Mark Pope’s Kentucky is facing growing concerns, both on and off the floor. After reportedly spending $22 million to reshape the roster, the Wildcats sit at 7-4 and have fallen out of the AP Top 25. The setback deepened as five-star power forward Christian Collins, once viewed as a Kentucky lock for 2026-27, reopened his recruitment.

“Yeah, I’m definitely reopening my recruitment,” Collins told Joe Tipton on On3.

“I just feel like it’s what God had planned for me, and I just want to make sure I make the best decision. I’m going to college, and I want to go to the NBA. Definitely want to be one-and-done. I just really have to take time, sit down, and think. That’s why I didn’t sign early. I don’t want to rush anything. It’s always a process,” Collins further added.

The 6-foot-8 five-star forward from St. John Bosco listed a final three of Kentucky, USC, and UCLA, but now it feels like he is back in the market. While it may look like Kentucky has failed, they are still in the mix. Collins further explained that he has a good relationship with the Kentucky management and Mark Pope. 

“We have a great relationship. I’ve known Jason Hart since I was a freshman or eighth grade. I’ve known him for a long time,” he said. “I definitely have a relationship with Mark Pope. I was at his house and whatnot, we have a good relationship.”

The decision largely stems from the surge of interest in recent months. With attention accelerating quickly, the highly touted prospect has not had sufficient time to fully evaluate other offers and options now emerging.

“Collins said he’s still not familiar enough with Vanderbilt or Illinois yet. Most of the early conversations have been handled by his parents and agent, though he did exchange text messages with Illinois. He has not yet spoken with either school over the phone,” Tipton wrote.

No doubt the situation in Kentucky is complicated. As KSR reports, their NIL contracts are due to the JMI requirement that students sign away their NIL rights. That is extremely rare. They also mention that Mark Pope is emotional in discussions and refuses to negotiate. In an era defined by NIL, it makes things all the more difficult.

The program has failed to sign any recruits for the 2026 class so far. A similar situation exists with the No.1 recruit, Tyran Stokes. He was expected to sign with Kentucky, but reports now mention that Kansas has bumped ahead of Mark Pope in that race as well. Both could still sign with Pope, but the probability is falling day by day.

For Collins, the current state of the Kentucky team could have also drifted him away from the program.

Mark Pope’s current situation could have discouraged Christian Collins

A disappointing start to a season rarely erodes a program’s recruiting ability. Especially for a storied program like Kentucky, which is title-rich and has a successful history. But the poor start is not just about the numbers. The team looks disjointed, and almost none of the talents in the program have performed at their full potential.

Of course, the injuries have not helped, but they look far away from assembling a title-ready team in the near future, especially if this season goes awry. Unfortunately for Mark Pope, it is a requirement for a one-and-done recruit like Christian Collins.

“His major is going to be business, so we’re going to want to look into a strong academic program,” his mother said this past summer. “I would say strength and conditioning, making sure that his mental health is good, making sure that there’s a good schedule for him to accomplish his goals, as well as put him in a position to win a championship.” 

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On the other hand, Collins himself emphasized the development of becoming an NBA athlete.

“I just want to be comfortable, and somewhere I can really develop. One-and-done isn’t just being one-and-done. It’s about developing, getting as good as you can, to stay in the league, because it’s hard to stay in the league,” he said. “450 people are actually playing in the league right now. Only five thousand have ever made it. It gets serious when you get there.”

Both criteria point towards a program like Duke. In April, Duke made him an offer, but that phased out later on. Coach Jon Scheyer also conducted an in-home visit, encouraging Collins.

With Collins practically refreshing his slate, Duke could come back into the picture. They had multiple one-and-done athletes last year and prioritize developing youngsters. They are the youngest squad in the country right now, but are firmly in contention for the title.

With top prospects like Cooper Flagg and Cameron Boozer, they are the hallmark. Unfortunately for Mark Pope, that would mean losing out on another prospect.