Former Kentucky Commit Acaden Lewis Chooses Villanova
After parting ways with the University of Kentucky earlier this month, top high school basketball recruit Acaden Lewis has decided on a new destination. On Thursday, Lewis, a 6-foot-2 guard from Washington, D.C., announced his commitment to Villanova, where he will play under new head coach Kevin Willard for the 2025–26 season.
Lewis, ranked No. 30 in the 2025 high school class and considered a four-star talent, initially pledged to Kentucky back in November. At the time, he selected the Wildcats over other top programs like Duke and UConn. His decision followed commitments from fellow 2025 recruits Malachi Moreno and Jasper Johnson, making him the third and final member of that class to join then-new UK head coach Mark Pope.
A standout from Sidwell Friends School, Lewis became the first high school recruit without Kentucky ties to commit to Pope, thanks largely to the coach’s hands-on recruiting efforts. He visited Lexington unofficially in June 2024, received a scholarship offer shortly after, and was later the featured guest during Big Blue Madness. His official visit to Kentucky was the final one of his initial recruitment.
However, Lewis re-opened his recruitment on April 10 after UK secured a commitment from Pittsburgh transfer Jaland Lowe, a point guard expected to play a significant role next season. In a statement to ESPN, Lewis expressed his appreciation for the Kentucky coaching staff, saying he remained grateful for their belief in him. He emphasized that his decision was based on long-term considerations and not due to any negative experiences at UK.
Villanova, now led by Kevin Willard after three years at Maryland, becomes Lewis’ new college destination. Willard guided the Terrapins to the Sweet 16 last season before falling to eventual champions Florida.
Kentucky’s 2025–26 Roster Outlook
With Lewis no longer part of the program, Kentucky’s projected roster for next season is nearly finalized. The Wildcats currently anticipate having 12 players on scholarship, with the potential for up to 15 slots pending the outcome of the House v. NCAA legal settlement. This leaves three scholarships available for additional recruits or transfers.
Key returning players include freshman guard Collin Chandler, freshman forward Trent Noah, sophomore center Brandon Garrison, and junior guard Otega Oweh, who has declared for the 2025 NBA Draft but has left the door open to return.
UK has been active in the transfer portal, adding five players so far: guards Denzel Aberdeen (Florida) and Jaland Lowe (Pittsburgh), forward Mouhamed Dioubate (Alabama), center Jayden Quaintance (Arizona State), and wing Kam Williams (Tulane). Aberdeen brings championship experience after helping Florida win the 2025 NCAA title.
The Wildcats also bring in three new first-year college players: Jasper Johnson, a five-star guard; Malachi Moreno, a McDonald’s All-American center; and Andrija Jelavic, a 21-year-old forward from Croatia who previously played for Serbian professional team Mega Basket.
Kentucky is still pursuing additional high school talent, including four-star forward Braydon Hawthorne, a West Virginia decommit following a coaching change at that program.
