Kentucky portal target Aidan Mahaney commits to UConn

The recruiting momentum coming out of the weekend has hit a slight speed bump, one of Mark Pope’s top guard targets turning down Kentucky in favor of another blue blood program.

Former St. Mary’s guard Aidan Mahaney has committed to Danny Hurley and UConn, he told On3’s Joe Tipton on Monday. He ultimately chose the two-time reigning national champions over Kentucky, Creighton and Virginia, among others.

Mahaney, a two-time First Team All-WCC member, averaged 13.9 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game in 2023-24. He took an official visit to Lexington this weekend after checking out Storrs immediately before, along with previous trips to see Creighton and Virginia.

He’s considered the No. 36 overall player in the portal and No. 10 point guard, per the On3 Industry Ranking.

Where does Kentucky turn now? Lamont Butler, Otega Oweh and Collin Chandler are signed on for next season while Dayton sharpshooter Koby Brea is set to arrive in Lexington this evening for his official visit. Reel in the top 3-point specialist in the portal and then focus on adding a top-tier point guard along with BYU star Jaxson Robinson? Yeah, that’s a recipe for success.

Minor setback for a major comeback with Pope and company. Time to see what else this new Kentucky staff has up its sleeve.