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2026 No. 1 Prospect Brandon McCoy Wrote an Imaginary UK Scholarship on His Wall as a Kid, Wants to Hear From Mark Pope

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2 years ago

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Brandon McCoy, the No. 1 recruit in the 2026 class wants to hear from Mark Pope and the Kentucky Wildcats.
IMAGN/USA Today

At his introductory press conference back in April, Mark Pope touched on his roster building. While he will recruit players that will be around 3-4 years, and from the portal, he’ll also continue to recruit five-stars and McDonald’s All-Americans just as John Calipari did.

It’s too late to do that for this coming season, but this past weekend, Pope and the rest of the Kentucky staff were busy on the recruiting trail looking ahead at some of the best high school talent in the 2025 and 2026 classes. One of those players was Brandon McCoy, the consensus No. 1 player in the 2026 class.

A 6-foot-5 guard, with long arms and a fluid frame, McCoy has great size. He also has great skill, highlighted by his crafty handles that help him score and facilitate for others. With his size, skill, and feel for the game, McCoy has one of the highest ceilings in the class and it’s easy to see why one of the best and most sought-after players in the class.

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As his recruitment picks up heading into his junior year, he has already received offers from over a dozen high-major schools including Kansas, Tennessee, and UCLA. That said, McCoy has yet to hear from Mark Pope and the Kentucky staff but it’s something he is looking forward to, he told Kentucky Sports Radio at the Nike EYBL session in Indianapolis this past weekend.

“I haven’t talked to him (Pope) yet, never met him. But I hope to!” McCoy said. “Hope to build a relationship and meet him, definitely look forward to that in the future… I don’t know too much about (Kentucky) since it’s a new staff, but I know, of course, in previous years it was a really good team. I’m looking forward to meeting him and really seeing how he is.”

That will likely change soon as Pope and assistant Jason Hart sat courtside for multiple games and both have West Coast recruiting connections that could help in pursuing the California prospect.

McCoy will make clear that he never had a dream school, but an offer from Kentucky is a goal that he had written on his wall as a kid.

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“I don’t have a dream school at all, just a couple of offers I really want to get, that are written on my wall. They are Kentucky and Duke. I had that offer written on my wall, hoping to get that. Hopefully, I get the re-offer from Mark Pope, as well.”

Until that offer comes, McCoy is going to continue working hard, which is what led him to become the No. 1 player in his class.

“This is something I embrace. It doesn’t happen by accident, it happens because I put in the work,” he said. “I just trust myself and try not to think too much about it. It’s basketball and I just do it, so the more I think about it, the harder it’s going to be for me. I just play the game I love playing.”

Also published on A Sea of Blue.

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BB Recruiting

Kentucky Basketball Receives Prediction to Land International Star Nikola Kusturica

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7 days 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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BB Recruiting

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

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2 weeks 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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Fast Riser Big Man Yann Kamagate Receives Scholarship Offer From Kentucky

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1 month ago

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May 18, 2026

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Fresh off the first live recruiting period of the offseason, Mark Pope and the Kentucky Wildcats have extended their first scholarship offer of the 2028 class.

Yann Kamagate, a prospect who went from unranked to the top five in 247Sports’ most recent recruiting rankings, received an offer from the Wildcats, he confirmed to KY Insider on Monday.

“Not everyone gets the chance to be seen by greatness,” Kamagate told KY Insider. “I’m grateful for the offer from Kentucky.”

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Kentucky assistant coach Mikhail McLean, who works with the Wildcats’ big men and their development, watched Kamagate first-hand this past weekend in the Adidas 3SSB circuit in Mishawaka, Indiana.

The 7-foot big man was the talk of the weekend, displaying a high motor, extreme athleticism — a reported 7-9 winspam — and great feel for the game. On the circuit, he is averaging 13.9 points, a circuit-leading 10.4 rebounds, and 2.9 blocks per game.

Originally from the West African country of Burkina Faso, Kamagate moved to the United States just a year ago and has only been playing basketball for three years. Now, he is challenging for the top spot in the 2028 class.

He is currently represented by former NBA player and UCLA star Luc Mbah a Moute. Which is relevant as he is currently playing for the California Adidas team, Compton Magic, and attends La Cañada Flintridge (Calif.) St. Francis.

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The offer is the latest signal that Mark Pope’s staff is casting a wide and aggressive net this offseason, and targeting players whose trajectories are trending sharply upward. Kamagate fits that profile exactly.

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