5-Star PG Deron Rippey Jr. Sets New Date for Kentucky Visit

Deron Rippey Jr. - Zack Geoghegan, Kentucky Sports Radio

2026 five-star Deron Rippey Jr. was set to visit Kentucky from Aug. 1-3 before heavy rain and flooding in New York City forced him to postpone. Now, he’s got a new date set.

The 6-foot-2, 175-pound point guard from Blair Academy (Brooklyn, NY) will take an official visit to Kentucky from Oct. 3-5, his father tells KSR+. Rippey will visit at the same time as five-star forward Christian Collins.

“I love how (Kentucky) continued on the winning program after Coach (John) Calipari left,” Rippey recently told KSR. “Mark Pope, I think he’s a very high-level coach, he’s a guard’s coach, he’s just an overall savant of the game of basketball. Using that terminology, I think I’m a high-level point guard that can think the game fast, so being able to play for a coach like that will be important for me.”

Rippey has a packed visit schedule, which kicks off on Aug. 27. The visit list goes as follows:

Miami (August 27-29)
North Carolina (August 31-September 2)
Alabama (September 12-14)
Texas (September 19-21)
Syracuse (September 26-28)
Kentucky (Oct. 3-5)
Indiana (October 17-19)
Tennessee (October 25-26)
Kansas (November 1-3)
NC State (November 7-9)

DeRon Rippey’s Game

Blair (New Jersey) Academy five-star guard Deron Rippey Jr. is the nation’s No. 12 overall prospect according to the Rivals Industry Ranking, an equally weighted average that utilizes all three major recruiting services. Rivals ranks Rippey as the No. 2 point guard and the No. 8 overall prospect in the 2026 class.

“[Deron] is a two-way guard and a defensive point guard,” Rippey’s father, Deron Rippey Sr. told KSR+. “He’s very athletic with a high IQ. He wants to play and help get to a Final Four and win a national championship.”

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Rippey said his son has improved in many facets of his game. Those include shooting the ball and running the point guard position.

“He’s a playmaker with a high IQ, and he’s improved his defense,” Rippey Sr. said. “Last but not least, his competitive edge. He wants to compete, and that’s why all the coaches and schools are recruiting him.”