Kentucky is actively pursuing one of the top high school point guards in the nation.
As reported by On3’s Joe Tipton, the Wildcats are among nine schools that 2026 prospect Deron Rippey Jr. is primarily considering. This group also features Kansas, North Carolina, Rutgers, Alabama, Arkansas, Louisville, Syracuse, and Seton Hall. The 6-foot-1, 175-pound Rippey is recognized as a four-star recruit and is ranked 20th overall among juniors nationwide, and fourth among point guards.
Although Rippey has not publicly received an offer from Kentucky, he attended a recent game in New York where the Wildcats played against Ohio State in the CBS Sports Classic. So far, he has made an official visit to Louisville and unofficial visits to Rutgers, Syracuse, and Villanova.
Rippey has been on Kentucky’s radar since the summer when assistant coach Jason Hart first connected with him. However, the Wildcats are also considering several other talented guards from the 2026 class, including PG Brandon McCoy (No. 1), CG Jason Crowe Jr. (No. 8), and PG Tay Kinney (No. 19), all of whom have already received offers from head coach Mark Pope. Whether Rippey decides to visit Lexington in the near future will be significant.
When discussing his visits, Rippey said, “I’ll look at the team’s culture. I want to see what the players and coaches prioritize, and whether they hold each other accountable.”
Rippey plays at Blair Academy in New Jersey, the same school where current Kentucky junior guard Otega Oweh attended. His sister, De’Naya, is a freshman at Saint Peter’s.
On the recruiting front, Kentucky has shifted its focus to five-star Caleb Wilson as its top 2025 target. The 2026 class is anticipated to be strong, and UK has already made several offers.
Here Comes the Boom has returned to forecast where Kentucky’s top 2026 prospects might choose to commit, with Jacob Polacheck from KSR+ analyzing each of Kentucky’s offers in the class.
