Kentucky makes the top eight for a 2027 five-star SF

Mark Pope and the Kentucky coaching staff have gotten off to a really hot start in the 2027 recruiting class, already having landed five-star Ryan Hampton. A five-star already committed to this staff is a great sign, but there is still a ton of work to do in this class.

Another player the Kentucky staff has been after is five-star small forward Demarcus Henry, who, according to 247Sports, is ranked as the fifth best player in the class. The 6’7 wing just cut the list of schools he is considering down to eight, and those schools are Kentucky, Kansas, North Carolina, Louisville, BYU, UConn, Arkansas, and Ohio State.

Henry’s father was an NFL wide receiver who spent a lot of time with the Bengals, and his brother Chris Henry Jr. is a wide receiver committed to Ohio State. Demarcus decided to go the route of basketball, and it was a great decision because he is one of the best players in the 2027 class.

When it comes to Henry’s abilities on the floor, he can handle the basketball at a high level for a 6’7 player, which is great. He shoots the three-ball with beautiful form, so I am confident that he is going to be a really good shooter at the next level. His ability to handle the ball, shoot, and pass makes him a really good fit for what Pope needs at Kentucky.

DeMarcus Henry with Vegas Elite! ESPN’s 9th ranked recruit in the nation @demarcushenry15 @VegasEliteBC @NikeEYB pic.twitter.com/3YNw0FWbRH
— Courtside Films (@CourtsideFilms) May 26, 2026

It is still really early in this recruitment, and Coach Pope and the staff have a lot of work to do. The next goal for the staff will be to get Henry on campus for a visit. If they are able to get this done, then things should really start to heat up. It would be ideal to get him in town for a football game or a game in Rupp Arena to explain to Henry how he would fit into the Pope system.

One of the big factors for Kentucky of late on the recruiting trail has been Mo Williams. He was the “closer” in the Hampton recruitment, according to the father of the five-star, so BBN is hoping that he will be able to get involved with the recruitment of Henry. The NBA upside of Henry is through the roof, so he would be a great addition to the 2027 class for Coach Pope. This is a name to monitor over the coming months.

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