2016 Recruit Watch

[Joneslab]

Can anyone give an accurate listing of the recruits coming to UK this fall? Thanks for any help--have not kept up to speed on this!!!

SG Malik Monk
PF Sacha Killeya-Jones
PF Wenyen Gabriel
PF Bam Adebayo
PG De'Aaron Fox
SG Brad Calipari (walk-on)

And Kentucky is still in on C Marques Bolden, who is supposed to announce his decision in the coming days.

[George]

Can anyone give an accurate listing of the recruits coming to UK this fall? Thanks for any help--have not kept up to speed on this!!!

De'Aaron Fox - PG
Malik Monk - SG
Wenyen Gabrial - SF/PF
Edrice "Bam" Adebayo - PF
Sacha Killeya-Jones - PF

Also, I'm going to move this to the current Recruit Watch thread.

[ralph helm]

Can anyone give an accurate listing of the recruits coming to UK this fall? Thanks for any help--have not kept up to speed on this!!!

[KevinHall]

Aaron Kall ‏@AaronsUKBBBlog 39s39 seconds ago
USA Today's Jim Halley says Marques Bolden may take advantage of the TV coverage to name his school at the Jordan Brand Classic

Ben Roberts just tweeted that Bolden's father said there will be no decision at this event. Have to make sure they get all the attention they can get before deciding.

[Joneslab]

Aaron Kall ‏@AaronsUKBBBlog 39s39 seconds ago
USA Today's Jim Halley says Marques Bolden may take advantage of the TV coverage to name his school at the Jordan Brand Classic

[Joneslab]

I haven't kept up with Bolden, but given they way some of WCN are talking, I thought he was a game changer. How many, if any, players that you would consider to be of his caliber, or worse, have you seen leave UK after one season since Cal's been here, Will?

He is a game-changer in that he's a big body who can contribute right away. That would be huge for UK, in part because you always want big bodies but also because Bam could be the 4. And Bam at the 4 might put him in the Naismith discussion next year. If he has to play the 5 there'll be a learning curve.

But Bolden is more in line with Dakari. Nice player, more athletic than Dakari, but that's the sort of player you're getting if you get him. Not the sort of guy like Bam or Monk who's going to be a lock in the first round all year.

[George]

I haven't kept up with Bolden, but given they way some of WCN are talking, I thought he was a game changer. How many, if any, players that you would consider to be of his caliber, or worse, have you seen leave UK after one season since Cal's been here, Will?

That's exactly my point. At UK, those guys can go after a year; at Duke, they can, but they haven't at the rate of Cal's guys.

[Matt Dillon]

Unless he really improves he isn't.

Not that caliber of a player. Would be great for UK for a lot of reasons, is going to play a lot, but think Caleb Swanigan. That's what sort of player he is at this stage of the game. This kid isn't a phenom.

I haven't kept up with Bolden, but given they way some of WCN are talking, I thought he was a game changer. How many, if any, players that you would consider to be of his caliber, or worse, have you seen leave UK after one season since Cal's been here, Will?

[Joneslab]

Just my opinion, but I think he's a one and done no matter where he attends college.

Unless he really improves he isn't.

Not that caliber of a player. Would be great for UK for a lot of reasons, is going to play a lot, but think Caleb Swanigan. That's what sort of player he is at this stage of the game. This kid isn't a phenom.

[Joneslab]

^ Okafor did pretty well.

And I agree with you. I think he'd be a solid contributor but he isn't Karl Towns. However, the player and his family don't know that. They're always being sold that they're next. We can see flaws from the outside; they often can't.

I'd assume that Bolden feels like anywhere he goes is a stepping stone to the league, and in that way Duke isn't a terrible choice. This is a school, after all, that may have the #1 overall pick in a couple of months. They've had success with one-and-dones. It would be different if he were choosing Washington or Ruters or Mississippi State, but there isn't a ton of difference at this point in Duke and UK.

[Matt Dillon]

I don't get this at all. If you're a top five overall recruit and you're a big man, sure. Go wherever. If it's a good school with a good coach, you're probably getting drafted year one if you want.

But that's not Bolden.

Yeah, he's good, and yeah, he's highly ranked, but he's not Towns, Okahfor, Embiid, Davis, Cousins, et al. A year with Cal could make him a one-and-done; a year with K arguably doesn't offer that same guarantee.

Just my opinion, but I think he's a one and done no matter if he attends Duke or UK.

[George]

Matt Jones ‏@KySportsRadio 31s31 seconds ago On Marques Bolden...I believe the kid slightly favors Kentucky...those around him heavily favor Duke. I have no idea who will win out

I don't get this at all. If you're a top five overall recruit and you're a big man, sure. Go wherever. If it's a good school with a good coach, you're probably getting drafted year one if you want.

But that's not Bolden.

Yeah, he's good, and yeah, he's highly ranked, but he's not Towns, Okahfor, Embiid, Davis, Cousins, et al. A year with Cal could make him a one-and-done; a year with K arguably doesn't offer that same guarantee.

[Joneslab]

Matt Jones ‏@KySportsRadio 31s31 seconds ago On Marques Bolden...I believe the kid slightly favors Kentucky...those around him heavily favor Duke. I have no idea who will win out

[Pobilly]

https://www.sny.tv/college-recruiting/news/kentuckys-bam-adebayo-impressing-players-coaches-scouts-at-jordan-classic/172505068

Just a little bit of Bam talking about how they are still recruiting Mr. Bolden.

[Joneslab]

Speaking only from a gut feeling and uninformed internet chatter, I never believed we were truly in on Allen in the first place.

At one point we definitely were in on him as he visited UK.

This recent stuff I don't know about. So much is just echo chamber with recruiting: guys parroting other guys. You never know.

With Bolden, something went down two weeks ago. Drew Franklin of all people seemed to be on the front edge of the Bolden-to-Duke stuff. But now it's shifted back to UK, though not many of the experts have actually chimed in so it's hard to say if this is all smoke.