Kentucky Wildcats offer a “mind wobbling” scenario in basketball recruiting

Kentucky Wildcat Basketball Recruiting is about to get real. So real in fact, that despite having just one player committed, they are still mentioned in a list of early recruiting leaders. Not because of what they have done so far in the recruiting period, but because of what they will do when all is said and done. Sports Illustrated’s Frank Burlison explains:

But the program that could end up signing the best 2013 class is — shockingly enough — the one that resides in Lexington.

Julius Randle (Plano, Texas; Prestonwood Christian) and James Young (Troy, Mich.; Troy), along with Andrew and Aaron Harrison (Richmond, Texas; Travis), are believed to be strongly considering — if not flat out favoring — Kentucky.

Then, again, so is Andrew Wiggins (Huntington, W. Va.; Huntington Prep).

If, somehow, any four of the aforementioned players, or all five, are in Kentucky uniforms for the 2013-14 season … ah, one’s mind wobbles just trying to envision that scenario.

Welcome to basketball recruiting in the John Calipari at Kentucky era. Never count us out.

The big key to any 2013 plans is the future of one Andrew Wiggins.  It seems that Wiggins is putting himself in a position to reclassify into the 2013 class.  Wiggins is apparently taking enough senior classes this year to leave open the option of reclassifying but that does not mean that he will do so according to his AAU coach:

“As of right now, he’s 2014, and if he decides to change it, he’s put himself in position if he wants to change it,” Mike George, who coaches Wiggins’ CIA Bounce club team, said in a Wednesday phone interview.

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He’s a kid, man. He’s a kid at heart,” George said. “He enjoys high school. He’s just having fun. … He enjoys being a kid. The other stuff that comes with college and the NBA life, I don’t think he’s really in a big hurry to rush into that.”

George said Wiggins decided to take the accelerated course work as a “safety.”

“At any point your mind may change, so why not make sure you protect yourself, and if you decide to do that, it can be an option?” the coach said. “But if you don’t (change your mind), great.”

In the past, I have compared Tony Trocha news to Bigfoot sightings.  All we have really seen of Trocha have been blurry photos and that one video from seemingly 8th grade.  Well guess what?  Tony Trocha does exist and he looks pretty at home around the basket.  It also looks like he has a decent outside shot to boot.  Here is video from Trocha taken at the Adidas  Nations Tournament:

Trocha is planning on enrolling in a school around December so he may be eligible to play after Christmas … ala Twaney Beckham.  Kentucky is a possibility for his services.

Nerlens Noel will take over Terrence Jones number 3 jersey this year for the Wildcats and in doing so will hopefully lead KEntucky to a NCAA title.  Coach Cal released the jersey numbers yesterday on Twitter and here they are:

No. 3 – Nerlens Noel
No. 4 – Jon Hood
No. 5 – Jarrod Polson
No. 10 – Archie Goodwin
No. 11 – Twany Beckham (wore No. 10 last season)
No. 12 – Ryan Harrow
No. 13 – Sam Malone
No. 15 – Willie Cauley-Stein
No. 22 – Alex Poythress
No. 32 – Brian Long
No. 33 – Kyle Wiltjer
No. 34 – Julius Mays