John Calipari announces Kentucky's 2024 Fall Signing Class
The Fall Signing Period ended yesterday, and with it, pledges from Kentucky’s four commitments became official. This afternoon, Kentucky sent out a release featuring quotes from John Calipari on Somto Cyril, Boogie Fland, Travis Perry, and Jayden Quaintance, who all signed their letters of intent over the past week (or, in Perry and Quaintance’s cases, committed and signed). As of now, Kentucky’s 2024 class ranks No. 2 in the On3 Industry Rankings behind Duke.
Kentucky has plenty of other irons in the fire in the 2024 class, including four-star small forward Billy Richmond. There was speculation that Richmond would be a late addition to the fall signing class, but in the release, UK says it “cannot comment on unsigned prospects.” Hmm. The spring signing period begins on April 17, 2024.
For now, here are the bios of the newest Kentucky Wildcats from UK Athletics, including quotes from Calipari.
Somto Cyril
Position: Forward
Measurables: 6-10, 240 pounds
School: Overtime Elite
Hometown: Enugu, Nigeria
Stats: Through the preseason of his senior year, Cyril is averaging 11.6 points, 11.7 rebounds and 3.6 blocks per game while shooting 70.5% from the field for Rod Wave Elite and Overtime Elite. As a junior, Cyril logged 8.1 points, 6.4 rebounds and 3.4 blocks per game
Notable: Was named the OTE Defensive Player of the Year as a junior after leading the league in blocks per game at 3.4. Prior to attending Overtime Elite, he attended Hamilton Heights Christian Academy. Cyril has a 7-foot-5 wingspan and has the nickname, “Baby Shaq.”
Why Kentucky at the time of his signing: “To be here today, about to be a part of one of the biggest programs in the country, it feels so surreal. Because I know being back home, I used to watch YouTube, basketball stuff on YouTube. This school right here was the first I ever watched when I started playing basketball. And now I’m about to become one of their players. It’s a feeling I can’t really explain. I’m just grateful for this moment. I know I’m up for this. It wasn’t given to me for free. I earned it.”
Coach Cal: “Somto is a great kid with an unbelievable story. He fell in love with basketball while watching YouTube and Anthony Davis highlights. He made it his goal to get to Kentucky and he achieved that goal by being an incredible athlete, shot-blocker and rebounder with a great personality. We’re happy to have him joining us next year.”
Boogie Fland
Position: Guard
Measurables: 6-2, 170 pounds
School: Archbishop Stepinac High School
Hometown: Bronx, N.Y.
Stats: Averaged 18.11 points, 4.2 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 2.0 steals per game as a junior at Archbishop Stepinac. He logged 14.4 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.9 steals as a sophomore, while generating 9.8 points and 4.8 boards as a freshman
Notable: Played for USA Basketball U17 National Team and helped team to a gold medal at the 2022 FIBA U17 World Cup
Why Kentucky at the time of his commitment: “I chose Kentucky because I saw the success with the guys that they’ve had in the past from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Devin Booker to all the other guys. Coach Cal definitely cares for them and has been producing pros from my position. He’s letting me earn everything when I get there. Nothing is promised. I’m ready to fight a battle with myself to do that.”
Coach Cal: “Boogie comes from a great family and great program at Archbishop Stepinac. He has won a gold medal and he has won a city championship already as a junior. He’s an incredible competitor, a great leader and someone we are really excited about having in a Kentucky uniform.”
Travis Perry
Position: Guard
Measurables: 6-2, 170 pounds
School: Lyon County High School
Hometown: Eddyville, Ky.
Stats: Ranked third in the state in scoring as a junior at 31.6 points per game, while adding 6.1 rebounds. He led Lyon County to a 31-6 record en route to a quarterfinals appearance in the Sweet 16. He also shot 52.3% from the field, 44.9% from long range and 87.4% from the charity stripe. He was the 2023 Gatorade Kentucky Player of the Year.
Notable: Perry joined the varsity squad at Lyon County as a seventh grader and is the state of Kentucky’s all-time leading scorer with 4,359 career points leading into his senior season. He also is the state’s leader in career 3-pointers made with 463.
Why Kentucky at the time of his commitment via 247Sports: “Kentucky is kind of one of those schools that everybody dreams of playing at and to have that opportunity as a Kentucky kid to go in and get to play for your home state and impact winning there is what really put it over the edge for me. I am going there with the opportunity to do big things.”
Coach Cal: “Travis is a winner. He’s an in-state kid, actually, the state’s all-time leading scorer, whose parents went to UK and he grew up wanting to be a Wildcat. He has great range, a high IQ and feel. Travis is a coach’s kid and a gym rat.”
Jayden Quaintance
Position: Forward
Measurables: 6-9, 230 pounds
School: Word of God Christian Academy
Hometown: Cleveland, Ohio
Stats: Averaged 17.3 points, 11.6 boards, 2.4 blocks, 1.4 assists and 1.4 steals per game as part of the Overtime Elite high school league as a junior. Reclassified from the 2025 class to the 2024 class and played up an age group during the Nike grassroots circuit this summer. He averaged 9.9 points, 6.2 boards, 1.6 blocks and 1.4 assists this summer.
Notable: Owns a 7-foot-3-plus wingspan. Won a gold medal with Team USA at the 2023 FIBA Americas U16 Championship where he averaged 6.7 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2.8 blocks per game.
Why Kentucky at the time of his commitment via On3: “They have had a lot of success with previous draft picks. They’ve had guard success, but they’ve had good success with bigs, a lot more than other colleges. Coach Calipari has been showing a lot of love, and Coach Chin (Coleman) too … We’ve been able to build a good relationship.”
Coach Cal: “Jayden is a prodigy with a unique combination of strength, agility, skill and size for a young man who is only 16 years old. He has an incredible ceiling and we’re excited about what his future holds.”
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