Mark Pope Wastes No Time: Kentucky Opens Fall Recruiting Blitz With Kinney, Rippey, and Oladotun

Mark Pope Wastes No Time: Kentucky Opens Fall Recruiting Blitz With Kinney, Rippey, and Oladotun

When the clock struck midnight on the opening of the fall recruiting period, Kentucky head coach Mark Pope wasted no time showing the college basketball world that Big Blue Nation plans to be all in for the class of 2026.

The fall evaluation period allows college coaches to visit recruits in person, a pivotal time for programs to set the tone in high-profile recruiting battles. And in true Kentucky fashion, Pope and his staff hit the ground running — literally.

Midnight Madness (Recruiting Edition)

According to Joe Tipton of On3, Pope made his very first stop the second the live period began: an in-home visit with five-star point guard Tay Kinney, the Kentucky native whose recruitment has already taken center stage in the state. The race for Kinney is shaping up to be a classic Kentucky vs. Louisville battle, with new Cardinals coach Pat Kelsey also making the trip to see him.

While Louisville has reportedly gained some momentum with Kinney in recent weeks, Pope’s late-night arrival sent a loud and clear message: Kentucky isn’t backing down in the pursuit of the in-state phenom.

Enter Deron Rippey Jr. – The Crown Jewel Point Guard

But Pope isn’t stopping there. Kentucky has also scheduled a visit with Deron Rippey Jr., a five-star point guard out of New Jersey who’s drawing attention from every blue blood in the country.

Rippey has quickly become one of the most talked-about names in recruiting circles, and Kentucky is right in the mix. The Wildcats’ main competition? None other than Jon Scheyer and Duke, who are also expected to visit Rippey this week.

This is a heavyweight battle between two of the nation’s most powerful recruiting programs, and Pope’s decision to prioritize Rippey shows that Kentucky wants a dynamic floor general to lead its future rosters. Early signs suggest Rippey is receptive to Kentucky’s pitch, and BBN is already buzzing at the thought of him in blue and white.

Baba Oladotun: A Reclassified Superstar

As if Kinney and Rippey weren’t enough, Pope and his staff also have eyes on Baba Oladotun, one of the fastest-rising stars in high school basketball.

The 6-foot-10 forward from Maryland recently reclassified from the class of 2027 to 2026, immediately catapulting himself into the top five of the 2026 rankings, per the 247Sports Composite. Before reclassifying, Oladotun was considered the No. 1 player in the 2027 class by most recruiting services.

Kentucky is already pushing hard for the versatile forward, and according to KSR’s Jacob Polacheck, an official visit to Lexington is close to being finalized. His father has confirmed the growing connection with UK, and Pope’s early pursuit suggests that Kentucky sees Oladotun as a potential program-changing addition.

The Bigger Picture: Pope Sets Recruiting Tone

This flurry of visits isn’t just about individual players. It’s about Mark Pope staking his claim as Kentucky’s head coach on the recruiting trail.

Since taking over in Lexington, Pope has been tasked with proving that Kentucky can still land  and keep landing elite talent in an era dominated by NIL deals and the transfer portal. By going straight after three five-star prospects the moment the fall period opened, Pope is reminding everyone that Kentucky still recruits with urgency, ambition, and the national spotlight.

The next few weeks will be critical, with dozens of top recruits taking in-home and official visits. But Pope has already made one thing clear: Kentucky will not be outworked.

And if he can land even one of Kinney, Rippey, or Oladotun  let alone two or more  Big Blue Nation could be looking at the foundation of yet another championship-caliber roster.