Pope landed two five-stars in the 2025 class, believe that because they are Kentucky natives
is a 5‑star combo guard (according to major rankings like 247Sports Composite, Rivals, ESPN) from Lexington / Woodford County. (OKC Thunder Wire) from Great Crossing in Georgetown, Kentucky, has been viewed as either a 4‑star (by some services) or close to 5‑star status. He’s among the top centers in the class. (OKC Thunder Wire)
When Pope took over at Kentucky, there was skepticism about whether he could compete with the elite coaches and programs for top high school talent. Critics wondered if he could recruit stars at the same level that John Calipari had been doing. Landing Johnson (a full 5‑star) and bringing Moreno along at near‑5‑star status helps answer that doubt. It shows Pope can attract elite high school prospects. (SI)Both of these high‑end recruits being from Kentucky matters a lot. Keeping top in‑state talent home is always a plus: it bolsters fan support, helps with recruiting pipelines (high school and AAU programs in Kentucky), and reinforces commitment to the local basketball ecosystem. UK being able to pull the best players in Kentucky gives them a built‑in advantage. (Kentucky Kernel)With these two, Kentucky’s 2025 class looks much stronger in the national rankings. Having multiple 5‑star commits (or near 5‑star) already pushes the class into the top tier among recruiting classes. It raises expectations for what this group can do, both in terms of on‑court performance and in recruiting more stars. (SI)However — getting two local 5‑stars is one thing; expanding that beyond state lines and consistently landing elite, national‑level recruits is another. Some commentary has noted that thus far, the highest rated recruits Pope has secured are those with strong in‑state ties. There remains a challenge to show that Kentucky under Pope can win recruiting battles far inland or in talent‑rich areas outside Kentucky. (College Sports Network)
Pope likely will lean more heavily on in‑state scouting and relationships. He already has shown he can win those battles.He’ll probably push hard to add more top‑25 or top‑10 recruits nationally to validate the class even more. Names like Tounde Yessoufou or Caleb Wilson have been floated as targets. (SI)Continued success will depend not only on getting talented recruits, but also developing them, winning big games, and showing that players recruited by Pope can achieve at the NCAA Tournament level or move on to the NBA (if that’s part of their goals).
Landing two five‑star (or near five‑star) Kentucky natives in the 2025 class is a strong early statement for Mark Pope. It validates his recruiting promise, strengthens Kentucky’s presence in its home state talent pool, and boosts expectations for the upcoming seasons. The achievement is notable especially because recruiting superstars has often been Kentucky’s lifeblood; now Pope is showing he can compete there. The next big test will be sustaining that momentum — winning high‑profile recruiting battles beyond Kentucky, and turning these recruits into a winning team.