How Kentucky fans can watch one of UK’s star basketball recruits on TV this season

A new high school and a new league will give a future Kentucky basketball player a chance to sharpen his skills against the best recruits in the country.

And UK fans can watch his progress all season long.

Chris Livingston — a top-10 national prospect who has signed with the Wildcats for next year — made the move from his hometown of Akron, Ohio, to basketball powerhouse Oak Hill Academy (Va.) this past offseason to play against more serious competition in his final season of high school before he arrives in Lexington.

That move coincided with the first year of the NIBC Series, a new league featuring eight of the top high school programs in the country, with every game televised or streaming on one of ESPN’s networks.

The league begins play Thursday night.

“He wants to play the best players in the country. And that’s what we do,” legendary Oak Hill Coach Steve Smith told the Herald-Leader. “He’s going to play all of his peers that are supposed to be his equals. That’s why he came — to be challenged. And that says a lot about him.”

Livingston averaged 31.1 points, 15.8 rebounds, 6.1 assists, 4.7 steals and 4.0 blocks per game as a junior in Ohio last season. Smith said the 6-foot-7 power wing could have stayed home, probably averaged 35 points per game and won Mr. Basketball honors playing half-speed. Instead, he chose to transfer to Oak Hill and compete against a national schedule.

The big-time games start Thursday, when Oak Hill will take on defending national champion Montverde (Fla.) Academy at 7:30 p.m. on ESPNU. On Friday, Livingston and Oak Hill will face Sunrise Christian (Kan.) at 6 p.m. on ESPN Plus. On Saturday, they’ll face another national power, IMG Academy (Fla.), at 5 p.m., also on ESPN Plus.

In all, Oak Hill will have 10 games as part of the new league.

So far this season, Livingston is averaging 18.0 points and 8.0 rebounds through six games, making 61.4 percent of his field-goal attempts and shooting 47.4 percent (9-for-19) from three-point range.

He’ll get plenty of stout tests in the NIBC league.

The Montverde team that Oak Hill will face Thursday night features nine five-star recruits, including junior forward Kwame Evans Jr., a major Kentucky target for the 2023 class. (UK signee Skyy Clark is also on the Montverde roster, and his season debut date is still uncertain as he continues to rehab from offseason knee surgery).

Saturday’s opponent, IMG Academy, has four of the top 25 seniors in the country, including former Kentucky targets Keyonte George (Baylor) and Jaden Bradley (Alabama).

Livingston’s teammates will include top-100 seniors Judah Mintz (uncommitted) and Devin Ree (Louisiana State), as well as 2023 five-star point guard Caleb Foster, who is committed to Duke.

“He’s going against good players every day, and I think that’s going to help him a lot,” Smith said of Livingston. “… It’s the highest level you could possibly play at in high school. And he wants to play at the highest level, obviously, in college. It’s really good for him to be able to play right away as a freshman in college.”

Oak Hill schedule on ESPN

Thursday: vs. Montverde (Fla.) Academy, 7:30 p.m., ESPNU

Friday: vs. Sunrise Christian (Kan.), 6 p.m., ESPN Plus

Saturday: vs. IMG Academy (Fla.), 5 p.m., ESPN Plus

Dec. 9: vs. Legacy Early College (S.C.), 6:30 p.m., ESPN Plus

Jan. 6: vs. Wasatch Academy (Utah), 3 p.m., ESPNU

Jan. 7: vs. La Lumiere (Ind.), 7 p.m., ESPN Plus

Jan. 8: vs. Bishop Walsh (Md.), 3 p.m., ESPN Plus

Jan. 15: vs. La Lumiere (Ind.), 3 p.m., ESPN Plus

Feb. 3: vs. Legacy Early College (S.C.), 1 p.m., ESPN Plus

Feb. 4: vs. Wasatch Academy (Utah), 5 p.m., ESPN Plus