Good News:Kentucky basketball offers new targets
After a busy July recruiting circuit, Kentucky extended a wave of offers to rising high school stars who match Pope’s style—length, versatility, and upside.
The 2027 targets include: Baba Oladotun, a 6-foot-9 forward from Maryland’s James Hubert Blake High School. The top national prospect in 2027, Oladotun is raw but gifted—think long frame, smooth handle, and high-level switchability. He’s got 35+ offers, and he may reclassify to 2026.
Pope also offered a pair of long forwards from Southeastern Prep in Orlando: CJ Rosser (6-9) and Obinna Ekezie Jr. (7-0). Both are top-5 prospects at their positions and project as elite rim protectors and vertical lo
And don’t overlook Marcus Spears Jr. from Dynamic Prep in Dallas. At 6-foot-8 with elite bounce and two-way potential, Spears fits the “positionless athlete” mold Pope covets. His offer list includes Texas, Baylor, and Duke—but Kentucky’s presence signals a battle to the end for Spears Jr.
Meanwhile, in the 2026 class, Kentucky made waves by offering 6-foot-10 big man Josh Irving, who recently led Team CPSA to a Puma NXTPro league title. Ranked No. 75 nationally by the 247 Composite, Irving has bluebloods circling after a breakout July. He’s locked in an official visit to SMU and is drawing attention from Kansas, Washington, and of course, Louisville.
