One recruiting analyst recently predicted Brown to pick the Wildcats.

The Kentucky Wildcats are entering a new era in the 2024 season as Mark Pope returns to Lexington to take over the UK program.

With a full roster built from the transfer portal this offseason, Pope and his coaching staff are now looking to make a splash in the class of 2025 and land some elite high school talent to pair alongside transfers.

The Cats have long been the destination for top high-school talent, and as the new staff looks to keep that momentum going, they are looking to land a backcourt player after adding Malachi Moreno to the frontcourt.

Well, 5-star guard Mikel Brown Jr. has scheduled an official visit to Kentucky beginning September 27th, according to KSR’s Jacob Polacheck.

A 6-foot-3 and 165-pound point guard, Brown played for the Overtime Elite program in Atlanta this past season but will now play for DME Academy in Florida. He’s ranked as high as eighth overall in the 2025 class by 247 Sports.

While no official predictions have been logged for Brown, Jamie Shaw of On3 recently gave an early pick for Kentucky to be the ultimate landing spot. Shaw gave the prediction with a 25% confidence level.

Now, the confidence level is low, but this gives the BBN some hope, especially now that an official visit has been scheduled.

The Kentucky Wildcats brought excitement to Perry County Park on Aug. 23, hosting a cookout that offered fans and supporters a unique opportunity to meet their favorite players. Sponsored by Peoples Bank, the event provided free food to everyone in attendance and allowed locals to interact with the University of Kentucky’s men’s basketball team.

Kristy Boggs, event coordinator with Club Blue, explained the purpose of the event.

Today we’re here for a community cookout, so the University of Kentucky’s men’s basketball team could come in and meet fans of Hazard, have a cookout, shoot a few hoops and have a presence in the community,” said Boggs.

The Wildcats made it clear that their visit was about more than just food and basketball. Andrew Carr, a player for UK, spoke about the importance of the team’s fan base.

“We wanted the people to know how much they mean to us as a team. Their support and love is unmatched in college basketball and we want them to know that we understand that this is bigger than us,” Carr said. “It’s about Kentucky, and it’s really important for us to continue to do these things in the community as a result. We’re super grateful for all the fans, and it’s a really cool experience.”

It’s awesome to get to come to a different part of the state than where I’m from. I don’t get to make this trip very often,” Perry said. “It’s awesome to see the support we have here and to give back a little bit today. It’s awesome to come out and get this support and spend a little time with the fans.”

Wildcats head coach Mark Pope also shared his enthusiasm for the event and the opportunity to connect with fans in Eastern Kentucky.

“We are so excited to get out here to Eastern Kentucky, to Hazard,” Pope said. “Hazard is our type of place in Kentucky. This gives us a chance to connect with our BBN (Big Blue Nation) and hopefully share some joy, get our guys ready for this season and give them a sense of who they’re competing for.”