Class of 2018 - General Discussion

[Joneslab]

The only positive thing that ever happened on the Barrett front for UK was the timing of his reclassification. UK got involved and he reclassified, and I really felt shades of Jamal Murray.

After that, it seemed like he was leaning Duke. The comments after the UK visit were concerning. And the fact that Duke got in there yesterday before he cancels his remaining visits is super concerning.

Now it really looks like Duke...but I'm still wondering where the players are in 2018. The number of offers is still shockingly low, which either means Cal feels like he can grab ALL of them...or he feels like there's just not going to be a mass exodus from this current group of players to the NBA.

[George]

Then what gives? Why's Cal whiffing on these top guys? I know the per player rank average is high each and every class, but what's steering the top three guys to other schools?

[Joneslab]

Then what gives? Why's Cal whiffing on these top guys?

He's getting involved with Duke in a lot of one-on-ones and Duke is "so hot right now."

I think the 2019 MO seems to be to get in very early. That's why they hired Joel Justus. So it might pay off next year, but this year it's going to be tough if we miss out on the #1 player we all thought we had.

Zion, Quickley, Bol Bol is a solid recruiting class obviously. But it isn't what we thought we could get when this all started.

[George]

He's getting involved with Duke in a lot of one-on-ones and Duke is "so hot right now."

I guess this has more to do with what I'm getting at.

Weren't we the hot team?

[Joneslab]

I guess this has more to do with what I'm getting at.

Weren't we the hot team?

Really, there are usually enough players to go around for both schools to be hot.

But when schools start stacking similar five-star, top-five players up then they've kind of reached into another echelon.

The thing about Duke in the last two recruiting cycles is they haven't really missed. I made the point above that Duke doesn't miss much when they get on a player and that may be the big difference between them and everybody else. They have a really organized recruiting game where they'll send every assistant to a kid's school. And they're usually on a few number of players, so they can get away with that sort of thing.

I think you can see a little bit of a change in the recruiting methodology for Kentucky already with 2019.

[UK8STL11]

Since K got into the top players, one and done model that Cal started with the Okafor class, here is how Cal vs. K stacks up for top recruits.

Top 10 recruits -

2014 - Duke 2, UK 2
2015 - Duke 1, UK 1
2016 - Duke 3, UK 3
2017 - Duke 3, UK 1
2018 - Duke 2, UK 1 (so far)

Totals:
Duke - 11 top 10 (8 top 5 ranked players)
UK - 8 top 10 (3 top 5 players)

[George]

Since K got into the top players, one and done model that Cal started with the Okafor class, here is how Cal vs. K stacks up for top recruits.

Top 10 recruits -

2014 - Duke 2, UK 2
2015 - Duke 1, UK 1
2016 - Duke 3, UK 3
2017 - Duke 3, UK 1
2018 - Duke 2, UK 1 (so far)

Totals:
Duke - 11 top 10 (8 top 5 ranked players)
UK - 8 top 10 (3 top 5 players)

Nothing wrong with that.

[Joneslab]

That's pretty even.

Especially if you think about what a slim drop-off there is generally between the top five and the rest of the best of the best.

Not top five players according to Rivals: Monk, Fox, Murray, Ulis, Booker, Lyles. Towns ended up at #5 but for a long time wasn't in that group.

[Joneslab]

Adidas may have been trying to steer Zion Williamson to Kansas. Which makes sense given that about a month ago everybody started to talk about Kansas.

http://wspa.com/2017/09/28/zion-will...t-with-adidas/

[lilproUK98]

Might be getting Quentin Grimes instead of Barrett....visiting this weekend...

http://www.kentucky.com/sports/colle...176082896.html

“This is an interesting recruitment,” Scout.com’s Evan Daniels told the Herald-Leader on Thursday night. “I think Kentucky has certainly made up a lot of ground with him and are more in the mix than I think I initially realized. Now, I’m not calling them the favorite, but they certainly have a shot. The visits will factor in heavily, as I think all four schools involved have a shot.”

Quickley
Zion
Grimes or Johnson
Hayes or Bol Bol

[lilproUK98]

Jaxson Hayes announcing at 3:30 today....

Most expect Texas to be the pick

http://ukrecruiting.bloginky.com/2017/09/28/uk-basketball-target-to-announce-college-decision/

[lilproUK98]

Hayes picks Texas.....

[SCBlu]

Shaka is doing a job down Austin way. Glad to see it. Assuming his star continues to shine, he might be someone UK would seriously consider when Cal decides to hang up his spurs.

[Dwight Schrute]

Shaka is doing a job down Austin way. Glad to see it. Assuming his star continues to shine, he might be someone UK would seriously consider when Cal decides to hang up his spurs.

I mean this in all sincerity - Texas is the best job in the country. It's extremely hard to see him leaving for a pressure cooker job like Kentucky.

[George]

I mean this in all sincerity - Texas is the best job in the country. It's extremely hard to see him leaving for a pressure cooker job like Kentucky.

Lexington has its charm, but Austin it ain’t.