In a twist few saw coming, Jalen Thompson, the highly touted son of NCAA basketball legend Raymond “Ray” Thompson, is reportedly considering a surprise commitment to the Kentucky Wildcats for the upcoming season.
Jalen, a 6’7” small forward ranked among the top 10 prospects in the 2025 class, had long been expected to follow in his father’s footsteps at Duke University, where Ray Thompson made history with back-to-back Final Four appearances in the early 2000s. But sources close to the Thompson family indicate that the younger Thompson is increasingly intrigued by Kentucky’s revamped program under Coach Mark Pope.
“Jalen grew up hearing stories about Duke, but he’s his own man,” a family friend shared anonymously. “He’s impressed with the energy at Kentucky and the opportunity to lead a new era.”
Kentucky, coming off a rebuilding year, has been aggressively pursuing top talent to restore its blue-blood dominance. Adding Thompson would mark a major recruiting win and could instantly elevate the Wildcats to national title contenders.
Thompson has yet to make an official announcement, but with the NCAA Summer Showcase just weeks away, insiders expect a decision soon.
Should Jalen commit, it would not only shake up the recruiting landscape—but also set the stage for a compelling legacy-versus-new-path narrative come March Madness.
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