A top 10 prospect in 2026 has included Kentucky in his top three schools

Mark Pope is eager to land a top player on the recruiting trail, and one of his most prioritized targets is inching closer to a decision after including the Wildcats in his list cut. On Sunday, 2026 top 10 prospect Christian Collins released his top three schools of Kentucky, USC, and UCLA.

The Kentucky staff have done a great job prioritizing the five-star forward, and now that hard work has put them in contention to land his services. As of now, USC is seen as the leader, with Kentucky lurking close, but Collins' has had a very quiet recruitment, so things could change quickly as a decision time gets closer. 

Collins, a native of California, recently wrapped up his official visits after taking ones to each of his finalists, and both Kentucky and USC have been recruiting him the longest out of the three, which will bode well as a decision gets closer. Speaking of being on the cusp of a decision, Collins’ mother spoke with Kentucky Wildcats on SI in a recent interview about what he’s looking for in a school.

"His major is going to be business, so we're going to want to look into a strong academic program," Collins said. "I would say strength and conditioning, making sure that his mental health is good, making sure that there's a good schedule for him to accomplish his goals, as well as put him in a position to win a championship." 

The top 10 prospect went from unranked in the spring, to quickly being on teams’ radars, and as Kentucky and USC separated themselves from the pack early, it looks like the two are the top contenders as a decision looms. Collins had a massive jump in a short amount of time. What about his game that helped him skyrocket? Here’s how 247 Sports’ Adam Finkelstein describes his game. 

“Collins is one of the more talented long-term prospects in the national class," he said. "At 6-foot-8, he’s long, mobile, and a very fluid mover. He covers the court extremely well, has an elastic body type, and is a good vertical athlete who can jump off either one or two feet, and then has a quick second bounce. Collins is at his best when he’s flying around the court, asserting himself on the glass, being active defensively, communicating, and playing with the high motor to maximize his physical tools. As he continues to fill-out his frame, get stronger, learn the nuances of defensive angles and close-outs, there’s still significant un-tapped upside on that end of the floor. He already guards multiple positions, and has the athleticism to erase mistakes, but there’s potential for both extreme versatility on-the-ball and real playmaking ability as a help-side defender.”

Can Kentucky jump the in-state school USC and land Mark Pope’s first big get on the recruiting trail as the head coach in Lexington?