Kentucky, Missouri, and UCLA among possible options for 5-star guard Jason Crowe

When looking at the 2026 college basketball recruiting class, there’s a clear top group of guards at the height of the rankings. One of them is Jason Crowe Jr., a 6’2 combo guard prospect out of Ingelwood, California. He’s a consensus 5-star prospect, known for being a high-level scorer who can play both on and off the ball.

Crowe’s recruitment is coming to a head, with a reported announcement coming next week on the 18th. However, what’s different about him is that he doesn’t have an official final list. What we do know are some teams he’s been reportedly linked to, either via past visits or articles involving him.

To date, eight programs have been linked to Crowe, and one of them could land him. Here’s a look at how he’d fit with each potential contender.

Arkansas Razorbacks

Coach John Calipari will always be linked to 5-star guard prospects and has a pair of young stars joining them next season in Meleek Thomas and Darius Acuff. There’s a good chance that they could leave a year from now to the pros, while junior DJ Wagner could be a draft candidate to watch as well. Crowe could very well be the next lead guard, but things would have to happen first to guarantee a large role out of the gate in the backcourt.

Baylor Bears

The Bears' point guard situation includes Omaha transfer, JJ White, the likely starter. He’s gone after next year, so the team will be looking for a key ball-handler to run the offense. Coach Scott Drew is a national champion with a strong history of developing guards. Look for them to make a push for Crowe to be a go-to option early on.

Kentucky Wildcats

The backcourt for Kentucky next year includes senior guards Denzel Aberdeen and Otega Oweh. There’s also Jaland Lowe, a transfer from Pittsburgh who entered the NBA Draft process this offseason before electing to return. Assuming he’s only around for one year, Crowe can come in and be the next lead guard. Or he can play next to Lowe, as he did with Bub Carrington a couple of years ago at Pitt.

Missouri Tigers

Anthony Robinson and UCLA transfer Sebastian Mack will lead the Tigers' backcourt next season. But to compete in the SEC, they’ll need more firepower. Compared to some of the other options, Crowe would easily be the top offensive option at Missouri and have arguably the largest role possible.

Texas Longhorns

New HC Sean Miller has seniors Jordan Pope and Chendall Weaver in the backcourt next season, but with Tre Johnson gone, there’s a major need for someone like Crowe to come in and have a major impact in the 2026 class. Coach Miller has had success with guards, dating back to his days at Arizona and Xavier, and could make a push to have Crowe be his first big pickup.

UCLA Bruins

The projected starting backcourt for UCLA will be Skyy Clark and Donovan Dent, a transfer from New Mexico. Since both players are seniors, the team will be in the market for a new lead guard. Playing in Los Angeles would be an added benefit of picking this Big Ten option.

USC Trojans

USC will be working with Maryland transfer Rodney Rice and former UNC Asheville guard Jordan Marsh as the next group of ball-handlers. Whether they’ll work out is unknown, but look for them to be in the market for another point guard in the 2026 class. However, if incoming freshmen Jerry Easter II and Alijah Arenas are impact contributors, Crowe could be dealing with a logjam of sorts.

Washington Huskies

Seniors Quimari Peterson and Desmond Claude will need to be replaced, and the Huskies have shown to be willing players when it comes to top-tier recruitments. Freshman guard JJ Mandaquit is someone to watch since he and Doom Diallo could be the backcourt of the future. If not, Crowe is one of their top potential targets to watch.