Kentucky
Sunday Headlines: Malachi Moreno to visit Kentucky for Big Blue Madness
Mark Pope had to build his first roster in Lexington by hitting the transfer portal due to the timing of him being hired as the new coach of the Kentucky Wildcats.
However, Pope has made it clear that he still wants to recruit the best high school players as well.
He is hoping to cash in on that with one of the best centers in the 2025 recruiting class, as Malachi Moreno has scheduled an official visit to Kentucky.
The 7-foot center out of Georgetown (KY) is currently ranked as the No. 25 overall player and the No. 3 overall center in the class.
In a report from Kentucky Sports Radio, Moreno will be taking his official visit to Lexington during the weekend of Big Blue Madness.
His lone official visit to this point was to Iowa, but he says he will also take a day trip to Louisville in the future as well.
As for now, Moreno is down to just eight schools, including Arkansas, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisville, North Carolina, Notre Dame, and Ohio State.
Landing Moreno would be a huge get for Pope in what would be his first recruiting class at Kentucky.
Tweet of the Day
Reed Sheppard IS TOO GOOD FOR SUMMER LEAGUE
23 PTS
4 REB
5 AST
1 STL
3 BLK
9/17 FG
4/6 3P
64.3 TS
+ 21One of the best summer league debuts we have ever seen. ⬇️
— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) July 13, 2024
Reed Sheppard shines in NBA Summer League debut!
Headlines
Argentina back Uruguay players, concerned about final security – ESPN
Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni said he understands the reaction of Uruguay players in entering the stands to protect their family members in the aftermath of last Wednesday’s Copa América semifinal between Uruguay and Colombia.
5-star SF Nate Ament talks Mark Pope, Kentucky: ‘It’s kinda hard not to like what he’s showing me right now.’ – On3
Five-star wing Nate Ament has been on a tear this week. He spoke with KSR to update his recruitment with Kentucky.
Judge sets Yankees record with 34th HR before All-Star break – ESPN
All-Star Aaron Judge set a franchise record for the New York Yankees Saturday with his 34th home run before the All-Star break, as he and teammate Juan Soto went back-to-back with long balls in the fifth inning of a 6-1 win over the Baltimore Orioles.
4-star PG Tay Kinney racking up offers, expects to visit Kentucky soon – On3
Newport point guard Tay Kinney is looking to visit Kentucky in the near future as his stock begins to explode.
2024 Scottish Open leaderboard: Robert MacIntyre surges as Ludvig Åberg takes two-stroke lead after Round 3 – CBSSports
Rory McIlroy and home country hero, Robert MacIntyre, are among those on the chase in Scotland
Reds’ Cam Collier wins Futures Game MVP; Rangers’ Teodo shines – ESPN
Reds prospect Cam Collier, the No. 18 pick in the 2022 draft, homered and took home MVP honors after leading the NL to a 6-1 win in Saturday’s Futures Game.
UK Women’s Basketball spends time at Kentucky Children’s Hospital and ISCO Championship – On3
Earlier this week, Kentucky Women’s Basketball took some time to visit Kentucky Children’s Hospital for a Mini Pro-Am.
Angel Reese double-double streak: Sky rookie sees incredible run end at 15 in loss to Liberty – CBSSports
Reese finished just short of double-double no. 16, finishing with eight points and 15 rebounds
NBA free agency 2024: Reaction and grades for the biggest signings – ESPN
Grading the offseason’s biggest free agency signings and examining their impact.
Hayes: USA win over Mexico a sign of progress before Olympics – ESPN
USWNT head coach Emma Hayes said she saw signs of progress in a win over Mexico, but they’re still only scratching the surface ahead of the Olympics.
Lakers’ Bronny James in ‘a little slump’ after shooting 6-of-26 in first three NBA Summer League games – CBSSports
James has missed all 12 of his 3-pointers so far
EA College Football 25: Best Dynasty Teams – On3
This is your guide to choosing the best school to start your new Dynasty once EA College Football 25 is finally released.
Detroit Tigers’ ‘great comeback’ stuns Los Angeles Dodgers – ESPN
Gio Urshela hit a two-run homer in the 10th inning after the Tigers overcame a 9-4 deficit in the ninth with the help of a Colt Keith long ball, and Detroit topped the Los Angeles Dodgers 11-9 on Saturday, their seventh win in the past nine games.
Kentucky
Kentucky football spring game offers early look at Will Stein’s Cats
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.
Kentucky
Kentucky has reportedly moved on from top-10 transfer Paulius Murauskas

Kentucky
Kentucky gets some potentially good news concerning Donnie Freeman
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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