It’s that time of year again — rankings season. Last week, the likes of 247Sports and Rivals updated their basketball player rankings for the 2023 class.
We already went over where the Kentucky commits and targets landed in those, but now we’ve got another major outlet to discuss.
On Monday morning, ESPN’s Paul Biancardi and Jeff Borzello updated the worldwide leader’s high school basketball player rankings for the classes of 2023, 2024, and 2025.
Looking at the most immediate class of incoming Wildcats,
head coach John Calipari has two commits among the Top 10: Justin Edwards (No. 2) and Robert Dillingham (No. 8).
The third commit of the group, North Laurel’s Reed Sheppard, is No. 26 overall and just shy of five-star status.
Edwards was one of ESPN’s biggest risers, jumping nine spots from No. 13 to No. 2. DJ Wagner,
arguably the most important target left on Kentucky’s Big Board, is still considered the No. 1 overall player in the ’23 class.
Wagner’s high school and AAU teammate, 7-foot center Aaron Bradshaw, moved from No. 19 to No. 5 overall.
Bradshaw is another major UK target.
Looking ahead to the class of 2024, there are plenty of prospects with Kentucky offers who cracked the Top 60.
Johnson (No. 1), Ian Jackson (No. 2), Karter Knox (No. 5), Isaiah Elohim (No. 14), Johnuel “Boogie” Fland (No. 16), and Tahaad Pettiford (No. 18) all have announced UK offers.
The 2025 class is regarded as one with the potential to be incredibly talented and deep.
Cameron Boozer and Cooper Flagg hold down the top two spots, respectively, with Koat Peat, Darryn Peterson, and Bryson Tiller rounding out the top five in order.
There is also a local product that made the Top 25, 6-foot-4 Woodford County point guard Jasper Johnson, who came in as the No. 16 ranked high school sophomore.