Where Kentucky recruits stand in 247Sports' updated 2023 player rankings
We have a new No. 1 in the 2023 basketball recruiting hierarchy.
On Monday, 247Sports unveiled its fresh Top 150 player rankings update for all of the high school seniors. As you might expect, a handful of Kentucky commits and targets are near the top of the list.
The Wildcats have three players locked in for the ’23 class: Justin Edwards, Robert Dillingham, and Reed Sheppard. The first two didn’t see much movement, with Edwards dropping from No. 2 overall to No. 3 and Dillingham falling from No. 12 to No. 13. Both are still considered five-star prospects. Sheppard was the biggest mover, falling 18 spots from No. 26 to No. 44 while holding onto his four-star status.
The most notable jump in the rankings was uncommitted 6-foot-3 point guard Isaiah Collier leaping 6-foot-3 combo guard DJ Wagner for the top spot. Wagner, a major Kentucky target, had been the No. 1 player in the class for most of his high school career but is now bumped down to No. 2. That being said, Wagner is still listed as No. 1 overall according to the 247Sports Composite, which takes other recruiting service rankings into account.
Another significant bump in the rankings saw 7-foot center Aaron Bradshaw soar 14 spots from No. 18 to No. 4 overall, gaining five-star status. A longtime teammate of Wagner’s, Bradshaw’s recruitment has gone relatively silent after he delayed his decision earlier this summer. He was thought to be a Kentucky lean at the time but has since decided to reevaluate his options.
Taking all of this into account, Kentucky currently has the No. 3, No. 13, and No. 44 best players from the ’23 class committed, with a great chance to add No. 2 (Wagner) and No. 4 (Bradshaw) by the time it’s all said and done. UK is also still thought to be in the race for five-star forward Ron Holland, who fell one spot from No. 11 to No. 12.
With the new player rankings in place, it caused some movement in the team rankings, too. Duke is considered to own the best overall class with four five-star commits, led by a trio of top 10 prospects. Kentucky is right behind at No. 2 while Michigan State, Ohio State, and Oregon finish out the Top 5, respectively.
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