Kentucky in to See 5-Star SG Jordan Smith Jr.

by: Jacob Polacheck5 hours agoPolacheckKSR

Kentucky is back on the recruiting trail on Thursday night. This time, they’re in to see 2026 five-star guard Jordan Smith Jr. at Paul VI Catholic (Washington, DC).

The 6-foot-2, 200-pound shooting guard has several college coaches at his game on Thursday, including Kentucky assistant coach Alvin Brooks. Other coaches include Arkansas head coach John Calipari and assistant coach Chin Coleman, as well as Georgetown head coach Ed Cooley.

Smith is down to a top six of Duke, Arkansas, Indiana, Kentucky, Georgetown, and Indiana. He took his official visit to Kentucky in early October for Big Blue Madness.

“The standard that [Mark Pope] is going to hold me to if I commit is a really high standard to get me to where I want to be,” Smith told KSR+ after his official visit. “They want to have me on the ball and help them win at the highest level. That’s what I’m being recruited for at all these other schools, but their emphasis is winning the most, specifically at Kentucky.”

Jordan Smith Jr.’s Game

Paul VI (Virginia) Catholic five-star shooting guard Jordan Smith Jr. is the nation’s No. 7 overall prospect according to the Rivals Industry Ranking, an equally weighted average that utilizes all three major recruiting services. Rivals ranks Smith as the No. 3 shooting guard and the No. 11 overall player in the 2026 class.

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“I just want to show that I’m an all-around guard [as a senior],” Smith said. “I’m not just layups, dunks. I want to show that I can do everything, so people stop doubting me. I just want to prove people wrong. Of course, I want to win and have fun in high school. This is the last time I’ll play with this group of guys. It’s really important to me.”

Kentucky’s Recruiting Roadblocks

Kentucky is yet to land a commit in the 2026 class. KSR’s Jacob Polacheck and Jack Pilgrim detailed the reasons why in a feature story on Wednesday night.

The story touches on a variety of issues, including emotions at the closing table, drama with JMI, and other NIL factors. Check out the story for more details.