Mark Pope, Mikhail McLean take '27 No. 1 recruit CJ Rosser fishing: 'It means a lot.'

Recruiting never stops for Kentucky basketball, and Mark Pope is doing whatever it takes to reel in his first big fish with the Wildcats in 2027 No. 1 recruit CJ Rosser — even if it means breaking out the fishing poles.

Rosser, a Five-Star Plus+ according to the Rivals Industry Ranking, is passionate about casting a line in his time away from the hardwood. He calls himself a ‘country boy’ who enjoys the outdoors, disconnecting from the chaos and day-to-day grind as the top-ranked prospect in the rising senior class with bass fishing. That’s why Pope and assistant coach Mikhail McLean joined him in his safe haven Tuesday morning as the program pushes for his addition for 2027-28.

There, Rosser taught Pope how to bait a hook before the trio got to business on the water — the Kentucky head coach making it clear this is new territory for him, but excited to give it a shot.

“That’s my first fishin’ knot ever, guys!” Pope said as the 6-foot-9 forward guided him step by step, eventually tying the lure to perfection.

Their efforts proved worthwhile, catching one before calling it a day with photo evidence to prove it.

“It was really fun having the coaches out here with me and my family doing something I love,” Rosser told KSR. “It means a lot that they continue to show up for me and try to get to know me off the court too. I might could teach them a thing or two about fishing though.”

Rosser is rated as the No. 1 player in the class of 2027 and No. 1 power forward out of North Carolina, already holding offers from the Wildcats, UNC, Virginia Tech, Louisville, Texas A&M, Michigan, Miami (FL), Alabama and Arkansas, among others. UK is clearly among those pushing the hardest for the skilled and versatile four, who says he models his game after Brandon Ingram, Kevin Durant and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

The basketball talent speaks for itself, averaging 12.7 points, 9.3 rebounds, 1.7 blocks, 1.3 assists and 1.3 steals in the opening session of the EYBL circuit over the weekend. He’s more than a hooper, though, and this Kentucky visit dug deeper into CJ Rosser the person over CJ Rosser the player.

Fortunately for the Wildcats, they hit a soft spot in the Carolina native’s heart.

“I’m a country boy, so I like to go fishing,” he told KSR. “A lot of people don’t know I’m really from the country, so I really like to do lots of stuff outside. … I do lots of fishing — I do lots of bass fishing growing up. Really, just me and my grandpa going out to ponds, me just walking around fishing, just calm and relaxed in a peaceful state of mind. … When I go out, it’s really just me. It’s really just — some days I go out there and catch something, some days I don’t. But it’s just a matter of my mind.

“It takes lots of patience. It really makes you be more patient, really knowing — and it’s kind of anxiousness. Because if you don’t catch nothing, this next cast, I can probably catch something. It’s really just having that mindset of always looking at the next cast.”

Pope, McLean and Rosser did not leave this fishing trip empty-handed, but can the Wildcats reel in the five-star down the road? This visit certainly didn’t hurt.