Mikhail McLean Makes His Live Period Debut for Kentucky

Copy of the-ville-louisville-alumni-team-wins-home-court-advantage-tbt-la-familia - 1 — Mikhail McLean at the Adidas 3SSB Circuit (Photo by Sam Lance/ZAGSBLOG)

Kentucky is hitting the road with all the usual suspects this weekend: Mark Pope, Cody Fueger, and Jason Hart. However, one coach made his live period debut for Kentucky, Mikhail McLean.

McLean, who recently signed a two-year extension through the 2026-27 season, was in Council Bluffs, Iowa, for the Adidas 3SSB Circuit. The 33-year-old assistant joined the staff ahead of the 2024-25 season after serving as an assistant coach at Lamar University for three seasons. Prior to that, he was a support staff member under Kelvin Sampson at Houston, where he played from 2010-15.

The NCAA permits programs to send a coach and three recruiting assistants to live evaluation period events. McLean is now joining that group.

Courtside for Wildcat Select vs. Atlanta Celtics…

Bruce Pearl (Auburn)
Dan Hurley (UConn)
Pat Kelsey (Louisville)
Matt Painter (Purdue)
Jeff Capel (Pitt)
Sean Miller (Texas)
Richard Pitino (Xavier)
Kentucky AC
Arkansas AC
UNC AC
Seton Hall AC
Alabama AC
Washington AC
+more pic.twitter.com/OlFQ2XLTj3
— Sam Lance (@slancehoops) May 16, 2025

Kentucky is likely to swap out coaches at some point throughout the live period. While associate coach Alvin Brooks III wasn’t on the trail Friday, that will change on Saturday.

‘Mikhail is Going to Be a Star in This Business

Mikhail McLean is the youngest assistant coach on Kentucky’s staff, but it’s clear Mark Pope has high praise for him. He said so himself in February.

“Mikhail is going to be a star in this business,” Pope said. “He’s going to be a star. You talk about high ceilings, he’s got a high ceiling. He’s meant so much to us.”

McLean spent most of his time last season with Kentucky’s frontcourt of Amari Williams and Brandon Garrison. He’s now set to mentor a loaded frontcourt class that features a returning Garrison, as well as 6-foot-10 forward Jayden Quaintance, 6-foot-11 forward Andrija Jelavic, and 6-foot-11 center Malachi Moreno.

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“He is a star in the making,” Pope said again of McLean. “He’s going to be a head coach sooner than any of us would have imagined, and he’s going to crush it.”

More Day One Takeaways from the Nike EYBL’s Stop in Memphis

Mikhail McLean hitting the road to recruit isn’t the only takeaway from the first day of 2025’s first live period. KSR+ had a whole list of thoughts from day one in Memphis.

To summarize, Kentucky’s big board is set to grow. Lots of new targets are emerging, and things could heat up soon for the names already on UK’s list.

Two names that stood out on Friday were 2026’s Austin Goosby (Drive Nation) and Dean Rueckert (Utah Prospects). Neither have offers from Kentucky yet, but after their recent performances, that could change very soon.

Click here for the full list of takeaways. We’ll have more of them coming your way over the next few days here in Memphis.