Mark Pope has offered a bunch of players in the 2026 class as he looks to once again land an elite recruiting class, and he and his staff have offered a new elite player in the class.
This player is five-star Qayden Samuels, who is ranked as the number 18 overall player in the 2026 class according to 247Sports composite rankings.
Coach Pope is casting a wide net in this class as he looks to bring in a lot of the top-ranked players.
Samuels could be a player to replace Otega Oweh after this season, as the five-star is elite in the mid-range but getting better at finishing around the rim. With a 6'5 200-pound frame, Samuels has the build to be an elite finisher at the rim with his ability to handle the ball.
The hope for Kentucky fans is to get Samuels on campus for a visit, and if this is able to happen, the smoke could really turn into fire. Samuels is a name for Big Blue Nation to highlight as Pope starts to zero in on his top target in the 2026 class.
Best Scorer in HS⁉️ 5⭐ Qayden Samuels is a walking bucket @imqaydensamuels
— SLAM HS Hoops (@SLAM_HS) June 15, 2025
He led the NBPA Top 100 Camp in scoring with 26.4 PPG @Top100Camp @TheNBPA pic.twitter.com/hnacIbtBm4
Here is the scouting report on Samuels from Adam Finkelstein of 247Sports, "Samuels is a long lefty wing with an aggressive scoring mentality. While he plays with extreme high volume and can really hunt his shots at times, there are few players in the national class more equipped to create their own offense on demand. He has a high release point, both in the mid-range area and behind the arc, that requires minimal separation, but is going to need to learn to pick his spots and become a more willing passer. He came up the ranks as a young player who would handle to create space for his pull-ups, more so than to get paint touches, but is now starting to put more pressure on the rim. He has floaters in his arsenal and goes right into contact at the rim, but could add a little more finishing craft when going chest-to-chest with opposing shot-blockers isn’t most effective. Physically, he’s not a naturally dynamic athlete or mover, but has made strides in those areas and also has a 6-foot-11 to help him compensate on the defensive end of the floor."
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