Mark Pope hasn’t even tipped off his second season yet, but Kentucky’s already making noise on the recruiting trail. Two of the nation’s biggest names just put the Wildcats in their final lists — and fans are starting to wonder if another blue-chip era could be brewing in Lexington. Let’s dive in and see where things stand.
In year two under Mark Pope, Kentucky basketball has already built one of the most intriguing rosters in the country — a mix of proven veterans, returning stars like Otega Oweh, and transfers eager to prove they belong on college basketball’s biggest stage.
But before this team even hits the floor for the 2025–26 season, Pope and his staff are turning heads again — this time in recruiting. The Wildcats are officially in the final three for not one, but two top-10 players in the 2026 class.
Tyran Stokes — The Nation’s No. 1 Player
At the top of the board sits Tyran Stokes, the forward everyone in the country wants. With a college-ready frame and an NBA skillset, Stokes has become the prize of the 2026 class.
He announced his final three schools on X (Twitter): Kentucky, Oregon, and Kansas.
For months, Kentucky’s been viewed as a front-runner — and for good reason. Stokes has been on campus multiple times, and insiders around the program say Pope and his staff have made him a priority since day one.
Landing Stokes would be a massive statement for Pope, marking his biggest recruiting win yet and giving the 2026 class the kind of star power Big Blue Nation has been craving.
If Kentucky can start the next recruiting cycle by landing the top player in America, it would instantly reestablish them as a dominant national brand under Pope’s leadership.
Christian Collins — The Versatile Five-Star
Next on the list is Christian Collins, another top-10 forward who’s cut his options down to Kentucky, USC
Collins plays a similar position to Stokes but brings a slightly different style — a long, athletic defender who averaged 8.3 rebounds and two blocks per game on the EYBL circuit. At 6’8″, he has the kind of frame that thrives in the SEC’s physical environment.
Kentucky’s staff has emphasized adding toughness and rim protection to complement their guard-heavy roster, and Collins checks both boxes. His ability to anchor the paint on defense while running the floor in transition makes him a perfect fit for the way Pope wants to play.
Adding a player like Collins could be the missing piece that separates Kentucky from simply being talented to being title-caliber.
The Waiting Game
There’s no set timeline yet for when either Stokes or Collins will make their decisions — but the finish line is close. Both recruitments have reached the final-hat-on-the-table stage, and the Wildcats are in the mix until the end.
Even if Kentucky lands just one of them, it would send a message across the college basketball world: Mark Pope and the Wildcats are back in the business of signing elite, game-changing talent.
Either way, Big Blue Nation should buckle up — because once those announcements drop, the buzz around Lexington is about to get a whole lot louder.
