Newly hired Kentucky men’s basketball coach Mark Pope added his first addition to the 2024-2025 roster on Tuesday, flipping BYU’s Collin Chandler to Lexington.
Chandler, who is a 6-foot, 4-inch shooting guard out of Farmington, Utah, originally committed to Pope and BYU in 2022 but spent two years on a mission.
In the early morning on Tuesday, Chandler posted a message on Instagram announcing he was being released from his national letter of intent and was no longer intending to go to BYU.
“I am grateful for Cougar Nation in taking me in as family from day one and supporting me in a precious time of my life,” he wrote. “I have been blessed to be able to experience such a passionate and loving fan base. I am especially grateful for Coach Pope and the mentorship and trust he has given me from the very beginning.”
Chandler followed that statement up by announcing his commitment to Kentucky.
“This journey has already taken me to places I could never have imagined,” he said. “Growing up, my biggest dream was to play against the best players in the world. I am beyond grateful to be given the opportunity to do just that. Through the past couple of days, the path I had before envisioned has been blurred. After talking with my family and many prayers, this vision has become clearer than ever. I am humbled to get the opportunity to continue this journey at the University of Kentucky! Go Wildcats!”
According to the 247Sports composite rankings, Chandler was ranked as the No. 6 best combo guard in the nation in 2022. He was also listed as the No. 37 overall player in the country and No. 1 player in Utah.
Chandler received the Utah Gatorade Player of the Year Award in 2022 after he averaged 21.7 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.8 assists for Farmington High School.
While he hasn’t played in a competitive game since 2022, the upside and past look at Chandler rules this as a solid get for Pope and Kentucky as he continues to build his first UK roster.
