KSR's Nike EYBL Live Period Live Blog: Who is Mark Pope Watching?
KSR has arrived at the Memphis Sports & Events Center for Nike EYBL Session II and the very first live period of the recruiting cycle. Mark Pope will be in attendance, as will his Kentucky staff, so we’ll be following them around all weekend as the Wildcats evaluate their top targets in the 2027 and 2028 classes.
2026 did not go as planned for the program, headlined by the loss of No. 1 prospect Tyran Stokes, and there is certainly much to prove with high school recruiting under Pope in general. Up to this point, his only signings have come from previous ties at BYU (Collin Chandler), local standouts (Travis Perry, Trent Noah, Malachi Moreno and Jasper Johnson) or family connections (Mason Williams and Zyon Hawthorne). Braydon Hawthorne is the lone exception among true high schoolers — albeit a good one as a top-35 prospect — plus international additions such as Andrija Jelavic and Ousmane N’Diaye.
No matter how you slice it, Kentucky is still looking for a surefire five-star, top-10 talent under Pope. Could this be the year?
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CJ Rosser (Team United), Marcus Spears Jr. (Drive Nation), Paul Osaruyi (Arizona Unity), Beckham Black (AB Elite), Ryan Hampton (LivOn), Chase Lumpkin (Jet Academy) are the current 2027 targets on the EYBL circuit holding Kentucky offers — all top-45 recruits, with five of six being in the top 10. The Wildcats will certainly watch all of them, but we’ll be keeping track of the additional names that pop up throughout the weekend in Memphis.
Wherever Pope and his staff are, we will be. Follow along with our official EYBL Live Period Live Blog below.
Cody Fueger checks out Nesmith vs. Daughtry
05/15/2026 06:34:59 PMIt was mostly Pope and Williams attached at the hip throughout the day with Cody Fueger off doing his own thing, evaluating his own talent. Among those players? No. 15 overall and four-star wing Gabe Nesmith, suiting up for the Nightrydas, taking on Cayden Daughtry of the Florida Rebels. He’s rated No. 17 overall and No. 5 among point guards.
The latter was absolutely stellar, going for a game-high 37 points (!!!) on 15-23 shooting and 4-8 from three to go with five assists in about as impressive a show you can put on in this event.
If there were an MVP trophy to hand out on Friday, it would go to Daughtry in a 100-80 win for the Rebels.
“I came in today and felt like I had to prove a point,” he said on the NBA YouTube broadcast afterward.
37 points to prove, specifically.
Kentucky among many HCs in for potential No. 1 Colton Hiller
05/15/2026 05:32:05 PMMark Pope and Mo Williams have been hitting on ‘27s all day, and now, they’re monitoring a big-time ‘28 in Colton Hiller — who could end up No. 1 in his class.
Currently ranked No. 4 overall and No. 2 among shooting guards, Hiller is a high basketball IQ talent who plays with poise and confidence. There is a lot to love about his game and there is a reason Pope is joined by Coach Cal, Nate Oats, Jai Lucas, Will Wade, Dennis Gates, Shaka Smart and Buzz Williams among the many head coaches sitting courtside for the five-star.
Pope locked in on a serious stock-riser
05/15/2026 04:21:50 PMKentucky offered 2027 four-star guard Chase Lumpkin in April and the push continues for one of the top stock-risers in the class.
He’s taking on another top prospect among rising seniors, top-five Paul Osaruyi. He was once considered a reclass candidate but appears to be locked in on ‘27.
Pope is there with Mo Williams, front and center.
Kentucky watches a major reclass candidate
05/15/2026 03:47:10 PMMark Pope and Mo Williams are courtside for 2027 No. 8 SG Ryan Hampton — widely seen as a reclass candidate for 2026.
Kentucky offered in April during an in-home visit and could be seen as an option if the Wildcats miss on other draft withdrawal targets, namely Iowa State’s Milan Momcilovic.
LSU is also a rumored destination for the five-star guard out of Texas.
Cody Fueger watches Beckham Black put on a show
05/15/2026 02:32:58 PMIt’s not just Pope and Williams in attendance — assistant coach Cody Fueger is here, too.
He’s currently courtside watching 2027 top-10 prospect Beckham Black, who is the younger brother of former Arkansas Razorback Anthony Black.
The 6-3 point guard is putting on a show, making everything he’s throwing up at the rim right now. He received an offer from the Wildcats back in September.
Pope and Williams juggle Rosser and Spears
05/15/2026 01:51:37 PMThe Kentucky coaches have moved up top to watch multiple games at once — and for good reason. The Wildcats have No. 1 recruit CJ Rosser and No. 2 King Gibson in one game, then No. 3 Marcus Spears Jr. in another.
That’s why Pope and Williams are straddling both courts with the birds-eye view in the watch deck.
Another Mark Pope and Jamal Crawford connection
05/15/2026 01:16:33 PMThe 17U games started this early afternoon, and Pope made a fascinating first stop — and it’s a familiar face and name for BBN.
Pope was courtside with Mo Williams for 2029 No. 1 recruit JJ Crawford, son of three-time NBA Sixth Man of the Year Jamal Crawford.
Yes, the same Jamal Crawford who Pope pursued this offseason to join his coaching staff in Lexington.
JJ is a fascinating young prospect and is widely seen as the next superstar, can’t-miss talent in college basketball and the NBA. Playing 16U as a freshman in high school, he’s clearly in a league of his own in terms of ability and potential.
Mark Pope and Mo Williams hit the road
05/15/2026 12:23:17 PMNew UK assistant Mo Williams was the first to announce his departure from Lexington for the weekend to hit the recruiting trail.
“Enroute,” he wrote on social media, posting a picture from the airport lounge.
Mark Pope wrote a note of his own in the early hours of Friday morning, letting the world know he was on the road and heading to Memphis for Nike EYBL Session II.
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