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Kentucky one-and-done, current international player Kahlil Whitney attempting college basketball return

Byington mugby: Alex Byington02/18/26_AlexByington

After six years of playing overseas, former Kentucky forward Kahlil Whitney is eager to test the evolving landscape of college basketball and potentially return to school. The 25-year-old former five-star recruit announced he’s “exploring all options” and “looking for the right program ready to take on the reinstatement process” in a Wednesday morning post on X/Twitter.

“Recruitment officially open,” Whitney wrote. “With NCAA rules continuing to evolve, I’m exploring all options. Looking for the right program ready to take on the reinstatement process. Let’s work.”

The 6-foot-6, 210-pound Whitney originally signed with the Wildcats as a Five Star Plus+ member of the 2019 recruiting cycle out of Roselle (NJ) Catholic. He was the No. 1 small forward in the class and No. 12 player overall, according to the Rivals Industry Rankings, a weighted average that utilizes all three major recruiting media services.

Whitney’s time in Lexington was short-lived, though, as the former McDonald’s All-American abruptly left the program midway through his freshman season after seeing his on-court role severely diminished. After starting the first seven games of the 2019-20 season, Whitney’s playing time took a significant hit in mid-December to the point where he averaged just 6.8 minutes through Kentucky‘s first six SEC games that season. That included playing a combined four minutes in his final two games in a Wildcats uniform.

Whitney announced his intention to leave Kentucky on Jan. 24, 2020, in a social media post after averaging just 3.3 points, 1.7 rebounds and 12.8 minutes per game in his lone collegiate season. After going undrafted in the 2020 NBA Draft, Whitney signed an Exhibit 10 deal with the Charlotte Hornets to only play two minutes in a single preseason game prior to the 2020-21 season.

Whitney bounced around the G League for a few years before taking his talents overseas. He has played internationally in Mexico, Croatia, New Zealand and most recently in China with the Suke Lions.

But in the day and age of NIL, Whitney is just the latest professional to attempt a return to play college basketball. He follows in the footsteps of former UCLA one-and-done Amari Bailey, who recently announced plans to return to college despite having played 10 games in the NBA during the 2023-24 season, and former Alabama center Charles Bediako, whose return to Tuscaloosa lasted just five games before a local court denied an injunction request in his eligibility case against the NCAA on Feb. 9.

Of course, other former G League and international pros have managed to gain NCAA eligibility over the past few years. Baylor center James Nnaji, a former second round pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, is the most recent example.