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Top In-State Freshman, Jayden Johnson, Talks About His Dream to Play for Kentucky and John Calipari

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3 years ago

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Photo by 247Sports

It’s the dream of so many young basketball players, to put on the blue and white and play basketball for the University of Kentucky. This is especially true for the kids who have grown up in Kentucky. As is the case for Trinity (Louisville, KY) freshman guard, Jayden Johnson.

Johnson, who previously played on the varsity team at Louisville Male as an eighth-grader before selecting Trinity when starting high school this year, is one of the rising players in the 2026 class. While slender, Johnson already has good length and size, standing 6-foot-5, but also plays more maturely than his age.

With his size and skill set, Johnson, already holds high-major D1 offers from Cincinnati, Missouri, Texas A&M, and West Virginia. However, he has also received some interest from some pretty big local programs, Kentucky and Louisville.

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Now Johnson is picking up a lot of hype recently playing a pivotal role for Trinity in their six-point win over Huntington Prep from West Virginia.

Back in December, Kentucky assistant coach Orlando Antigua attended the Play-by-Play Classic event held at Freedom Hall, where he got his first look at Johnson as Trinity took on Huntington Prep. While he did not have his best game offensively, he showed his aforementioned maturity, playing a key role in a narrow win: being a leader and talking on defense, and displaying the ability to find open teammates.

Following the game, Johnson said, “Growing up, I was a Kentucky kid, Kentucky fan. Always wanted to play for Coach Calipari, he’s awesome”. He is not the first prospect to say this, but it is a positive sign and may give Kentucky a slight early advantage.

Johnson has never spoken with Calipari directly, as he is unable to due to NCAA rules, but he says that Calipari has been in contact with the people who represent him. This a big first step in recruiting a young kid, who will receive a lot more attention over the next four seasons.

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National recruiting services such as 247Sports and Rivals have yet to release their 2026 rankings, but Johnson is considered a Top-25 prospect. When the 2026 rankings start coming out, expect to see the 6-foot-5 guard high in the rankings and likely tabbed as the No. 1 player in the state of Kentucky.

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Kentucky Is in Daily Contact with Five-Star Big Man Darius Wabbington, “Kentucky’s legacy is no joke”

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3 weeks ago

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July 2, 2026

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Five-star big man Darius Wabbington lists Kentucky among six finalists, praising Mark Pope's coaching, Kentucky's program prestige, and Mo Williams' recruiting energy.
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As the high school basketball circuits conclude later this month, college basketball coaches are starting to key in on their primary targets for the 2027 class. For Kentucky, one such player is five-star big man Darius Wabbington.

Kentucky assistants Cody Fueger and Mo Williams have been in contact with Wabbington on a daily basis, trying to convince him that Kentucky is the place for him. When asked about Williams, the newest coach on the UK staff, “Great energy,” Wabbington exclaimed. “Another extremely smart coach who knows what it takes to get to the next level.”

Since joining the staff in April, Williams has really made a difference for the Wildcats on the recruiting trail, with multiple prospects having positive things to say about him and his recruiting approach.

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As for what Wabbington is looking for in his future school, he is prioritizing fit and his relationship with the coaching staff, and he has a positive view of Mark Pope and the prestige of Kentucky basketball.

“I think Mark Pope is one of the best coaches in the country, and Kentucky’s legacy is no joke. I’d love to be a part of both”

The two sides are working on setting up a visit, as Kentucky was announced as one of six finalists earlier this week, along with Arizona, Texas, Louisville, Indiana, and North Carolina.

In June, Mark Pope got a commitment from top-ten prospect, Ryan Hampton, who Wabbington calls “my guy,” and could begin recruiting him to join him in Lexington.

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Kentucky Basketball Receives Prediction to Land International Star Nikola Kusturica

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1 month ago

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June 17, 2026

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Kentucky basketball has taken over as the favorite for Serbian star Nikola Kusturica, a projected lottery pick in 2028, with a prediction backing the Wildcats.

Just when many believed Kentucky’s roster was complete in terms of contributing players, Mark Pope might have an ace up his sleeve.

Last week, it was reported that Kentucky was among the frontrunners to land 6-foot-8 Serbian wing Nikola Kusturica. At the time, Gonzaga was thought to be the team to beat, having a more defined role to offer, compared to Kentucky, who has one remaining roster spot and a good amount of depth in wing positions.

Since then, things have shifted in a big way.

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Gonzaga received a commitment from 18-year-old French guard Juwan Ekanga-Ehawa on Sunday. By Tuesday night, the Wildcats received a Crystal Ball prediction from 247Sports’ Travis Branham to land Kusturica, with a confidence level of 7 out of 10.

The 6-foot-8 wing currently plays for FC Barcelona in Spain’s Liga ACB and EuroLeague system. He just turned 17 years old and is reportedly seeking a two-year college opportunity before becoming draft-eligible in 2028, where he is already being projected as a lottery pick.

The on-court résumé speaks for itself. In the 2025 FIBA U16 EuroBasket, he averaged 20 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 2.1 steals, and 1.6 blocks per game while leading Serbia to a championship and was named tournament MVP. He also helped Barcelona capture the Adidas NextGen Finals championship last month, posting 20 points and 10 rebounds in the title game against Real Madrid.

Next, Kusturica will represent Serbia in the FIBA U17 World Cup from June 27 to July 5, and a college decision could come before then.

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Mark Pope is carrying a lot of momentum in recent weeks after retaining Malachi Moreno and adding Milan Momcilovic to this season’s roster, as well as landing the first top 10 prospect of his career in Ryan Hampton. If he can close on Kusturica, that would cap off the roster in a significant way and continue to change the narrative around his recruiting ability.

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Kentucky Earns Commitment From No. 6 Prospect in 2027 Class Ryan Hampton

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2 months ago

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June 7, 2026

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Photo via UK Athletics


How about a Sunday boom in the recruiting world for you BBN? 

Ryan Hampton, the No. 6 overall prospect in the 2027 class, has officially committed to the University of Kentucky! This is Mark Pope’s first top-10 prospect that he’s earned a commitment from.

Hailing from Rockwall, Texas, Hampton recently took an official visit to campus with his family, which began on Friday, June 5 and spilled into Sunday, June 7, his commitment day. 

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The five-star wing averaged 21.7 points and 5.9 rebounds per game during the most recent EYBL Circuit, playing for LivOn and Nightrydas.

Hampton was the first recruit in the 2027 to officially visit with the Wildcats, and now he’s the first to call their shot early and choose the blue and white. 

Pope has signed Milan Momcilovic, the No. 2 ranked transfer, and Hampton, his first top-10 high school prospect just in the past week.

It’s been a crazy week for recruiting, with the narrative around Pope’s ability slowing fading as the top guys continue to be attracted to the Kentucky brand. 

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