Kentucky basketball will host top recruits for Big Blue Madness. Here’s what you need to know.
The next few days loom large for the future of the Kentucky men’s basketball program.
Friday marks the annual Big Blue Madness — the event that serves as the kickoff for both the UK men’s and women’s basketball seasons — inside Rupp Arena.
Like always, Big Blue Madness serves as a significant recruiting event for Kentucky, with several top players in the class of 2023 and beyond set to come to Lexington to experience what UK basketball has to offer.
Some of these top recruits, like household names Aaron Bradshaw and DJ Wagner, will be making return trips to Lexington.
For others, Friday will mark a sizable step forward in their recruitment by the Wildcats.
The Herald-Leader will be previewing several recruiting aspects of Big Blue Madness prior to Friday night’s event, so return to this page to keep track of what you need to know about the recruits visiting town this weekend.
Aaron Bradshaw, DJ Wagner to make second UK visits
The biggest recruiting storyline surrounding this year’s Big Blue Madness is that New jersey high school and travel ball teammates Aaron Bradshaw and DJ Wagner will both be in attendance.
Bradshaw — a seven-foot center in the class of 2023 — will announce his post-high school playing decision on Nov. 16.
Bradshaw is expected to decide between Kentucky, Louisville, the NBA G League and Southern California, among other post-high school playing options.
Bradshaw previously visited Kentucky in June.
Wagner — a 6-3 combo guard ranked as the No. 1 player in the class of 2023 by the 247Sports Composite — has not announced a timetable for his college decision, but Kentucky is firmly in the driver’s seat for his recruitment.
While much has been discussed and written about the family ties Wagner has to both Kentucky and Louisville, the two schools viewed as front-runners in his recruitment, Wagner has never taken an official visit to Louisville.
Wagner also attended UK’s Big Blue Madness last year.
On Monday, the Herald-Leader spoke to Rob Cassidy, who covers recruiting nationally for Rivals, to learn more about where UK is positioned in the recruitment of both Bradshaw and Wagner.
Read more here about Bradshaw and Wagner’s recruitments, and where UK stands with both players.
In-state guard Travis Perry to visit for Big Blue Madness
Travis Perry is Kentucky’s top in-state recruiting target that hasn’t yet committed to the Wildcats.
The 6-2, 170-pound class of 2024 point guard from Lyon County High School in Eddyville was offered a scholarship by Kentucky in June, and on Friday night Perry is planning on attending Big Blue Madness at Rupp Arena.
Perry’s father and high school coach, Ryan, told this news to the Herald-Leader.
Perry, who has a chance to become the all-time leading scorer in Kentucky boys’ basketball history, took official visits to Purdue and Michigan last month.
He was also offered by Vanderbilt earlier this month.
On Wednesday night, Ryan Perry spoke to the Herald-Leader about his son’s recruitment, and what it’s like to be an in-state recruit with a Kentucky scholarship offer.
Karter Knox to make another trip to UK for Big Blue Madness
If Karter Knox’s last name sounds familiar, that’s because it is.
The younger brother of former UK star Kevin Knox II is the youngest of three brothers who will all end up as Division I basketball players (middle brother Kobe is currently at Grand Canyon), and Karter’s recruitment is set to be a blue-blood battle.
Ranked as the No. 5 player in the class of 2024 by the 247Sports Composite, Karter Knox is a 6-6 small forward from Tampa, Florida.
His lengthy scholarship offer list includes the likes of Auburn, Florida State (where both of his parents went), Kansas, Kentucky and Louisville, among other high-major programs.
The Knox family has obviously been to Lexington plenty of times before, including for last year’s Big Blue Madness.
They’re set to return again Friday night, and before doing so, Karter’s father, Kevin Knox Sr., spoke extensively to the Herald-Leader about Karter’s game, recruitment and how to put together a basketball family.
Recruiting updates for UK men’s basketball
While this sets up as a significant recruiting week for Kentucky because of the high school prospects who are visiting Lexington for Big Blue Madness, other recruiting news for players who won’t be visiting continues to roll on.
This includes an expected return visit to Texas for class of 2023 UK recruit Ron Holland, Kentucky offering a scholarship to the top-ranked center in the class of 2024 and plenty more.
Stay up to date with all the important and fast-developing UK basketball recruiting news here.
This story was originally published October 10, 2022 at 1:12 PM.
