Kentucky basketball’s recruiting priorities for the 2027 class are starting to become obvious, and one name continues to stand above the rest: CJ Rosser.
During the May evaluation period in Memphis, Kentucky made its presence impossible to ignore. Head coach Mark Pope and multiple members of his staff spent the weekend closely tracking some of the nation’s best prospects on the Nike EYBL circuit. But among all the players being evaluated, Rosser clearly received special attention.
The 6-foot-10 power forward, originally from North Carolina, is currently viewed by many recruiting services as the top overall player in the 2027 recruiting class. Every time Rosser stepped onto the floor for Team United, Kentucky coaches were nearby watching closely. Pope, Cody Fueger, Mikhail McLean, and Mo Williams all made appearances throughout the weekend, reinforcing just how serious Kentucky is about landing the elite forward.
Rosser has been on Kentucky’s radar for over a year. In fact, he became the very first player in the 2027 class to receive a scholarship offer from the Wildcats back in May 2025. Since then, the relationship between Kentucky and Rosser has only grown stronger.
Kentucky’s coaching staff has invested major time into his recruitment. Assistant coach McLean even traveled internationally last summer to watch Rosser compete with USA Basketball at the FIBA Under-16 AmeriCup, where he helped Team USA capture gold.
The Wildcats also hosted Rosser for an unofficial visit earlier this year when he attended Kentucky’s home victory over Oklahoma in February. That visit appeared to further strengthen the connection between both sides.
Rosser’s development over the past year has also been significant. Before his junior season, he transferred to Southeastern Prep in Orlando, where he competed alongside several elite prospects. The experience helped him improve physically while playing against high-level competition every night.
One of Rosser’s teammates at Southeastern Prep is elite point guard Beckham Black, another major Kentucky target. Black revealed earlier this year that many of the players at the school often discuss recruiting together, including which programs might fit them best.
Kentucky appears determined to separate itself from the competition. Earlier this spring, Pope and McLean reportedly spent time with Rosser off the court during a fishing trip — another sign of the personal relationships the staff is trying to build.
Still, Kentucky is far from alone in this battle.
Programs like Alabama, Michigan, Maryland, and North Carolina were all heavily involved during the Memphis live period as Rosser’s recruitment continues to gain national attention.
Despite the growing hype surrounding his name, Rosser remains focused on improvement and winning.
For Kentucky fans, though, the message from this weekend was loud and clear: Mark Pope sees CJ Rosser as a cornerstone-level target for the future of the program — and the Wildcats are pushing hard to make that future happen in Lexington.
