LEXINGTON, Ky. — Javon Baker, a transfer from Alabama whom the University of Kentucky announced as part of its 2022 signing class in February, is no longer coming to the school.
University spokesperson Tony Neely confirmed to the Herald-Leader that Baker will not be transferring to Kentucky any longer.
That Baker wouldn’t be enrolling at UK was reported by multiple outlets citing unnamed sources prior to UK’s confirmation on Thursday. That development, apparently was news to Baker, who late Thursday evening posted two messages to his Instagram story: one shared about 5 p.m. Eastern time expressing surprise at the news, and another about an hour later that suggested the decision to not have Baker enroll was made by UK.
“They did decommit me there self damn I wanted to play for Kentucky (shrug emoji) bigger and better plans the most high got me,” Baker wrote in the second post (sic).
Attempts by the Herald-Leader to reach Baker were unsuccessful.
A consensus four-star prospect out of Atlanta in the 2020 recruiting class, Baker had seven catches for 101 yards and a touchdown as a sophomore last season with the Crimson Tide.
“We are very excited to welcome Javon to the Big Blue Nation,” head coach Mark Stoops said in a press release on Feb. 2. “He will be a great addition to an already competitive wide receiver room because of his experience, work ethic and athleticism. He’s been in Alabama’s wide receiver room with some very good talent and he has learned how to practice and work at this level.”
Baker received much fanfare after signing with UK in the winter, but there was an undercurrent of skepticism regarding his enrollment up until he was released from his letter of intent. Baker became the second wide receiver transfer to commit to the Wildcats and ultimately not end up with them; Syracuse transfer Taj Harris committed in November but did not sign. He enrolled at Rutgers ahead of the spring semester.
Kentucky will enter the fall with two wide receivers, seniors Demarcus Harris and Tayvion Robinson (himself a transfer from Virginia Tech), who’ve played a significant number of college snaps. UK over the last two recruiting classes has signed multiple highly ranked players at the position who are expected to contribute in 2022, including true freshmen Dane Key and Barion Brown, a four-star recruit who will enroll in the summer.
