Kentucky signee Justin Edwards visiting vs. Tennessee

First, it was Rob Dillingham and Reed Sheppard vs. Kansas. Then, DJ Wagner vs. Florida.

Now, Justin Edwards is set to receive his official Rupp Arena introduction in a high-profile matchup.

The five-star wing out of Philadelphia will be in Lexington for Kentucky’s matchup against Tennessee, sources tell KSR, the fourth future Wildcat to receive the blue carpet treatment in recent weeks.

Edwards was named one of five finalists for the 2023 Jersey Mike’s Naismith High School Boys Player of the Year Trophy, joining fellow signee DJ Wagner on the list. They are joined by 2023 five-star guard Isaiah Collier, 2023 five-star forward Ron Holland and 2025 five-star forward Cameron Boozer.

He was also recently named to the 2023 McDonald’s All-American Game and Nike Hoop Summit.

The 6-foot-7 wing chose Kentucky over Tennessee during his recruitment, going with his gut about the school he felt would best put him in position to succeed.

“It was good, but kind of hard too, because the schools recruiting me were all telling me what I wanted to hear,” Edwards told KSR. “I just went with my gut, where I felt I could be successful in the long run. Coach Calipari will help me be successful.”

He chose his dream school, the place he saw all of his favorite basketball players turn their dreams into reality.

“When I started playing basketball, I used to watch a lot of highlights because I wasn’t as good,” he said. “But for whatever reason, I’d just watch a lot of Kentucky highlights. Guys like Devin Booker, Anthony Davis, all of them. That just became my dream school ever since.”

Now, he’ll be introduced at midcourt at Rupp Arena against the runner-up in his recruitment, a school he was close to choosing last summer.

“I’m already preparing myself for that because after I committed — I don’t usually look at tweets like that, but after I committed, I was just looking at them and laughing,” Edwards told KSR. “I’ll be prepared for that [laughs].”

Edwards is rated as the No. 2 player in the 2023 On3 Consensus, one of five blue-chip prospects in Kentucky’s top-ranked recruiting class.