Is Kentucky basketball in a good spot to land five-star forward Niko Bundalo?

Kentucky has to land five-star forward Niko Bundalo.

Mar 10, 2023; Nashville, TN, USA; Kentucky Wildcats mascot performs against the Vanderbilt Commodores during the first half at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images / Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

One of the top players in the 2025 class on Coach Mark Pope's radar is five-star power forward Niko Bundalo. He is ranked as the 23rd best player in the 2025 class according to 247Sports composite rankings. The 6'10 forward was made in a lab for Coach Pope's system because he is a unicorn. Bundalo can shoot, pass, dribble, drive, rebound, and defend. He can truly do it all on the floor, but his shooting ability would help Kentucky spread the floor in Coach Pope's system.

When watching a film on Bundalo, he isn't just a shooter. He is a lights-out shooter. Many times, there are tall players who can shoot, but in all reality, the ball would be better in someone else's hands. Well, that isn't the case for Bundalo, as he truly is a knockdown shooter from deep.

Bundalo is planning a visit to Kentucky, and the good news for Wildcat fans is he wants his final visit to be his trip to Lexington. This means Coach Pope and his staff will be able to make a final lasting impression on the big man. This is a name Kentucky fans need to bookmark, as Bundalo would be the perfect addition to this 2025 recruiting class.

Travis Branham of 247Sports recently spoke to Bundalo, and the elite forward had this to say about where Kentucky stands in his recruitment.

"Obviously, a lot of Kentucky's appeal is that they have become an NBA player milling machine. I think the franchise of Big Blue Nation is real. I think the level of connections and things that they have to set players up whether it's player development, watching film, playing the best teams in the country. There's so many ways that you can improve and continue to get better at Kentucky."

- Niko Bundalo on Kentucky