Five-star recruit Caleb Holt discusses where Kentucky stands in his recruitment

Kentucky has plenty of targets in the 2026 class among the top of the rankings. Kentucky Wildcats on SI got the chance to sit down with top 5 guard Caleb Holt's father to get an update on where the Wildcats stand in his son's recruitment right now.

Holt, as you can see, is one of the best overall players in the class, receiving interest from tons of high-profile schools. Among those recruiting him the hardest are Kentucky, Alabama, Auburn, Ole Miss, North Carolina, Baylor, Houston and Kansas. As an Alabama native, the two in-state schools have been receiving the most buzz for him recently, but Kentucky is certainly right among the mix of his top contenders. Holt's father spoke with Kentucky Wildcats on SI, where he discussed the relationship between he, his son and the Kentucky coaching staff.

"We've had great conversations. ...They made a home visit back in the spring and we talk to them a couple times a week at minimum, talk and text several times a week with that staff. They had a presence in Switzerland (USA U19), so they've done a good job of convincing us and intimating that Caleb's a priority for them. There's a real genuine interest from our perspective as well, and we sense that from them and they've convinced us of that."

Mark Pope had the unique experience of getting to coach the five-star guard at the USA U19 training camp in Colorado Springs. Kentucky WIldcats on SI asked Holt's father if that has had an impact on his recruitment and relationship with the staff. Holt says it didn't necessarily have a negative impact, but it "affirmed where we were." In terms of the next phase of his recruitment, Holt will be taking a visit to Kentucky on September 5, as well as visits to Alabama and Auburn on the first and second weekends of October. Holt has only taken one visit so far, which was to Ole Miss on Easter weekend. Holt's father discussed what he's looking for while on the upcoming visit.

"We're really trying to get a feel for the culture from an internal, day to day perspective," Holt said on what he's looking for on the Kentucky visit. "When they made (in-home) the visit in Georgia, I wasn't available due to the work, so I want to sit down and and really get a little more granular on how they see him coming into their program and, you know, and look eye to eye and see how they see him as being an integral piece to what they're trying to do. I know they will have national championship aspirations."

Holt also discussed what his son is looking for in a school, and fit is his number one priority.

"A big factor in the school is really, from the basketball perspective, is just fit and we're looking at personnel in terms of who they currently have on their roster and and also, in terms of projections of where that person or those people will be a year from now, and then, also just how they're utilized in their system or whatnot, contengent on him not making a decision prior to the season starting, so we'll be looking at that as well. But it's really more so about fit, style of play and of course, the educational component. We're really just taking our time and looking at fit and see what fits. Also, just tracking that there's consensus on how we and Caleb's camp view him as a player and how they (the school) view him as a player."

The five-star guard's father says he will cut his list of schools down between mid-September and early October. Holt discussed some of his top schools with Kentucky Wildcats on SI as well, which you can find here. Kentucky is certainly looking like they're among the top contenders with the top 5 prospect as they look to continue to make him a priority.