Top 10 2027 recruit Ryan Hampton commits to Kentucky

Mark Pope is on a recruiting heater right now.

On Sunday morning, news broke that Ryan Hampton had committed to Kentucky. The 6-foot-6 shooting guard spent his weekend in Lexington for an official visit. He saw enough during his time on campus to go ahead and make the call with UK.

“I chose Kentucky because of Coach Pope and Coach Mo Williams,” Hampton told Rivals’ Joe Tipton. “They showed me a vision and a plan for me to reach my ultimate dreams and goals. They will challenge me to be the best I can be on and off the court.”

Hampton is ranked No. 6 overall in the 2027 class by Rivals. The DME Academy (FL) product chose UK over the likes of Nebraska, SMU, LSU, and plenty others. Hampton is the highest-ranked commit of Pope’s head coaching career.

NEWS: 5⭐️ Ryan Hampton has committed to Kentucky, source told @Rivals. ⁰⁰The 6-6 shooting guard is the No. 6 overall recruit in the 2027 class. https://t.co/ExBy5Aj4pK pic.twitter.com/C7skx4nO0H

— Joe Tipton (@JoeTipton) June 7, 2026

Hampton, who is the younger brother of former first-round Draft pick RJ Hampton, has been a longtime target of Pope‘s staff. Former assistant Alvin Brooks III, who has strong ties to the Hampton family, was leading the charge for the most part until his departure earlier this offseason. But new assistant Mo Williams has since taken over, leading to a scholarship offer earlier in the spring and then a commitment on Sunday.

“The development piece was key,” Hampton said. “They actually showed me, through film and analytics, how and what I can do to get better. But let’s be honest, Coach Mo Williams closed the deal. He’s been a friend of my dad for a long time, so my family has trust in him.”

A native of Texas, Hampton opened the grassroots season with LivOn on the EYBL Circuit, where he averaged 22.5 points and 6.3 rebounds per game through the first two sessions. He later made the move to Nightrydas and hasn’t missed a beat, averaging 21.0 points and 5.5 rebounds in four games with his new squad.

Hampton was the first 2027 prospect to officially visit UK. Now he’s the first 2027 prospect to commit. Along with the addition of Milan Momcilovic through the transfer portal earlier this week, Pope is quickly changing the narrative surrounding his recruiting abilities. This is another big win on the trail for Pope and his staff.