The offseason has arrived and John Calipari and the rest of the Kentucky staff are in full recruiting mode for the spring recruiting period.

A lot has happened in the past wee following the National Championship game, lets take a closer look at where the Cats stand and what they have been up to.

Matthew Hurt Calls Off Visits before Decision Date

Kentucky really needs some frontcourt depth next season, and one player the UK staff would love to put on the UK blue and white is 2019 five star big, Matthew Hurt.

Hurt will decide the day before his birthday on April 19th and will choose between the four premier bluebloods in college basketball, Kentucky, Kansas, Duke, & North Carolina.

Most recruiting analysts believe that all signs point to Hurt choosing Duke and that belief grew even stronger when Hurt called off in-home visits from Kentucky and Kansas on Sunday.

Duke makes the most sense, due to the fact that he will have the least amount of competition and would play the most at Duke compared to the other schools.

Here is a recent interview of Hurt at last weekend’s Nike Hoop Summit.

Calipari Visited 2020 Five Star Jalen Johnson

John Calipari kicked off the week by taking a trip to Wisconsin to visit the No. 3 overall recruit in the 2020 class, Jalen Johnson.

Johnson was offered back in September and told CatsPause.com, “It feels great. It’s very humbling. He said they don’t really offer guys this early so being one of the few means a lot.”

With 15 schools still on his list, Johnson is far from making a decision. However, the 24/7 Sports predictions show Duke in the lead at 71%, followed by Wisconsin at 29%.

As a junior, Johnson carried led Nicolet to a 27-1 record and its first-ever Wisconsin state championship that included a 20 point and 20 rebound title game performance.

Johnson is already being compared to NBA All-Star Paul George, and if he wants to bring his three-and-D style of play to Kentucky, he will be welcomed with open arms.

UK Extends Offer to 2020 Big Man Cliff Omoruyi

While visiting verbal commit Khalil Whitney, a 6-10 teammate of Whitney’s with a 7-6 wingspan caught Calipari’s eye. That freak athlete is Clifford Omoruyi, a rising recruit from Nigeria in the 2020 class.

Kentucky is the first elite school to show interest among other schools such as Florida, N.C. State, Miami (FL), and Seton Hall.

Omoruyi is ranked as the 56th overall recruit by Rivals and ESPN, while 24/7 Sports ranks him 74th. However, with Kentucky’s newfound interest he will likely receive a bump.

Reclassification has yet to be reported as an option. but it is something to keep an eye on if all else fails.

UK Target Jaemyn Brakefield, will NOT reclassify

Jaemyn Brakefield, a 6-foot-8 210 pound, power forward, is considered one of the best bigs in the 2020 class. Many believed that there was a strong possibility Brakefield would reclassify and Kentucky was a real option.

Last week, Brakefield layed that belief to rest and will stay in the 2020 class and even suggested that his recruitment was far from over and is “still wide open”.

Brakefield has been a Kentucky target for a while and has visited Big Blue Madness the past two seasons. Brakefield is a skilled lefty that would be a great piece to next year’s recruiting class.

Names to Keep an Eye On

Makur Maker

Cousin of NBA player Thon Maker, Makur Maker received a visit from John Calipari and Kenny Payne on Sunday.

At 7 foot 235 pounds, Maker is an athletic specimen in the 2020 class. Maker is a bit of a mystery as he is ranked 15th by Rivals, 50th by ESPN, and 69th by 24/7 Sports.

Maker is yet to receive a scholarship offer, but with his mobility and NBA size Maker could be a “unicorn” in Lexington.

Names to Keep an Eye On

The Hauser Twins

Could Calipari take two more graduate transfers?

On Monday, the Huaser twins of Marquette put their names into the transfer portal. Sam Hauser, a 6-8 forward, averaged 12.7 points and 6.0 rebounds per game while shooting 40.2% from three. While his brother Joey, a 6-9 forward, recorded 9.7 points and 5.3 boards per game, shooting 42.5% from deep.

Virginia and Wisconsin seem to be the frontrunners those far, but if the Cats can’t find another big, maybe they could go towards a “small ball” style of play with the Hauser twins.