4-star guard Acaden Lewis decommits from Kentucky

Kentucky will have to find a new backup point guard going into 2025-26 — Acaden Lewis will not be a part of the team’s plans. The four-star guard, ranked No. 32 in the class of 2025 and No. 5 at his position, has decommitted.

Lewis put pen to paper with the Wildcats during the early signing period, joining a recruiting class featuring in-state standouts Jasper Johnson and Malachi Moreno.

Now, Mark Pope’s high school class is down to just two.

“I will always be grateful to Coach Pope and the entire Kentucky staff for believing in me,” Lewis said in a statement sent to ESPN. “It is clear Kentucky is a special place with an amazing fanbase, but as I reflect on what is best for my future, I have decided to re-open my recruitment. This was an incredibly difficult decision, but after a lot of discussion with my family and people I trust, I feel this is necessary. This is not in any way a reflection of any negative feelings towards Coach Pope and Kentucky. I appreciate your understanding and am excited for what the future holds.”

Lewis initially chose Kentucky over blue-blood finalists Duke and UConn, among other offers.

“I think the opportunity just can’t be taken for granted. Being a point guard at Kentucky is a huge deal,” he told KSR at the time. “I just really love Mark Pope and his staff. … They’ve done a lot to make me a priority, they’ve been here a lot for me. … The staff was just super knowledgeable with a lot of league experience, and that’s obviously the next level I want to get to.”

Johnson and Moreno will be joined by portal additions Kam Williams, Jaland Lowe, Mo Dioubate and Jayden Quaintance with Otega Oweh, Brandon Garrison, Collin Chandler, Trent Noah and Travis Perry all potentially returning to Kentucky with at least one year of eligibility remaining.

Now, Pope will be tasked with finding a backup point guard to go with one more shot-making wing in the portal. Who will he add? There are plenty of options out there, but this one certainly hurts for the Wildcats — the future was bright for Acaden Lewis in Lexington.

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