© Clare Grant/Courier Journal / USA TODAY
Mark Pope just landed his first player as Kentucky's head basketball coach
The Wildcats just landed a talented guard.
Kentucky's new head basketball coach, Mark Pope, just brought in his first player as the head coach of the Wildcats.
Pope brought in his highest-ranked recruit in his time at BYU, Collin Chandler, who was a member of the 2022 recruiting class.
Chandler hasn't played a minute of college basketball yet as he was on a two-year mission trip, so he will come to Lexington with all of his eligibility left.
He was able to get out of his NLI at BYU and is officially a Kentucky Wildcat.
When it comes to Chandler on the court, he is a bigger guard, standing 6'4, and is an elite shooter. He is a solid defender and has quick hands, like we saw with Reed Sheppard last season.
Being a 21-year-old freshman will make Chandler a wiser player and will hopefully help him limit "freshman mistakes." While we haven't seen Chandler on the floor in a college game, he is an outstanding player who was the 33rd-best player in the 2022 class.
He is a four-year guy who will be a star in Lexington for a very long time.
Brandon Jenkins of 247Sports had this to say about Chandler coming out of high school, "Chandler is a competitive guard who always plays in attack mode. He is still a baby physically but has great length, burst, and solid skill. He beats defenders off the rip or bounce with an excellent first step. A plus athlete who is bouncy and is an exciting athletic finisher at and above the rim, Chandler thrives in transition and enjoys attacking the rim when driving lanes are available. He is a great shooter off the catch or dribble and knocks down the three-point shot with consistency. He still needs to improve his handle on the ball versus high pressure but Chandler will likely thrive in an up-tempo system with his playstyle. Chandler plans to embark on a two-year mission and will be 21 by the time he starts his freshman season. His upside is clear, immense, and due to his work ethic, it should be counted on to transform into immediate productivity once he begins his college career."
