Kentucky coach Mark Pope is busy on the trail of 2026 basketball targets. Pope prioritizes the transfer portal, but this doesn’t mean that he’s not interested in the high school recruiting world. His 2025 class was generally considered a top ten group, and he’s going after some massive 2026 targets. Here are some players to watch for Pope’s 2026 class of freshmen at Kentucky.
Top 5 targets for Kentucky and Mark Pope in class of 2026
1. Tyran Stokes
Stokes is generally regarded as the top rated prospect in the 2026 class. A 6’7″ forward from California, Stokes made a visit to Kentucky in June. He’s already made official visits to Kansas and Louisville. Kentucky is regarded as a finalist for Stokes, who has indicated that he intends to make an early decision. Keep an eye out for this commitment, as many of the biggest programs in the sport will be watching Stokes.
2. Taylen Kinney
A 6’1″ point guard, Kinney is from northern Kentucky and has been tied to the Wildcats. He’s playing for Overtime Elite and is ranked by 247sports as the No. 11 prospect in the nation. Kinney visited Kentucky in June, but has also visited a host of other top programs including Kansas and Purdue. He’s one of the nation’s top point guards with in-state connections.
3. Anthony Thompson
A 6’7″ forward from Ohio, Thompson is another highly regarded prospect who has been linked to Kentucky. 247sports rates Thompson as the No. 9 prospect in the nation. Thompson took a visit to Kentucky in January when the Wildcats took down eventual national champion Florida.
Thompson is tied to top programs including Kentucky, North Carolina, Purdue, and Michigan. Thompson’s recruitment might take a little longer than the players above, but he’s very much worth the wait.
4. Jordan Smith
Smith hails from Virginia and is widely considered the top guard in the 2026 class. The 6’2″ Smith has taken four official visits– Kentucky, Louisville, Duke, and Arkansas. His scoring ability from outside and at the rim have drawn significant praise throughout the prep world. While Pope values experienced contributors, few can match Smith’s skillset.
5. Jayden Johnson
Johnson is a three-star recruit, but the 6’5″ shooting guard from Louisville’s Trinity High could be a player worth watching. Pope has shown himself to value in-state recruits and to be more concerned with overall fit than with national rankings. Johnson is currently 247sports’s top-ranked player within Kentucky and has already taken a pair of unofficial visits to UK. He could well fit into Pope’s 2026 class.
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