Kentucky in Contact with 2027's No. 1-Ranked Point Guard King Gibson

2027 recruiting is starting to come into view. One name to watch for Kentucky is No. 1-ranked point guard King Gibson.

The 6-foot-5, 175-pound point guard from Montverde Academy (Burlington, NC) told KSR+ that Kentucky has been hearing from the coaches at Kentucky in his recruitment. Coaches will be able to reach out directly to 2027 prospects on June 15.

“Duke and Kentucky are obviously both very great schools,” Gibson told On3’s Joe Tipton after Kentucky’s win over Duke in the 2024 Champions Classic. “Duke just didn’t take advantage of the opportunities that Kentucky was giving them all game. Kentucky mentality to step up and guard in the last 5 minutes really surprised me and that’s what got them the win.”

Gibson recently took an unofficial visit to NC State on June 5. He’s also taken visits to South Carolina and Georgia. Originally from Burlington, North Carolina, Gibson transferred to Montverde ahead of his sophomore season.

UK’s 2027 Recruiting Efforts

It’s still early for Kentucky in the 2027 class, but they’re making some early strides. UK has offered three players in the class, but that’s likely to grow.

Baba Oladotun, C.J. Rosser, and Obinna Ekezie Jr. are the three players in 2027 with offers from Kentucky. Meanwhile, plenty of players have early contact from UK.

Players such as Paul Osaruyi, Jaylan Mitchell, Ryan Hampton, Marcus Spears Jr., TJ Jamison, and Reese Alston are among those with early interest. Mitchell, a 6-foot-7 power forward, is the only 2027 prospect to visit Kentucky so far.

King Gibson’s Game

Four-star guard King Gibson of Montverde (FL) Academy is the nation’s No. 12 overall prospect, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. On3 ranks Gibson as the No. 4 player overall, the top-ranked point guard, and the overall best player in Florida.

Gibson is playing with the Team United program on Nike’s EYBL Circuit, where he is averaging 16.9 points and 3.9 assists on 57.1 percent shooting from three-point range. On3’s Jamie Shaw broke down Gibson’s game following the Hoophall Classic in Springfield, MA, from January 16-20.

“You would never know that Gibson was just a sophomore watching him play,” Shaw wrote. “The 6-foot-5 guard plays with a pace and a pose that tells you he is not afraid of the moment. Gibson has a good size and played predominantly on the ball for Montverde (FL) Academy. On3’s No. 8 ranked player in the class finished Sunday at the Hoophall Classic with 8 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 blocks while going 4-8 from the field.”