Another Kentucky native will play college basketball at WKU

Western Kentucky Hilltoppers cheerleaders hold their mascot Big Red as they perform - © Caitie McMekin / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Western Kentucky men’s basketball program is keeping as much homegrown talent within the state’s borders as possible.

On Thursday afternoon, three-star class of 2026 forward Gabe Weis announced his commitment to head coach Hank Plona and the Hilltoppers. A 6-foot-7 native of Springfield, KY, who previously attended Washington County as a freshman and sophomore in high school, Weis is considered the No. 145 overall rising senior in the country.

Weis left the state for prep school ahead of his junior season, where he attended Montverde Academy (FL) in 2024-25. He has since transferred to La Lumiere School (IN) for his final high school season before heading to WKU as a freshman in 2026-27. Weis chose the Hilltoppers over recent offers from Southern Illinois and UMass.

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But Weis is hardly the only Bluegrass representative on pace to suit up for WKU. In fact, he’s not even the only one from his recruiting cycle locked in with the Toppers. Last month, Louisville Male star guard Cole Edelen committed to WKU as a three-star recruit. Rivals ranks him as the No. 244 overall prospect in the 2026 class. He’s also transferring out of the state for his senior high school season, though, and will attend Combine Academy (NC) in 2025-26 before heading to Bowling Green.

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Once Edelen does arrive on WKU’s campus next summer, he’ll join his older brother, Jack Edelen, a rising junior guard who also attended Male. The Hilltoppers’ current roster this coming season will feature six Bluegrass-born players: Jack Edelen (Louisville), Lawson Rice (Morgantown), Armelo Boone (Lexington), Teagan Moore (Dry Ridge), Kade Unseld (Bowling Green), and Cade Stinnett (Bowling Green).

Of those six, all of them will have at least one year of college eligibility remaining going into next offseason, meaning WKU could roster as many as eight players from the state of Kentucky in 2026-27 with the additions of Weis and the younger Edelen as true freshmen.