Kentucky WBB Recruiting Update: Targets at Nike EYBL talk recruitment, Top 2026 prospect Amari Byles offered by Kenny Brooks, and MORE
This has been a big, big week for Kentucky women’s basketball recruiting, specifically for their targets. This week and through this weekend, Run 4 Roses and session three of Nike EYBL took place in Louisville.
While many UK targets showed out their skills on the court, they also took some time to tell us about their recruitment. Unfortunately for us, top-talents Olivia Vukosa and Agot Makeer were not in Louisville for the festivities as they are preparing for international competition with their respective national teams.
Still, there’s plenty to take away here.
4-star (’26) Maddyn Greenway
Whatever physical size Maddyn Greenway is missing in her frame she makes up for with quickness and toughness. That would be why the Iowa Legacy is so high on several different programs’ wishlists. Though one may look at Iowa as a favorite on the surface, her recruitment is still very wide open, and the four-star wing is seriously considering Kentucky as a destination for her talents.
“Obviously, I talked to [Kenny Brooks and the staff] a lot when they were at Virginia Tech,” Greenway noted. “I love [Brooks] as a coach — their whole staff. I love how they show up to my games. That’s how they communicate with me. I love their style of play; I think it fits with me a lot how they play with Georgia [Amoore]. I noticed that this past year, and I really, really like [Kentucky].”
When ultimately deciding where to commit to, Greenway wants to play for a program that will allow her to be herself on the court.
“The family [is something I’m looking at],” Greenway explained. “Obviously, I’m looking at the play style fitting because I feel like I have a play style. So, I want to be able to play like myself wherever I go. I’ll also look at the types of girls [the programs] recruit, the types of relationships I have with them.”
Additionally, she’s looking to take a visit to Kentucky later this year.
“I want to get to the University of Kentucky this fall for a football game,” the 5-foot-8 guard revealed. “I want to see the campus. A lot of my top schools I’ve already visited. Clemson too is one I want to get to.”
Greenway said it herself. She wants to play for a school where she can play like herself, and she thinks Kentucky fits to her game.
Sounds like enough reason to me for the ‘Cats to be a major player in her recruitment.
5-star (’25) Kaelyn Carroll
Kaelyn Carroll is another prospect who seems to have a pretty wide open recruitment, and just like Greenway, Kentucky has a chance to get in the driver’s seat in this particular process.
Take it for what you will, but she kept her praise for Kenny Brooks short and sweet.
“My conversations with Kenny are amazing,” Carroll said. “He’s such a great guy, great coach. I talked to him at both schools. I think he’s just an amazing coach and overall a great person.”
The five-star wing also noted that she wanted to take some visits later on in the year, but she wasn’t certain of where to just yet as she’s currently focused on her AAU team, the Bay State Jaguars.
Even if Carroll has her sights set on the Nike Nationals in Chicago, it’s still a positive to hear her speak highly of the Kentucky head coach.
4-star (’25) Lauren Hurst
Lauren Hurst, who happens to go to the same high school that UK women’s basketball legend Rhyne Howard went to, was one of the top performers at Nike EYBL regarding the Kentucky targets.
Of course, being an elite player results in elite programs calling for you. Hurst has had those calls with the UK staff since they were all back at Virginia Tech.
“Well, they’ve been recruiting me since they were at Virginia Tech, so I have a really good relationship with really all of [Kentucky’s] coaches,” Hurst acknowledged. “I’ve gotten to meet their girls, and I just really liked [Kentucky]. [Kenny Brooks is] a good person. He’s good coach, and I like the way he plays.”
On top of that, whenever Hurst decides it’s time for her to commit to a school, she’s going to want to step into a winning culture.
“[I’m looking for a] winning program, a good staff. And girls I know I can play with, get along with, win with.”
If Brooks can get the ball rolling in year one and turn some heads by putting together a really good season, then it seems like reeling in the four-star wing is all the more likely.
4-star (’25) Aubrey Shaw
Last but certainly not least, we have Aubrey Shaw, who cut her list of schools in contention for her down to 14 (which we’ll talk more about in just a second). Of course, we wouldn’t be talking about it unless UK made the cut.
So, when KSR asked Shaw why Kentucky was a school she still wanted to give some thought, her answer was simple.
“The coaching staff,” the four-star wing said. “I was originally talking to Coach Brooks when he was at Virginia Tech. Then, he switched schools, and I know [Kentucky] has a great program. So, I was obviously still interested in getting to know the program a little bit more.”
Similarly to Hurst, Shaw wants to go to college to mainly do one thing: win.
“I want to play for a winning program,” Shaw answered. “I want to make an impact wherever I play, and I want a coach that is invested in making you a better player on and off the floor.“
Additionally, there are quite a few schools that Shaw is looking to visit, including Kentucky — which leads into our next topic.
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Kentucky makes the cut for Top-50 wing Aubrey Shaw
Kentucky made the cut of Shaw’s Top 14 schools on Wednesday.
Along with the ‘Cats, Shaw is considering Mississippi State, Duke, Arkansas, Columbia, Harvard, TCU, Kansas, Missouri, North Carolina, Arizona, Kansas State, NC State, and Oklahoma.
Being from Kansas, you have to acknowledge the Jayhawks and the purple Wildcats as legitimate landing spots for Shaw. However, there are some indicators that show that Kentucky is in serious contention here.
