Bryce Hopkins waiting on commitment video, announcement still expected next week

A commitment is coming for 2021 four-star forward and UK target Bryce Hopkins, but the specific date and time remains in question.

After telling KSR Tuesday afternoon that an announcement was officially set for next Tuesday, October 20, Hopkins’ father, Clyde Hopkins, followed up to say his son is waiting on his commitment video to get finished and will announce sometime afterward.

“Yes, hopefully the video will be done [by Oct. 20],” Hopkins said. “I will keep you posted.”

An additional source close to Hopkins tells KSR that while the official commitment date will depend on when the video is completed, an announcement is still expected at some point next week.

“It will be next week,” the source tells KSR. “[We] don’t know the exact date though.”

Hopkins, a 6’7” forward out of Oak Park, IL, is considered the No. 30 overall prospect in the 247Sports Composite Rankings.

After originally committing to Louisville in November of 2019, he decommitted in August due to the program’s ongoing NCAA investigation and potential incoming sanctions. Just a few weeks later, the four-star prospect cut his list down to nine, with California, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa State, Kentucky, Michigan, Oregon, Providence and Texas remaining in contention.

All ten Crystal Ball predictions over at 247Sports are in favor of Kentucky, along with six FutureCasts in favor of the Wildcats over at Rivals.

“Bryce has been texting back and forth with [John] Calipari, I talk to Joel [Justus], texted Joel a couple times last week,” the four-star forward’s father told KSR on Friday. “Once [last Wednesday], as well. … Kentucky, man, it’s a great place for him. We went there and felt really good about it.

“They have been consistent ever since the first Zoom call. They haven’t really been pressuring, but they’ve definitely been staying in touch, letting us know that they’re still interested and stuff like that.”

As for what UK likes about his game, Hopkins’ father said Calipari and the staff love his versatility, with the four-star prospect being able to play multiple positions on the floor.

“They like his game a lot, the versatility, his strength, being strong down in the post,” said Hopkins. “Being able to post, come back out on the perimeter, they love his versatility. They didn’t really go into [how they’d use him], but Coach Cal, he puts players out there. That’s the type of player he recruits, positionless players. They say he’ll just get it done. If they need to use three guards, they use three guards. If they need two wings, they use two wings. They just put players on the floor that can make plays, and they think Bryce can do that for them.”

Four-star guard Nolan Hickman is Kentucky’s lone commitment in the class of 2021, with Kentucky also having offers extended to Patrick Baldwin Jr., Jaden Hardy, Hunter Sallis, Daimion Collins, Moussa Diabate, and Hopkins.