Kentucky targeting Scott Drew as next head coach

Scott Drew very well could be Kentucky's next head basketball coach.

Baylor’s head coach Scott Drew directs his players during open practices for 2024 NCAA Tournament / Chris Day/The Commercial Appeal / USA

John Calipari was officially announced as Arkansas's next head basketball coach, and now the Wildcats search for their next coach continues.

There have been reports that Mitch Barnhart has offered Dan Hurley the job, but it feels really unlikely at this point that the back-to-back National Championship coach will make the move to Lexington.

It seems like the most likely candidate to be Kentucky's next head basketball coach is Baylor's Scott Drew.

Drew has taken the Baylor Bears basketball program to an impressive spot during his time in Waco, including a National Championship in 2021.

Keith Taylor first reported last night that Drew had been offered the job, and now Jon Rothstein just said, "Kentucky plans to officially meet with Baylor's Scott Drew regarding its head coaching vacancy in the near future."

Reading in between the lines, it seems like Drew will be the next coach at Kentucky, and he could be an incredible hire by Barnhart.

More than likely, if Drew is the next coach of the Kentucky Wildcats, he will bring some of his recruits with him, including five-star VJ Edgecombe. Coach Calipari was pushing hard after Edgecombe, but he ended up picking the Baylor Bears and Drew.

Assuming Edgecombe would follow Drew to Lexington if he takes the job, the Wildcats would be getting a top-five player in the 2024 class and a guy who could be taken in the top five of the 2025 NBA Draft.

Kentucky will likely have its coach before the week ends, and if it is Drew, the Wildcats are getting a coach who can get this team back to the Final Four.