Boogie Fland, 5-star guard, becomes 2nd commitment for Kentucky basketball's 2024 class
LEXINGTON — Kentucky basketball finally has its second commitment in the 2024 class — and its first five-star recruit.
Boogie Fland, a 6-foot-3, 170-pound point guard, committed to the Wildcats on Friday during a ceremony at his high school, Archbishop Stepinac in White Plains, New York. He picked UK over his two other finalists, Alabama and Indiana.
Three of the four major recruiting services — Rivals, ESPN and On3 — grade Fland as a five-star prospect; 247Sports gave him four stars. But Fland holds five-star status in the 247Sports Composite. Per the composite rankings, he's the No. 20 prospect in the nation in the 2024 cycle, and the No. 2 player at his position (behind Dylan Harper, the No. 2 overall recruit in 2024).
Fland's announcement came nearly four months after Kentucky's first 2024 pledge: four-star center Somto Cyril became the first pledge in the class June 28.
But Fland joining the class proves the hard work of UK coach John Calipari and his staff paid off.
After Fland took an official visit to Kentucky last month, Calipari visited the highly touted guard two times the following week. Calipari, along with assistants Orlando Antigua and Chin Coleman, visited Fland again earlier this month, according to Kentucky Sports Radio.
With Fland's commitment, UK's class rose 33 positions in the 247Sports Composite team rankings, moving from No. 51 to No. 17 — just ahead of SEC rival Arkansas. Kentucky's class ranks second in the conference (Missouri, with five commits, is No. 1 nationally) as of Oct. 20.
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What Boogie Fland's commitment means for Kentucky basketball roster
As is always the case with the Wildcats during Calipari's tenure, the state of the roster when Fland arrives on campus is difficult to forecast.
UK brought in an eight-man freshman class — ranked No. 1 in the country — for the 2023-24 season. If they play to expectations this season, five-star freshmen Aaron Bradshaw, Justin Edwards and D.J. Wagner will be one-and-done NBA draft entrants. Two more freshmen, guard Robert Dillingham and center Zvonimir Ivišić, possibly could enter the draft as well.
Seniors Tre Mitchell and Antonio Reeves will have exhausted their eligibility.
Sophomore 7-footer Ugonna Onyenso is a player NBA talent evaluators are eager to see; if he recovers from his foot injury and shows glimpses of greatness — no matter how short the bursts may be — Onyenso could elect to enter the draft.
Barring them unexpectedly heading for the pros — or choosing to enter the transfer portal — at least four players on this season's roster should be back in 2024-25: guards Joey Hart, Reed Sheppard, Adou Thiero and forward Jordan Burks (he's listed as a guard on UK's official website, but he's 6-8 and saw time in the frontcourt during the GLOBL JAM event and during the intrasquad scrimmage at Big Blue Madness).
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Fland joining the fray gives the Wildcats a score-first, bucket-getting guard in the form of many of Calipari's best backcourt players over the years.
He averaged 18.1 points, 4.2 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 2.0 steals per game for Archbishop Stepinac in 2022-23, according to MaxPreps. Fland made 42% (180 for 430) of his field-goal attempts, going 62 of 179 (34.6%) on 3-pointers, and 82% (140 for 171) of his free throws.
Playing for the PSA Cardinals on the Nike EYBL circuit last season, Fland averaged 15.0 points, 3.8 points and 2.8 assists in 27.2 minutes per game.
Reach Kentucky men’s basketball and football reporter Ryan Black at rblack@gannett.com and follow him on X at @RyanABlack.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Kentucky basketball recruiting: Boogie Fland commits to John Calipari
