Kentucky extends offer to 4-star 2026 PG Deron Rippey Jr.

After an impressive run this week at the NBPA Top 100 Camp, Deron Rippey Jr. has picked up an offer from Kentucky.

Rippey announced the news on his Instagram story Friday afternoon. While competing in South Carolina over the last few days against some of the best high school talents in the country, the 6-foot-2 point guard was named to the All-Camp Team. The four-star prospect was able to showcase his talents in front of Mark Pope and other Kentucky coaches on Wednesday and Thursday — and he clearly did enough to prove he’s worthy of playing for the Wildcats.

Considered the No. 18 overall recruit from the 2026 class, Rippey attends the same high school, Blair Academy (NJ), as current Kentucky senior Otega Oweh, where he was named New Jersey Gatorade Player of the Year this past season. Rippey becomes the 12th rising high school senior to pick up a scholarship offer from the ‘Cats.

Across three games played at the NBPA Top 100 Camp this week, Rippey averaged 21.7 points, 4.3 assists, four rebounds, and two steals in 25.7 minutes per outing. He shot 51.1 percent from the floor, 31.3 percent from deep, and 66.7 percent from the free throw line. His best outing came on Wednesday when he dropped 28 points, seven assists, three rebounds, and three steals.

“I’m a downhill guard who can touch the paint and get my teammates involved,” Rippey recently told On3. “My shot creation is picking up; just keep improving all around.”

Rippey has already taken one official visit, which was to Louisville back in the fall, along with a pair of previous unofficial trips to Villanova and Rutgers. He’s scheduled to officially visit Alabama in September. The likes of North Carolina, NC State, Virginia, Auburn, and Indiana are also in the mix.

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