 2027, officially reclassified into the 2026 class, according to 247Sports’ Travis Branham. The 6-foot-7, 190-pound forward now enters the new cycle as the No. 8 overall recruit, instantly becoming one of the most coveted prospects in the country.

Branham also listed several programs to keep an eye on, including:
Arizona, BYU, USC, Kentucky, Kansas, Indiana, and Louisville.

Kentucky Has Already Put in Serious Work

If you watched AAU action this summer, you probably saw Mark Pope and assistants Cody Fueger and Jason Hart posted courtside. Their interest wasn’t casual — it was consistent and intentional.

And Branch himself confirmed just how active Kentucky has been.

> “My boy Fueger… he’s texting me almost every day. We be FaceTiming, talking. I saw him in the stands — that’s one of my guys,”
— Branch to KSR’s Zack Geoghegan

That kind of relationship-building becomes even more valuable now that Branch is set to hit the college level sooner than expected.

The Offer List Is Already Elite

Branch, originally from Arizona and now playing at Prolific Prep in Florida, holds offers from nearly every major program you’d expect:
Houston, Arizona, Kansas, Indiana, Louisville, NC State, Tennessee, UCLA, LSU, and many more.

Kentucky hasn’t formally offered yet, but with Branch officially reclassifying and joining the 2026 class, that’s almost guaranteed to change — quickly.

What This Means for Kentucky’s 2026 Class

Kentucky is still waiting for its first commitment in 2026, but that may not be the case for long. Branch’s reclassification reopens one of the most explosive recruitment battles in the country, and thanks to months of steady communication, Kentucky is positioned better than most other contenders.