Kenny Brooks landed his first recruit from the class of 2025 on Wednesday afternoon as five-star wing Kaelyn Carroll announced her commitment to Kentucky. 

The Massachusetts native is ranked No. 15 in the ESPN Top 100 for her class, choosing the Cats over prestigious programs such as Ohio State and North Carolina. She had at least eight recorded offers. 

Along with her commitment, Carroll was named to the “Top 12 Prospects Regardless of Class” list by ESPNW and the “Naismith Player of the Year Watchlist” for high school basketball. She is also the highest-ranked commitment since Treasure Hunt in 2020, who stood at No. 29 in her class. 

With three graduate students on the current roster, Carroll’s decision served as a grand milestone for Brooks, showing that his newly built program can survive for years to come and continue to bring in top talent. 

The 6-foot, 2-inch forward was likely swayed by the performances of the current Kentucky bigs, who have thrived in Brooks’ offensive style so far.

To compare her to current Wildcats, she could serve as a Teonni Key that shoots 44% from three. With her quick and high release, she not only could be a lethal shooter for Brooks, but a versatile scoring option from every level of offense. 

In terms of comparison, 247 Sports’ Brandon Clay said that Carroll “offers the same elite-level size and length at the four position that current South Carolina forward Chloe Kitts brought to the table all season.”

As active as Brooks was in the transfer portal this offseason — and now bringing in his first recruit for next year’s squad — it can be assumed that this is not going to be the only commitment.

One recruit to highlight on Brooks’ radar is Agot Makeer, who is one of the top five ranked players in the entire 2025 class. She plans to commit on Sunday, Nov. 17, and has listed Kentucky as one of her final schools.