Where Kentucky targets stand in On3's 2024 basketball rankings

KSR’s parent site, On3, debuted its initial player rankings for members of the 2024 basketball recruiting class on Monday. The top 25 prospects made up the first update, but more will be added as time passes and more evaluations are done. This will be the first of six updates for the current group of high school sophomores.

Among those 25 recruits on the rise, plenty of them already holds a connection to the Kentucky Wildcats. Head coach John Calipari is known for not typically extending offers to prospects before their junior season begins, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t still keeping tabs on them. Hell, if Calipari were to offer a sophomore, this class has a player who might just fit the billing.

Here is the entire top 25, courtesy of On3. Highlighted players have been linked to Kentucky in some capacity. The top four are considered five-stars while the rest check in as four-stars.

1. Naasir Cunningham (SF) 6-7, 180 pounds – West Orange, NJ
2. Ian Jackson (SG) 6-5, 180 pounds – Bronx, NY
3. Bryson Tucker (SF) 6-6, 180 pounds – Baltimore, MD
4. Tre Johnson (SG) 6-5, 180 pounds – Dallas, TX
5. Jason Asemota (SF) 6-8, 190 pounds – Phoenix, AZ
6. Isaiah Elohim (SG) 6-5, 205 pounds – Northridge, CA
7. Elliot Cadeau (PG) 6-2, 165 pounds – Oradell, NJ
8. Jayden Williams (C) 6-7, 195 pounds – Snellville, GA
9. Johnuel Fland(PG) 6-3, 165 pounds – White Plains, NY
10. Derik Queen (PF) 6-9, 230 pounds – Baltimore, MD
11. Vyctorius Miller (SG) 6-5, 170 pounds – Pasadena, CA
12. Robert Miller III (PF) 6-8, 205 pounds – Houston, TX
13. John Bol (C) 7-2, 190 pounds – St. Louis, MO
14. Karter Knox (SF) 6-5, 180 pounds – Tampa, FL
15. Liam McNeeley (SF) 6-8. 190 pounds – Richardson, TX
16. Cam Scott (SG) 6-5, 175 pounds – Lexington, SC
17. James Brown (C) 6-9, 210 pounds – Chicago, IL
18. Somto Cyril (C) 6-11, 250 pounds – Chattanooga, TN
19. Jamari Phillips (SG) 6-3, 170 pounds – Modesto, CA
20. Marcus Allen (SF) 6-6, 190 pounds – Miami, FL
21. David Castillo (PG) 6-1, 170 pounds – Bartlesville, OK
22. Dylan Harper (CG) 6-5, 180 pounds – Ramsey, NJ
23. Amier Ali (SF) 6-8, 175 pounds – Plano, TX
24. Asa Newell (PF) 6-8, 200 pounds – Fort Walton Beach, FL
25. Trentyn Flowers (SF) 6-7, 180 pounds – Atlanta, GA

Starting at the top with a trio of five-stars, Naasir Cunningham, Ian Jackson, and Tre Johnson have all heard from Kentucky at some point during their recruitment. In fact, KSR’s Jack Pilgrim wrote on Monday that Jackson intends to take a visit to Lexington sometime this summer. Cunningham is the player I alluded to as one who could pull an early offer from the ‘Cats — his pure shooting ability combined with his size projects him as a future star.

Moving down the list, guards Isaiah Elohim (CA) and Elliot Cadeau (NJ) will be in contention for five-star status throughout their high school careers. Multiple Kentucky coaches sat in to watch them play as early as December.

Derik Queen, one of the few bigs to make the top 25, comes from the Montverde Academy powerhouse and has heard from Kentucky already, Karter Knox is the younger brother of former Wildcat and current Atlanta Hawks wing Kevin Knox, and Somto Cyril is a nearby product and another center who has had the staff’s attention since the fall. Finally, Trentyn Flowers is the last player on the list that we know of with a link to the ‘Cats.