Kentucky's 2024 recruiting class far from complete: "We got some other stuff in the works."

On Sunday afternoon, Kentucky men’s basketball head coach John Calipari added another piece to the 2024 recruiting class puzzle. Point guard Travis Perry became the third commitment in this cycle for UK and the third four-star to announce his pledge to the Wildcats. But as Calipari has hinted over the last several weeks, even more help could be on the way. He reaffirmed that belief ahead of Tuesday’s game against top-ranked Kansas.

“They’re both signed,” Calipari said on Monday in reference to commits Boogie Fland and Somto Cyril, who both signed their National Letter of Intent during the Early Signing Period, which ends on Wednesday at midnight. “We got some other stuff in the works but those are two that are signed.”

Perry has yet to put pen to paper, so Calipari could not mention him, but the expectation is that will be wrapped up sooner rather than later. There are still a couple more days left to fill out the final paperwork. However, Calipari was able to touch on both Cyril and Fland and what he expects them to bring to Kentucky beginning with the 2024-25 season.

Starting with Cyril, the 6-foot-10, 250-pound center was the first of this group to commit to Kentucky, which he did all the way back in June. The native of Nigeria who plays in the Overtime Elite league is considered the No. 51 overall high school senior by the On3 Industry Ranking. Cyril has already played in nine games this season for OTE’s Rod Wave Elite, averaging 12.4 points, 11.4 rebounds, and 3.1 blocks per outing while shooting 71 percent from the floor.

“Somto has made unbelievable strides,” Calipari said. “He is a dominating — he’s one of those bigs there’s just not many of them anymore, which rim-run, blocking shots, big rebounder, getting better offensively, but he’s more of the older school. But he’s so strong and so big, blocking shots and rebounding, he’s kinda like a unicorn that way.”

Next up is Fland, who committed to Kentucky just last month over the likes of Indiana and Alabama. The 6-foot-3, 175-pound floor general out of Harlem, NY is considered the No. 22 overall high school senior and the top-ranked point guard in the nation by the On3 Industry Ranking.

“And then you got Boogie. Guys want to play with him,” Calipari explained. “He’s one of those point guards that makes everybody better. He can score, he’s a good shooter, he finds people. What I’ve seen, there are times where he’s off the charts, like he’ll go to these events and All-Star stuff and end up being the best player on the court. My thing is, why isn’t that you all the time? You come here, that’s our challenge. How do we get you every practice, every game — and when I say to you, it’s that motor, it’s not making shots, it’s not that you don’t even turn it over, but you play at a pace and an intensity level. When he’s that, he’s as good as there is.”

The 2024 trio of Perry, Cyril, and Fland is good enough to classify as the seventh-best recruiting group in On3’s team rankings. But it sure doesn’t sound like they’ll be the only three coming to Lexington in the summer. Other notable targets possibly on the cusp of making a decision include five-star center Jayden Quaintance and four-star wing Billy Richmond. As things stand, Kentucky is in great shape with both prospects.

In particular, the momentum surrounding Quaintance and a potential commitment to Kentucky continues to grow. News broke on Sunday night that a decision would come by the end of the Early Signing Period. By Monday morning, several picks were logged across all recruiting outlets in favor of the Wildcats adding Quiantance to the fold. KSR’s own Jack Pilgrim logged an RPM pick with 70 percent confidence on Monday afternoon. Missouri, Quaintance’s other finalist, appears to be on the outside looking in as we head down the home stretch.

The addition of Quaintance would give Kentucky a certified high school star. At 16 years old, the 6-foot-10 center — rated No. 8 overall in the On3 Industry Ranking — will have to play at least two seasons at the post-high school level before making the leap to the NBA. His versatility as a playmaking big man can change the entire trajectory of a program’s potential.

Some Kentucky buzz is also beginning to build surrounding Richmond’s recruitment. Although the 6-foot-6 wing has long been thought to be a lean for the Wildcats (his father played under Calipari when the latter was the head coach at Memphis), no decision has been made yet. Memphis, Alabama, and LSU are also in the running, but the consensus is that Kentucky holds the lead. At this stage, all that’s left is the official announcement, which could come at any point — either before or after the Early Signing Period ends. Richmond is the No. 21 overall 2024 prospect according to the On3 Industry Ranking.

Quaintance and Richmond aren’t the only ones left on the board though. Five-star wing Karter Knox and five-star shooting guard VJ Edgecombe are also still available and high on the Wildcats’ list. Kentucky could even dip into the class of 2025 for potential reclass candidates, most notably looking at five-star guards Darryn Peterson and Jasper Johnson. Don’t be surprised if Calipari’s 2024 class winds up being one of the two or three best in the country.

Watch the latest John Calipari press conference on the KSR YouTube Channel.