Kentucky extended a scholarship offer to District Heights (Md.) Bishop McNamara 4-star small forward and top-20 2026 prospect **[Qayden Samuels](https://247sports.com/Player/Qayden-Samuels-46142936)**, he announced via social media on Monday.
The 6-foot-5, 200-pound wing is currently ranked No. 18 overall in the 2026 class by 247Sports.
Samuels has become a hot commodity this summer, leading the NBA Top 100 Camp in scoring, averaging 26 points per game, including performances of 33, 27 and 25 points to go along with 10 rebounds per game.
Playing for Team Takeover on the Nike EYBL circuit, Samuels ranks fifth in scoring at 21.2 points per game this travel season.
"Qayden Samuels was the camp's leading scorer and was looking to score on essentially every touch. That is very representative of who he is as a player right now," wrote 247Sports Director of Scouting Adam Finkelstein. "He's a lethal scorer, capable of rattling off points and making tough shots in bunches, but he is almost solely focused on scoring and rarely looking to pass the ball. Now, what we've seen this season in the EYBL is that he's upped the level of his defensive commitment. This week, we saw him do the same on the glass, which adds another element to his attack."
The Wildcats join an offer sheet for Samuels that also includes the likes of Alabama, Florida State, Georgetown, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Illinois, Kansas, Maryland, Michigan, North Carolina, Providence, Rutgers, Syracuse, Tennessee, Texas, UConn, Villanova, Virginia Tech and West Virginia, among others.
He is just the 14th prospect and fifth small forward in the 2026 class to receive a scholarship offer from Kentucky during this cycle. The Wildcats also offered Frisco (Tex.) Heritage 4-star small forward and top-30 2026 prospect **[Bryson Howard](https://247sports.com/Player/Bryson-Howard-46153422)** on Monday.
**247Sports Scouting Report**: _Samuels is a long lefty wing with an aggressive scoring mentality. While he plays with extreme high volume and can really hunt his shots at times, there are few players in the national class more equipped to create their own offense on demand. He has a high release point, both in the mid-range area and behind the arc, that requires minimal separation, but is going to need to learn to pick his spots and become a more willing passer. He came up the ranks as a young player who would handle to create space for his pull-ups, more so than to get paint touches, but is now starting to put more pressure on the rim. He has floaters in his arsenal and goes right into contact at the rim, but could add a little more finishing craft when going chest-to-chest with opposing shot-blockers isn't most effective. Physically, he's not a naturally dynamic athlete or mover, but has made strides in those areas and also has a 6-foot-11 to help him compensate on the defensive end of the floor._ – Adam Finkelstein