Kentucky target Ahmad Nowell to announce decision July 23

A decision is coming for 2024 four-star guard Ahmad Nowell — and it’s going to come without an official visit to Kentucky.

The 6-foot-2 guard out of Philadelphia told KSR in June that he was planning a trip to Lexington leading up to the Wildcats’ trip to Toronto for the 2023 GLOBL JAM. That visit never came to fruition, nor is one being scheduled upon the team’s return. Nowell has seen enough, with a commitment scheduled for July 23.

“I plan on committing July 23,” he told KSR on Friday. “After everything, after Peach Jam and the national tournament in Vegas, I’m just going to come back and settle down. I’m ready to make my decision.”

Kentucky, UConn, Georgia Tech and Tennessee make up Nowell’s finalists. What does he like about each option? The four-star guard broke them all down with KSR ahead of his decision.

Tennessee: “I love their brotherhood over there. They were really together when I took my visit, it felt like family over there. They’ve got a good coaching staff.”

Kentucky: “They develop all of the NBA players over there. NBA players coming from there, that’s a big thing, because that’s where I want to go. That’s my ultimate goal.”

UConn: “Just their winning aspect, they win. They never have the best players, but they always find a way to get it done. They just produce and that’s what I really like about that school.”

Georgia Tech: “It’s something new, you know? Damon Stoudamire is over there teaching everything at the next level, because that’s where he was. Him coming in with his own coaching staff, it’s a new thing, but it’s good because he’s a point guard and I’m trying to get to the NBA. That’s where he was, so he obviously has a lot of connections. He’s going to have a lot of cameras on him this year and I’m trying to see what he’s going to do.”

2024 four-star guard Ahmad Nowell tells KSR he will announce his college decision on July 23

Finalists: Kentucky, UConn, Tennessee and Georgia Tech

— Jack Pilgrim (@JackPilgrimKSR) July 8, 2023

The Philadelphia native says a final decision has not yet been made — he still needs to sit down and weigh his options. When the time does come, however, he’ll be prioritizing comfort with the coaching staff, playing style and having a fair shot at early playing time.

“Somewhere I can come in and play, somewhere I’m going to have an opportunity. Not someone who is going to tell me I’m going to come in and play, but someone willing to give me a fair shot and a fair opportunity,” Nowell told KSR. “Somewhere I can play on the ball and off the ball because I can create as an on- or off-ball player. I want to feel comfortable in my college, the brotherhood of the school. Somewhere I get along with the coaching staff and fit in with the coaching style and coaching style. Definitely where my heart falls, whoever can help me get to the next level.”

Will that school be Kentucky? We’ll find out on July 23.