5-star guard Caleb Holt schedules Kentucky visit, sees himself in Otega Oweh's role

Kentucky is looking to make a push with five-star recruit Caleb Holt.

Holt, ranked No. 4 overall in the 2026 cycle by the On3 Industry Ranking, has locked in an official visit to check out Lexington, he tells KSR. He’ll make it to campus September 5-7. I spoke with the 6-foot-5 shooting guard at the adidas 3SSB Championships in Rock Hill, SC, on Thursday to learn more about his interest in the Wildcats.

“Coach (Mark) Pope, he was my on-court coach at USA (training camp),” Holt said. “I got to play for him, and it was actually fun, he let me rock out. He was like, that’s how it’s gonna be at Kentucky. Kentucky is definitely in the mix, high up. I mess with Mark Pope and everything.”

Holt, who ended up winning a gold medal with Team USA just last week, has already locked in OVs with the two in-state schools: Alabama (Oct. 3-5) and Auburn (Oct. 10-12). The Crimson Tide has been recruiting him since 8th grade, while the Tigers were his first scholarship offer.

“It would be a dream to play for my hometown school,” Holt said. “But I’m going based off fit.”

The likes of Houston, Baylor, Providence, Ole Miss, and Kansas are also regularly in his ear, trying to get him on campus for visits. He says a decision could come in January or February after he has a chance to see his top teams play during the 2025-26 season. Ole Miss hosted him for an OV back in the spring.

In the mold of Otega Oweh

In Holt’s conversations with Kentucky, Otega Oweh is a name that comes up as an easy comparison. Oweh is listed at 6-foot-4, 215 pounds, while Holt is currently credited at 6-foot-5, 200 pounds. They have similar — not exact — play styles as physical guards who want to score from all over the floor.

“I like Otega,” Holt said. “He’s a three-level scorer. He can hit the three, he can hit the mid-range. The mid-range is his bread and butter, and he can get to the rim. And he’s pretty big. I’m a bigger guard, so I see myself like that.”

Oweh is a player model that Holt is looking to live up to. The way Oweh, who graduates after this upcoming season, plays offense within Kentucky’s system is something he can see himself thriving in at the college level. The UK staff has relayed that message.

“That’s one thing I talked about with (assistant) Jason Hart,” Holt said. “I talked with Jason Hart yesterday, I was like, if I come there, would you let me shoot mid-ranges? And he was like, you can shoot whatever shot you want, whatever is the best shot. He doesn’t limit his players. They play a pretty fast offense, they love threes, they love getting to the rim, I see myself as a better Otega if I go there.”

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