Kentucky will begin hosting recruits for official visits later this month

With the start of football season comes the start of official visit season for high school basketball recruits. Programs across the country use gamedays on the gridiron as a perfect opportunity to showcase what their fanbases have to offer. OVs happen all throughout the year, but the fall (which includes the early signing period) is when a large chunk of top-ranked prospects make their trips.

Kentucky men’s basketball head coach Mark Pope has already locked in a handful of official visitors for this fall that coincides with kickoffs at Kroger Field.

Who does Pope have scheduled to visit Lexington over the coming months? So far, we know of four Top 30 recruits from the 2025 cycle who intend to OV at Kentucky between now and the end of October, with a fifth still mulling over a date but fully expected to make it to campus. Other recruits such as Acaden Lewis, Chris Cenac, Eric Reibe, Niko Bundalo, Brayden Burries, and Mikel Brown also expect to officially visit UK, but the recruits listed below have confirmed that the OVs will happen.

Let’s break them all down.

6-9 SF Nate Ament (5-star, No. 7) August 28

A trip to Kentucky is the first official visit made public for five-star wing Nate Ament, who saw his stock soar throughout the summer. He was already being recruited by Pope and assistant coach Cody Fueger when the two were at BYU, and that relationship has continued in Lexington. Ament, who has said previously he could see himself thriving in Pope’s offense as a floor-stretching scorer, is now considered the No. 3 overall recruit in this cycle by On3. This recruitment could go into the spring before a decision is finally made but Kentucky is right in the thick of the race.

• Other 2024 OVs: Virginia (Sept. 14)
• Schools in the mix: Duke, UConn, North Carolina, Virginia Tech, Louisville, Kansas, Tennessee, and more

6-9 PF Caleb Wilson (5-star, No. 4) September 13

This OV was a bit of a shock to most. The previous Kentucky coaching staff was making Caleb Wilson a priority, but it took a while until Pope and his staff really got the ball rolling in July That doesn’t appear to have put the Wildcats too far behind the 8-ball though. Kentucky is one of two OVs on Wilson’s schedule that have been made public. He’ll come to Lexington for the football team’s primetime showdown against top-ranked Georgia. As a playmaking big man with impressive defensive skills, he’d be a terrific fit in Pope’s system.

• Other 2024 OVs: Alabama (Sept. 6)
• Schools in the mix: Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Duke, Georgia Tech, North Carolina, Ohio State, Oregon, Tennessee, Central Florida, and Southern California

7-0 C Malachi Moreno (4-star, No. 25) October 11

Malachi Moreno’s official visit to UK will happen during the weekend of Big Blue Madness, an event he has attended multiple times before over the years. A native of nearby Georgetown, the Wildcats appear to be in great shape with Moreno and a decision is expected sometime before the start of his senior season at Great Crossing. Kentucky receiving his final OV is no small note and he has unofficially visited UK’s campus multiple times since June. Moreno’s skill as a passer in the middle is a perfect match for Pope.

• Other 2024 OVs: Ohio State (Sept. 7), North Carolina (Sept. 14), Indiana (Sept. 21), and Kansas (Sept. 28)
• Schools in the mix: Kansas, Notre Dame, Arkansas, Indiana, Ohio State, North Carolina, Iowa, and Louisville

6-4 SG Braylon Mullins (4-star, No. 26) October 26

AAU teammates with Moreno, Braylon Mullins is considered a clear priority for Pope. The Kentucky staff came in later than most of the schools involved but quickly made up plenty of ground. Much like Moreno, the ‘Cats will also receive the final OV in this recruitment. Mullins, whose excellent outside shooting abilities make him a match made in heaven for Pope, is staying busy though with plenty of visits on the docket (and one already in the books). A commitment is expected after his OVs are all wrapped up. Kentucky is in good shape heading into September, but this recruitment is far from over. Expect Indiana to be in the race until the very end.

• Other 2024 OVs: UConn (Aug. 1), Michigan (Sept. 7), North Carolina (Sept. 14), Indiana (Sept. 21), Duke (Oct. 4), Tennessee (Oct. 19)
• Schools in the mix: Alabama, Duke, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, North Carolina, Purdue, Tennessee, and UConn

6-5 SF Tounde Yessoufou (4-star) TBD

Tounde Yessoufou was originally expected to officially visit Kentucky in early August, but he recently explained that the staff asked him to move that back so the Wildcats would be his final visit (sensing a theme here yet?). He’s not a traditional fit for Pope’s system, but there’s no denying Yessoufou’s ability to attack the rim and lock down opposing ball handlers. A commitment is expected between November and January.

• Other 2024 OVs: Arizona (June 16), Southern California (June 25), Baylor (Aug. 31) and Tennessee (Sept. 14)
• Schools in the mix: Baylor, UConn, Tennessee, Arizona, USC, Kansas, Washington, Arizona State, and UCLA