In an article by Dushawn London of 247Sports, Shaw revealed that she is working to get a visit set up with Kentucky. Here are the additional visit dates noted in the article:
- Columbia: August 10
- North Carolina: August 23
- Kansas: September 1
- Oklahoma: September 6-8
Additionally, she is also setting up visits with Kansas State, Missouri, Harvard, and TCU, along with Kentucky. She has already visited Duke and Arkansas up to this point.
Top-15 2026 forward Amari Byles offered by Kenny Brooks
Additionally, Kenny Brooks continues to put his focus on the top recruits in the 2026 class. This time, he and the staff extended an offer to Amari Byles, one of the top forwards in the entire class.
Byles is ranked the No. 13 overall player and No. 3 forward in the class by ESPN. In a class that is very guard-heavy, it’ll be important for Brooks to secure at least one of the top bigs in the class.
Byles already holds offers from a plethora of schools including Stanford, Vanderbilt, Mississippi State, and several others. She will be able to go wherever she really wants, so it’ll be imperative for the staff to stress the fit she would have on the team. After all, Brooks has a pretty good track record with post players.
On top of that, Byles has already visited several schools like Notre Dame, USC, Florida, and Baylor. Her recruitment seems pretty wide open at this point, and the ‘Cats could very well be among the final teams in contention to land a commitment from the 6-foot-2 star.
The 2025 class features several high-profile wings, and Shaw is among the best of them. If Brooks can reel her in, that would be a big-time get for the program.
Danville Christian star forward Grace Mbugua visits Kentucky
In his introductory press conference, Brooks talked about how he wanted to keep the in-state talent home. While there have certainly been some talented prospects to bloom from the Bluegrass, there have only been a select few to be high-profile Division I-caliber players.
However, one of the smallest programs in the state, Danville Christian, may have a hidden gem on their hands. That would be Grace Mbugua, who lit up the KHSAA Sweet 16 this year, turning a lot of heads. Realizing this, Brooks brought Mbugua in for an unofficial visit to Kentucky
Previously, Mbugua was committed to Liberty. Following her run in the state tournament, however, numerous coaches and programs reached out, and she reopened her recruitment on March 27th.
Since then, things have been really quiet regarding the star forward. On Mbugua’s Instagram account, it appears that Kentucky may be the first school she’s visited in her second recruitment. Unfortunately, she tore her ACL in June, and she’s expected to miss a lot of (if not all of) her senior season at Danville Christian.
Of course, it seems that the ACL injury doesn’t seem like a major concern for Brooks and Kentucky. Most likely, they just wanted to be involved early for a recruit who is not only in-state but has tons of potential and can carve herself a role on UK’s roster.
Rundown of prospects offered by Kentucky
2025
- 5-star wing Agot Makeer – No. 6 overall, No. 1 wing – Crestwood Prep (Canada)
- 5-star guard ZaKiyah Johnson – No. 7 overall, No. 4 guard – Sacred Heart Academy (KY)
- 5-star wing Kaelyn Carroll – No. 29 overall, No. 7 wing – Tabor Academy (MA)
- 4-star wing Lauren Hurst – No. 35 overall, No. 8 wing – Cleveland High School (TN)
- 4-star wing Aubrey Shaw – No. 36 overall, No. 9 wing – Blue Valley North (KS)
- 4-star guard Adelaide Jernigan – No. 58 overall, No. 24 guard – Bishop McGuinness (NC)
- 4-star guard Bryn Martin – No. 61 overall, No. 25 guard – No. Springboro (OH)
- 4-star forward Manuella Alves – No. 64 overall, No. 9 forward – Central Pointe Christian Academy (FL)
- 4-star guard Madison Parrish – No. 88 overall, No. 37 guard – Mason (OH)
- Forward Grace Mbugua – Unranked – Danville Christian Academy (KY)
2026
- 5-star forward Olivia Vukosa – No. 2 overall, No. 1 forward – Christ the King (FL)
- 5-star guard Trinity Jones – No. 5 overall, No. 4 guard – Bolingbrook (IL)
- 5-star forward Amari Byles – No. 13 overall, No. 3 forward – DeSoto (TX)
- 4-star point guard Kate Harpring – No. 18 overall, No. 2 point guard – Marist (GA)
- 4-star point guard Maddyn Greenway – No. 21 overall, No. 3 point guard – Providence Academy (MN)
- 4-star wing Bella Ragone – No. 26 overall, No. 6 wing – Mill Creek (GA)
- 4-star guard Sanai Green – No. 29 overall, No. 12 guard – The Steward School (VA)
2027
- 5-star guard Ivanna Wilson Manyacka – No. 2 overall, No. 1 guard – Bullis (MD)
- Forward Isabella Marion – Unranked (international) – Denmark
- Guard Madeline Mignery – Unranked – Cardinal Mooney (FL)
2028
- Forward Sydney Douglas – Unranked (no rankings for 2028 yet) – Etiwanda (CA)
- Wing Ella Peper – Unranked (no rankings for 2028 yet) – Dexter Southfield (MA)
2029
- Center Jayden McClain – Unranked (no rankings for 2029 yet) – Ryle (KY)
(Rankings from ESPN/HoopGurlz)
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