4-Point Play: What Collin Chandler's commitment means for Kentucky

Mark Pope has made his first major recruiting splash at Kentucky, flipping BYU signee and top-40 recruit Collin Chandler from the Cougars to the Wildcats. Originally in the 2022 recruiting class, the four-star guard has been away on mission for two years and will be making his college basketball debut when the 2024-25 season begins this fall.

What do you need to know about the No. 34 overall prospect and No. 6 combo guard in the final 2022 On3 Player Rankings? And what will he bring to the table in year one for the Wildcats under Pope?

Let’s break it down today on 4-Point Play.

Away from the game for two years

We have to address the elephant in the room before getting into the nuts and bolts of his game: Chandler has not played competitive basketball since 2022 and will not until he returns on May 2. He’s currently serving in London mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, first reporting back on July 25, 2022.

Pope has experience bringing in players from mission, Townsend Tripple, Dallin Hall, Richie Saunders, Trevin Knell, Spencer Johnson, Trey Stewart, Tanner Hayhurst, Jared McGregor and Dawson Baker all serving before making their way to Provo for their college basketball careers at BYU on last year’s roster alone. Only seven players on the team didn’t take missions before suiting up for the Cougars.

So what kind of condition are players in once they return? And how much basketball do they actually play? They get an hour a day to exercise with regular cardio and weights, when available. Basketball activities consist of sporadic half-court pickup with no regular competitive full-court play.

That leads to a serious ramp-up process once returning home that typically lasts 6-8 weeks before being considered full-go — well in advance of the season. It’s always a challenge, but one Pope and his staff at BYU have taken on annually since arriving in Provo. Chandler will be the same in Lexington.

Pope’s first statement on the recruiting trail

It’s always about the first one, right? Recruiting was one of the biggest question marks for Pope once he took the job in Lexington, adjusting from strict restrictions and a specific talent pool at BYU to a vast supply of resources and freedom at Kentucky. Could he bring blue-chip talent to a blue blood?

That question lasted a matter of days, Pope reeling in his first big fish that conveniently checked boxes in both Provo and Lexington. Chandler originally signed with BYU over offers from Arizona, Gonzaga, Oregon, Stanford and Utah as the 2022 Utah Gatorade Player of the Year, averaging 21.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.7 steals as a senior at Farmington. The highest-ranked signee in program history for the Cougars, Kentucky gets a top-flight talent capable of playing anywhere thanks to prior LDS ties under Pope.

It may have been a layup for the new head coach, but it’s one he converted to give the Wildcats a nice little early burst of recruiting momentum as Pope looks to build out his first roster in Lexington. Chandler was a fringe McDonald’s All-American out of high school, and now, he’s the first official addition of the new era.

An instant-impact piece for the Cats

Chandler has been out of sight and out of mind for a few years, so it’s easy to forget the top-40 talent was one of the fastest-rising players in his class before signing with BYU. The 6-4 guard set to be a 21-year-old freshman this season is an explosive athlete with three-level scoring and defensive upside. He oozes confidence as a shooter, pulling up from several feet beyond the arc to splash threes both in transition and in the half court, while also being a crafty finisher inside. He’s also a threat in the passing lanes on the other end, turning steals into windmill transition slams the other way.

The Farmington, UT native will need to add size and his handle is shaky at times, but he’s a serious two-way competitor with a high basketball IQ who is wired to score. And he’s got age on his side now, mentally mature entering his first season of college basketball.

Pope was very specific in what he was looking for in his debut roster at Kentucky, hoping to add “epic talent” that “fit what Kentucky stands for” in a “very selective process.”

“I don’t think it’s just about going out and getting the most raw talent,” he said. “I think it’s about going out and getting the pieces that can fit together to form a team that is elite and dangerous.”

Chandler fits that criteria perfectly.

What’s next?

One down, 12 to go for Pope as he looks to build this team from the ground up. He made it clear Travis Perry was a player he wanted to play for him during his introduction at Rupp Arena, telling the crowd “there is a good chance he will not jump into the portal” after the state’s all-time leading scorer received a standing ovation.

“He wanted to call me pretty early and then he just told me get the shoulder ready, be ready to play a fun brand of basketball, shoot a lot of threes, and win a lot of games,” Perry said of Pope.

You can feel pretty safe with that one.

BYU star Jaxson Robinson is also a serious name of interest for the Wildcats, sources tell KSR, while Cougar center Aly Khalifa has already named Kentucky a top-three finalist as a portal option. That’s one to keep a close eye on. And three-time CAA Defensive Player of the Year Amari Williams out of Drexel has a visit scheduled for April 21-22, as well.

Pope said the roster-building process was like a “perfectly put together stew,” prioritizing fit with his system while valuing the name on the front of the jersey.

“There’s a real artistry to it and that’s what we’re pursuing,” he said.

There is still a long way to go, but the puzzle pieces are starting to fit together as the vision becomes clear for what this team will look like in 2024-25. Chandler was just the first player of many to make it official.