6. Kentucky Wildcats
It’s Coach Mark Pope’s first recruiting class at Kentucky and after the massive success that former HC John Calipari has had, expectations are extremely high. But so far, he’s done well, starting with landing the top in-state prospect, Malachi Moreno. He’s a 6’11 center, ranked in the top 30 overall.
The Wildcats landed a big name in Jasper Johnson, a 5-star guard prospect ranked in the top 15. Acaden Lewis is a rising prospect in his own right, ranked around the top 30 overall and one of the top true ball-handlers in the class. The team has a couple of other targets, but so far, Coach Pope has shown that recruiting won’t take a big dip in his tenure.
5. SMU Mustangs
It’s the first recruiting class for not only new HC Andy Enfield but for the program in its first season in the ACC. And they’ve risen to the occasion, landing four 4-star prospects to have a current top-10 overall class. 6’10 center Jayden Toombs leads the way, ranked in the top 50 overall.
The other big SMU landed was Nigel Falls, a four-star forward listed at 6’10. Jermaine O’Neal is a four-star wing who was an in-state coup, while BJ Davis-Ray is a four-star wing from out west. They have depth inside and out that can play at the ACC level, giving them a chance to compete in the league long-term.