Kentucky is gaining momentum with a top 5 recruit in the 2026 class

The Kentucky staff has been out and about over the past week (since Thursday) watching many of their top targets go head-to-head. The staff got eyes multiple times on one of their most important targets in the class, Caleb Holt, over the weekend, who had a very impressive showing. Over the past month, Kentucky has been able to gain some ground and position themselves well.

So much so, according to On3's Joe Tipton, Kentucky is in great position with the top 5 guard, saying after gaining intel on the recruitment that Kentucky is "more of a legitimate contender now than ever before." The Wildcats still have some stiff competition though with Auburn and Alabama being the schools to beat, as Holt is from the state of Alabama.

"Kentucky has came on strong as of late and he’s locked in an official visit to the Wildcats. Pope was one of his on-court coaches at USA Basketball, allowing Holt to get to know the UK head coach more. I think Kentucky is more of a legitimate contender now than ever before."Tipton on Kentucky and Holt.

As noted by Tipton, Pope was able to get some hands-on coaching with one of his top targets, allowing the two to get to know each other a lot more. Pope has got to do something that none of Holt's other top contenders' head coaches have gotten to do, and that is coach him. As Auburn and Alabama both remain his top contenders, Kentucky has positioned themselves well behind that group. Other schools in Holt's recruitment that he's hearing from the most include Georgia, Ole Miss, Baylor, Houston and Georgia Tech, among others. Holt has also locked in an official visit to Lexington, which will be from September 5-7, according to KSR's Zack Geoghegan. He has only taken one official visit so far, to Ole Miss back in April, but he has scheduled ones to both Auburn and Alabama, both in October, as well as planning one to Kansas.

That experience with Pope had with Holt at the USA U19 training camp should go a long way in this recruitment, and that has helped boost Kentucky into being one of his top contenders.