Kentucky basketball coach Mark Pope has made it clear that he is prioritizing keeping the top recruits in the Bluegrass State at home. He did it with Travis Perry and Trent Noah this year, and has a commitment from Malachi Moreno in 2025. Now, he’s targeting the top player in 2026 in Tay Kinney.
Kinney is a 6’2″, 160 lb point guard out of Newport, Kentucky, and a member of the 2026 recruiting class. He is ranked currently as the number 26 overall player in the class by 247sports and rated four stars. He’s their fifth ranked point guard.
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On Wednesday, he was in Lexington on an unofficial visit, when he received a scholarship offer from the Wildcats. He previously told Kentucky Sports Radio that an offer from Kentucky would be meaningful.
That’s always been an offer I’ve wanted. Kentucky is the school in Kentucky. You get that offer, you’re the guy in Kentucky.
Kinney also has offers from SEC schools Texas, Tennessee, and Texas A&M, as well as Notre Dame and Indiana. Fans will want to watch this one, as Pope tries to keep him at home.