No. 1 PG Ikenna Alozie plans Kentucky visit, sees fit under Mark Pope

Kentucky made its push for 2026 five-star guard Ikenna Alozie back in the fall, Mark Pope visiting him in in early September at Dream City Christian, followed by a scholarship offer in October. At the time, he was the ninth player in the rising senior class to pick up an offer, and the Wildcats’ efforts haven’t slowed down since.

What’s next for both sides as they explore a potential partnership in the upcoming recruiting cycle, Alozie ranked No. 9 overall and No. 1 among point guards? A visit to Lexington, one that could come as early as June when the AAU season takes a brief pause before ramping back up in July.

Kentucky is one of several schools set to receive visits — though none have been officially scheduled at this time.

“Not yet (scheduled), but I’m looking into June where I’ll have Kentucky, Kansas and Gonzaga,” the five-star guard said. “I’m going there in June, Gonzaga, for sure. And Houston, as well. Louisville, for sure.”

Beyond Pope, Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd, Houston coach Kelvin Sampson and Louisville coach Pat Kelsey are among the others to visit Alozie at his school in recent weeks. He previously took an official to Washington in September while taking multiple unofficials to nearby Arizona.

That’s the group he believes to be prioritizing him the most at this stage of his recruitment, singling out seven schools — starting with Pope and the Cats:

Kentucky: “The environment and the arena is crazy. Obviously, they’re known for their fanbase. It’s very exciting. Just being able to impact the game, the way their guards impact the game, I could fit well in that type of situation.

Kansas: “I can take my time. They’ve got DP (Darryn Peterson) coming in this year, and I’m excited to see how he plays for them and how he adapts to their system of basketball, then I can go from there.”

Gonzaga: “They started recruiting me late, so it’s a new program and a new recruiting process for me.”

Houston: “They’re known for their defense, you know? Every time he comes in and sees me, talks to me — he was watching me today — he tells me I have to be able to guard the ball. If I can’t guard the ball, I won’t step on the court. I’ll have to be able to guard the ball if I go to Houston.”

Louisville: “I do know a little bit about them. They had an incredible season last year, so I’m starting to watch them and their program. I’m watching how they manage their guards and their players, that’s what really stands out to me.”

Arizona: “It’s pretty much where I live, you know? It’s where I stay, it’s like family. They’ve been on me for a very, very long time. I appreciate that. I’m just taking my time with it.”

Washington: “The program is great, they have different alumni come out of their program. I watched how they used (Zoom) Diallo and I’m looking forward to seeing how they perform this year.”

How will he decide between the schools pushing for him the hardest once the dust settles on visits and he inches closer toward a commitment?

“I’ve been away from home for a long time, so honestly I just want to go somewhere that makes me feel like family, you know?” he told KSR. “That’s the first thing I’m looking for, going somewhere where it feels like home. I want to go somewhere I can impact the game and the program with my own style of basketball.”

As for how long fans will have to wait to see where he goes, Alozie is taking his time with no firm timeline for a decision — “definitely committing anytime between the fall and spring” — but he certainly won’t drag it out.

Could Pope land the nation’s top-ranked point guard in 2026? A visit is on the horizon to determine if there is a long-term fit.