This is a curveball that absolutely no one saw coming, seriously. Since November, 4-star point guard Acaden Lewis has been signed with the Kentucky Wildcats and all signs have been pointing to him being a future superstar for UK and head man Mark Pope.
Seemingly out of nowhere, though, Lewis has decided to open up his recruitment and ask for his release from Kentucky. What? Lewis spoke with ESPN's Jonathan Givony about the decision and it's one that truly has a lot of people scratching their heads. Lewis told Givony this was a tough call to make, but he's doing 'what's best' for his future:
NEWS: Top-25 recruit Acaden Lewis has decommitted from Kentucky, he told ESPN.
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) April 11, 2025
"This was an incredibly difficult decision, but I have to do what's best for my future," Lewis said. "Thank you to Coach Pope and the whole Kentucky staff for all they've done for me so far." pic.twitter.com/TSr7t3nBeV
4-star point guard Acaden Lewis has decommitted from Kentucky out of nowhere
"I will always be grateful to Coach Pope and the entire Kentucky staff for believing in me," Lewis said via a statement he sent to Givony and ESPN. "It is clear Kentucky is a special place with an amazing fanbase, but as I reflect on what is best for my future, I have decided to re-open my recruitment. This was an incredibly difficult decision, but after a lot of discussion with my family and people I trust, I feel this is necessary. This is not in any way a reflection of any negative feelings towards Coach Pope and Kentucky. I appreciate your understanding and am excited for what the future holds."
According to the 247Sports Composite, Lewis is ranked four stars, the No. 5 point guard in the country and the No. 30 prospect nationally for the 2025 class. While several programs were in the mix to land him, both UConn and Duke were considered the main contenders along with Kentucky.
Pope and his coaching staff knocked things out of the park recruiting wise, however, and the Wildcats indeed were able to get him to commit. The hope was that he'd arrive in Lexington and go on to flourish being a floor general for the Wildcats.
Instead, everyone is now left thinking about and wondering where he'll end up playing his college ball. A quick look on social media shows that the Kentucky faithful as a whole is stunned by this news. We don't blame anyone at all for feeling that way - this is a total shocker.