Collin Chandler set to visit Kentucky with family starting Monday
Kentucky signee Collin Chandler will be on campus with his family starting Monday, the four-star guard’s father tells KSR.
It will be his first visit to Lexington since his commitment back on April 16, flipping from BYU to Kentucky to join Mark Pope with the Wildcats.
David Sisk of Cats Illustrated was the first to break the news of Chandler’s visit.
The school announced his signing back on April 22, Pope’s first official addition as the head coach at Kentucky. At the time, he made it clear he’s a fan of the top-40 prospect’s game while also appreciating his off-court character, postponing his college basketball career to serve a two-year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints back in 2022.
“Collin Chandler is one of the most talented high school players in the country,” Pope said at the time. “He has a silky-smooth jumper, a slippery ability to get to the rim, an explosive burst and the most impressive of all, he has incredible processing speed as he reads space and time and makes plays on pure instinct. Collin is the definition of a servant leader. He, on his own desire and expense, chose to leave basketball and his life to go and serve people in Africa and Europe for two years. It won’t take long for every Kentucky fan to feel his heart and his love for others. I absolutely cannot wait to coach a man and player like him.”
Chandler returned home on May 2, where Pope and assistant coach Cody Fueger met him at the airport to welcome the future Wildcat guard back from London.
Chandler was a star at Farmington (UT) High School, scoring over 1,500 points with 135 made three-pointers and was tabbed Utah Gatorade Player of the Year in 2022. There was a lot to like about the four-star guard’s game then. Now? He’s even bigger than his listed height of 6-4.
Pope is giddy about what that means for his long-term future in blue and white.
“Woo! Two inches taller! Two years away from the game, two inches taller!” he told Alan Cutler on ESPN Sports Radio 1300AM/92.5FM. “He’s got a chance to be incredibly special.”
His father confirmed Pope’s eye test — the Kentucky head coach previously said Chandler appeared to be a few inches taller coming off the plane in Utah — adding that he is now “pushing 6-6 with shoes,” he told KSR.
As for his two years away from the game, the future Wildcat is working on that part. His family took a vacation to Hawaii following Chandler’s return where he immediately got in the gym to inch closer toward game speed.
“Oh I’ve missed you,” Chandler captioned in the photo.
His father Jason Chandler says his son hasn’t left the gym since he returned home — nor will he until he arrives on campus for good in June.
“Yeah got in the gym every day, his shot looks pretty good,” his father told KSR. “It will be fun watching him knock the rust off.”
Until then, Monday will be for checking out his new Kentucky home in Lexington.
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