BREAKING: Nation’s Top-Ranked Point Guard, Malik “Scoota” Price, Decommits from Arkansas, Flips to Kentucky
In a move that reaffirms Mark Pope’s dynamic impact on the recruiting trail, the Kentucky Wildcats have secured a program-altering commitment. Malik “Scoota” Price, the consensus No. 1 point guard and top-five overall player in the class of 2025, announced Tuesday night that he has decommitted from the Arkansas Razorbacks and will sign with the Kentucky Wildcats. The stunning flip delivers the signature, high-level prospect Pope’s new era in Lexington desperately needed and signals Kentucky’s swift return to the apex of recruiting battles under its new leader.
Price, a 6’3” floor general from Montverde Academy in Florida known for his blinding speed and elite playmaking, had been a longtime commit to John Calipari at Arkansas, following his former coach in a move that once seemed inevitable. However, a profound official visit to Lexington last weekend and a deep, existing relationship with Pope—forged while Pope was recruiting him at BYU—proved decisive.
“My heart and my vision have always been about finding the right fit to grow as a player and a leader,” Price said in an Instagram Live announcement. “Coach Pope’s offensive system, his belief in me, and the opportunity to be the engine for Kentucky Basketball—it’s a dream I can’t pass up. Big Blue Nation, let’s write history together. I’m home.”
This recruitment is a massive validation of Mark Pope’s philosophy and personal touch. Not only did he manage to pry the most important player in the class away from a Hall of Fame coach in Calipari, but he did so by selling a modern, guard-centric offensive vision that resonated perfectly with Price’s skillset. For a fanbase anxious about the transition from the Calipari era, landing a prospect of Price’s caliber is a thunderous statement of intent and recruiting prowess.
For Arkansas, the loss is seismic. Price was the crown jewel of Calipari’s first class in Fayetteville, a player around whom the entire roster was being constructed. His departure back to Kentucky is a symbolic and competitive blow, highlighting the fluid and often personal nature of modern recruiting.
On the court, “Scoota” Price is the quintessential modern point guard. Scouts laud his otherworldly court vision, his ability to control tempo, and a much-improved perimeter shot that makes him a nightmare in ball-screen actions. He is a guaranteed Day One starter and a potential SEC Player of the Year candidate, providing the Wildcats with the elite primary ball-handler essential for Pope’s pace-and-space system.
“This isn’t just a flip; it’s a paradigm shift,” said Rivals.com national analyst Rob Cassidy. “Mark Pope just went toe-to-toe with John Calipari for his most important recruit and won. He didn’t just sell Kentucky’s tradition; he sold a specific, exciting role that Kentucky hasn’t had in a while. Malik Price is the perfect cornerstone for Pope’s system, and this commitment announces to every other elite recruit that Kentucky is very much open for business.”
Price’s decision instantly rockets Kentucky’s 2025 recruiting class into the national top five and provides immediate credibility and momentum for Pope’s tenure. In securing a commitment from the nation’s best point guard, Pope has not only found his on-court leader but has decisively proven that the magnetic pull of Kentucky Basketball, combined with his unique vision, remains a potent force in the sport’s new landscape.
