LEXINGTON, Ky. — Kentucky basketball's 2023 recruiting class continues to grow — and the same goes for next season's roster.

Joey Hart, a guard from Linton-Stockton High School in Linton, Indiana, committed to John Calipari and the Wildcats on Saturday. The announcement came just five days after Kentucky picked up a commitment from another 2023 prospect, three-star forward Jordan Burks.

“I’m excited to get started at Kentucky,” Hart said in a news release from UK. “I chose UK because of Coach Calipari, the supportive fan base and Kentucky’s ability to develop players. I’m looking forward to having the opportunity to compete and play in the NCAA Tournament.”

Hart is the seventh player in UK's 2023 recruiting class, which is ranked No. 1 nationally. The other players in the class are Burks, a quartet of five-star prospects — Aaron Bradshaw, Robert Dillingham, Justin Edwards and DJ Wagner — and four-star, in-state signee (and UK legacy) Reed Sheppard.

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The Wildcats' 2023 haul is the program's largest recruiting class since 2017, when it signed eight players, and comes as UK has struggled to land transfer portal targets to fill out its 2023-24 roster.

“Joey can really shoot the basketball but also brings a tremendous all-around game to this class,” Calipari said in a statement. “His best days of basketball are ahead of him and I look forward to watching him develop alongside the rest of the class. I’m excited to get Joey on campus so he can continue to improve at this next level.”

Hart originally signed with Central Florida in November but was released from his letter of intent last month. After his release, Indiana and Rutgers also showed interest before Hart picked Kentucky after he took an official visit to Lexington.

Hart is just the fourth three-star prospect the Wildcats have signed under Calipari but the second in as many years along with rising sophomore guard Adou Thiero. The other three-star recruits Calipari has signed during his 15 years in Lexington were both in-state products in 2013: Dominique Hawkins and Derek Willis.

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What Joey Hart's commitment means for 2023-24 Kentucky basketball roster

Hart's addition gives the Wildcats nine scholarship players for next season: the seven signees, Thiero and rising sophomore big Ugonna Onyenso. UK is still awaiting a decision from Antonio Reeves, who withdrew from the NBA draft to maintain his college eligibility but has not announced whether he'll spend his final season in Lexington.

Whether Reeves is back or not, Hart gives Kentucky another option at guard. With Dillingham and Wagner likely to start in the backcourt, Hart will fight for minutes off the bench alongside Sheppard.

While he likely won't be part of Kentucky's starting lineup at the outset of the 2023-24 campaign, he could carve out an immediate role in the rotation as a proven knockdown shooter from range for a program always searching for consistent 3-point threats.

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The 6-foot-5, 180-pound Hart shot 39.6% from beyond the arc (219 of 553) in high school, including 39.9% as a senior, and led the Under Armour circuit last week in 3-point makes.

A finalist for the IndyStar's 2023 Mr. Basketball award, Hart averaged 23.6 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game as a senior. He led Linton-Stockton to a 29-2 record and a spot in Indiana's Class 2A state final. He finished his high school career with 1,901 points, 424 rebounds, 224 assists, 162 steals and 112 blocked shots.

Hart played on the Under Armour circuit, leading the league in 3-point makes last season. He was the second-leading scorer at last year's Under Armor Next Summer Tournament, averaging 19.7 points per game.

Reach Kentucky men’s basketball and football reporter Ryan Black at rblack@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter at @RyanABlack.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Kentucky basketball recruiting: Joey Hart commits to UK, John Calipari