Kentucky
Kentucky remains in the mix for AJ Dybantsa
Mark Pope and his staff are looking for their signature win in the high school recruiting world in the 2025 class. For a while it seemed that Will Riley would be that win, but he ultimately reclassified to 2024 and ended up at Illinois.
Now, the Kentucky Wildcats are looking to find a new recruit to become that first victory on the recruiting trail.
There would be no bigger win, however, than securing the commitment of the No. 1 overall recruit in the 2025 class, AJ Dybantsa.
For some time, it seemed that Lexington was a strong contender for Dybantsa under John Calipari, but now it appears this recruitment has opened up quite a bit.
In a recent interview with Joe Tipton of On3, Dybantsa broke down some of his recruitment and had this to say about UK and the new Coach Pope era:
“I talked to Mark (Pope),” Dybantsa told Tipton. “I went on a Zoom with him but I got the offer on a call. Went on a Zoom with him, Jason Hart, and they were just talking about what they have in store and hopefully get me on a visit. He was in Istanbul, Turkey (to see me with USA Basketball).”
Outside of Kentucky, it appears that BYU, Arkansas, Baylor, UCONN, Alabama, Auburn, Duke, and several others are the schools to monitor as his recruitment starts to move into the visit portion.
Luckily for the Cats, this recruitment also seems to be far from over, as Dybantsa pointed to a late winter or early spring timeframe for him to make his commitment. His father confirmed that timeline in a conversation with Jacob Polacheck of KSR, pointing to February as a time we could see a commitment come.
The other good part of that conversation? His father guaranteed that his son would play in college.
“I guarantee he will play in college,” Ace Dybantsa told Polacheck. “He wants the experience of a college year. He promised his momma. Once you promise your momma, it’s hard to break that promise.”
We all know Kentucky’s recruiting history, which has been built upon for the last 15 seasons. Although it won’t be filled with 5-star talent every season, Pope and his staff will have to continue to try to reel in these players.
If they can get him on campus, it sounds like the Cats would still have a legitimate shot.
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Kentucky football coach Will Stein reflects on new position
Will Stein was officially introduced to fans and media as the head coach for the Kentucky Wildcats, replacing Mark Stoops.
LEXINGTON — Kentucky football had its first spring game under new coach Will Stein at Kroger Field on Saturday.
The offense, in blue jerseys, had its moments. So too the defense, donning white uniforms.
Ultimately, the blue squad earned a 23-18 victory in a game called just after noon because of inclement weather.
Stein admitted he “got emotional” as he charged onto the field prior to kickoff.
“I know it wasn’t a real game, but when I ran on the field, I definitely — man, I felt it,” he said. “It was like a wave running over me. And very, very, just cool.”
While it doesn’t count in the standings, Stein walked away pleased.
“I think we got a lot of really good work,” he said. “That’s the goal of spring is to improve with fundamentals and technique, learn how to practice, learn what winning edges that we need throughout spring to go into summer and fall and prepare the team for play. And we came out of the scrimmage clean. There (were) no injuries, which to me, that’s the biggest win of the day. I could (not) care less about the score.
“If we come out clean, that’s good. The Wildcats won.”
New starting QB Kenny Minchey looked about as expected, with sharp passes evened out by moments of inconsistency. Martels Carter Jr., a defensive back who is lining up at running back this spring, scored a touchdown and had several nice runs.
And the defense forced multiple three-and-outs and also picked off one Minchey pass on a two-point conversion.
This story will be updated.
Reach Kentucky men’s basketball and football reporter Ryan Black at rblack@gannett.com and follow him on X at @RyanABlack.
Time is of the essence if you’re Mark Pope and the Kentucky Wildcats right now. With the transfer portal set to close in just a few days, chaos reigns as programs and players scramble to secure their next opportunities. Among the fray is Kentucky, which finds itself navigating a tumultuous landscape in search of elite talent. With many of the Top 25 players already committed, the urgency for the Wildcats to land a game-changing recruit has never been more at the forefront following this season.
One of Pope’s primary targets is Syracuse transfer Donnie Freeman. The 6-foot-9 rising junior made waves during his time at Syracuse, averaging 16.5 points and 7.2 rebounds per game while shooting an impressive 47.4 percent from the field last season. His potential is undeniable; many experts predict Freeman will be a future first-round NBA draft pick, making him a coveted asset for any program.
Freeman’s recent visit to Kentucky has sparked much-needed hope. However, despite positive feedback from his trip, he left without making a commitment to join one of college basketball’s blue bloods. The competition is fierce. The question looms: Can Kentucky outmaneuver these schools and secure his commitment?
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Well, Friday morning, the Cats were able to outlast one of their deepest competitions for now in Connecticut. Freeman was set to make his way to see the Huskies, but he has since cancelled his Friday visit, per UConn Report (subscription required). Now it appears the Huskies officially have bowed out of the race. That’s one down, and just the Alabama Crimson Tide, it appears, stands in the way for Mark Pope and Kentucky.
Mark Pope faces additional pressure following the return of Rob Wright to BYU, leaving the Wildcats in a precarious position when it comes to key portal targets. They need to act swiftly to avoid being left without significant talent as the portal closes. Freeman’s skill set would not only bolster their roster but would also complement rising star Malachi Moreno, as Freeman would be the ideal fit for the power forward.
As the clock ticks down, all eyes are on Mark Pope and his ability to close this deal. The stakes are high, and for Kentucky, landing Donnie Freeman could be the key to turning chaos into triumph, but will they be able to close perhaps the deal amidst the age of transfer portal madness? Well, they are one step closer now, it appears.
This article originally appeared on UK Wildcats Wire: Kentucky basketball closing in on a Donnie Freeman commitment?
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