It took Mark Pope a little while to find his footing with high school recruiting after taking over at Kentucky, but it sure looks like he’s figured things out now. Pope and his staff moved quickly on the No. 1 player in the 2027 class, Marcus Spears Jr., essentially as soon as they wrapped up the commitment of his first five-star freshman, Ryan Hampton. And he doesn’t appear to be letting up at all.
According to Sam Kayser on X, five-star center Darius Wabbington also from the 2027 group, out of Sunnyslope in Phoenix has trimmed his list of potential schools down to six. Riding the wave of Kentucky’s recent recruiting success, the Wildcats have made the cut. That part is encouraging.
The less encouraging part carries a bit more weight. Not only do the Wildcats have no official visit lined up with Wabbington yet which is often a key window for securing a pledge but Louisville has already secured the first visit. Before Wabbington heads to Arizona or Texas, he’ll be meeting with Pat Kelsey on September 11.
It’s hard to count Mark Pope out of anything at this stage, but the early signals here aren’t entirely favorable. Alongside Kentucky and Louisville, Arizona, Texas, Indiana, and North Carolina are also in the mix. This is shaping up as a full-fledged Power 5 battle for a premier big man.
A Power 5 Showdown for Darius Wabbington
Just a quick look at Wabbington’s game makes it clear why so many top-tier programs are lining up for a chance to land him.
Standing 6-foot-11 and ranked No. 13 nationally by 247Sports, the five-man brings a versatile post game he’s especially effective with his back to the basket and when cutting through lanes behind defenders. He has a sturdy build and, like Malachi Moreno, still has room to add more physical strength as he develops.
And it’s precisely in relation to Moreno that Kentucky’s future need for Wabbington becomes most apparent.
Kentucky’s Need for Wabbington
With Moreno’s draft stock on the rise he nearly made the leap to the NBA this past offseason he’s almost certain to go pro after one more season in Lexington. In that span, Kentucky would go from having a two-year center deeply familiar with Pope’s system to essentially starting from scratch at the position.
Wabbington would give the Wildcats a chance to reset the clock at one of the most critical and hardest-to-fill positions in college basketball right now. His frame and measurables are reminiscent of Moreno’s, though his athletic upside already appears to be a step ahead.
The stakes are undoubtedly higher too, especially with Louisville in the mix. In a head-to-head with those guys, every win carries extra weight but conversely, every loss stings all the more.
Mark Pope will be eager to avoid a dilemma at center and pick up some bragging rights over his in-state rival as this recruitment continues to unfold.
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