Big news out of Newport High School.
The boys’ basketball program is enjoying a sizable addition with the transfer of four-star center Ben McKinney. The 6-foot-11, 195-pound Indiana and Kansas prep standout is enrolled at Newport, according to Prep Hoops Kentucky.
“Newport has added Ben McKinney from Sunrise Christian in Kansas. Originally from Indiana. He holds multiple D1 offers and is a top 5 level prospect,” Prep Hoops Kentucky posted on social media.
McKinney, widely regarded as one of the top interior prospects in the class of 2028, plays with nonstop energy. He is a four-star prospect by Rivals and ranked the nation’s No. 87 prospect. He arrives in northern Kentucky after a stint at national powerhouse Sunrise Christian Academy in Kansas. Prior to his time on the national circuit, McKinney starred at Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School in Indiana. His hometown is Indianapolis.
The transfer adds to an already well-fortified Newport roster replete with other top national recruits and talented holdovers. It also continues to reshape an increasingly interesting 9th Region basketball landscape.
McKinney becomes one of the area’s tallest local prep basketball players in recent memory. He gives the Wildcats an elite interior defender with an established post presence. McKinney brings extensive experience against top-tier national competition, especially in the highly scouted Nike EYBL Scholastic League.
College programs have already taken notice of McKinney’s rare combination of size and mobility. The big man holds multiple NCAA Division I scholarship offers. His recruitment gained significant momentum following recent offers from programs such as California, Akron and Oral Roberts.
McKinney will serve as a defensive anchor and an offensive gamechanger for Newport. His unique shot-blocking instincts and rebounding ability give the Wildcats a distinct physical advantage heading into the 2026-27 season. His addition follows the arrival of transfers Jayden Wilkins and Keith Starks, who is returning to Newport.
Wilkins, a highly touted 6-2 senior combo guard, announced his move to Newport in July via Instagram. The son of 10-year NBA veteran Damien Wilkins, he adds exceptional pedigree to the 9th Region after developmental stints with Atlanta’s Overtime Elite and Orlando’s Southeastern Prep. He’s also the grandson of former NBA guard Gerald Wilkins and the great-nephew of Atlanta Hawks Hall of Famer Dominique Wilkins.
The 6-8 Starks, a senior forward, has been working out with Newport since the beginning of summer after spending a year in Florida. National prospect tracker NextUpRecruits reported in June that the four-star prospect appeared for the Wildcats at a Xavier University summer team camp.
Newport head coach Rod Snapp later confirmed that Starks is reuniting with the Wildcats and that Wilkins is also with the team. While the coach has yet to confirm the arrival of McKinney, the addition of all three players firmly establishes Newport as a regional powerhouse to contend with this upcoming season.
The Wildcats finished 21-10 last season. They lost to Highlands in the 36th District Tournament championship game and concluded the season with a loss to Ryle in the first round of the 9th Region Tournament.
