Dec 2, 2012; Lexington , KY, USA; Kentucky Wildcats head coach Mark Stoops spoke to reporters during a press conference at the Nutter Field House. Mandatory Credit: Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports

Last week the current seven Kentucky football commitments debuted anew Twitter profile dedicated to recruiting and celebrating the Class of 2014.  (more…)

Dec 2, 2012; Lexington , KY, USA; Kentucky Wildcats head coach Mark Stoops spoke to reporters during a press conference at the Nutter Field House. Mandatory Credit: Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports

Mark Stoops continues to get a head start on recruiting for 2014, and today Jarrett LaRubbio, a 6’5″ 260lb offensive guard from Lokota East High School (Liberty Township, OH), has committed to play at Kentucky. LaRubbio is ranked as the 16th best offensive guard in the country. He also held offers from Nebraska, Vanderbilt, Washington, Wisconsin, among others.

Also from Ohio, 2014 four-star CB/S Mike Edwards (Winton Woods HS/Cincinnati) narrowed his list earlier today on Twitter to his top six schools, which include Kentucky. The other five schools include: Nebraska, Vanderbilt, Louisville, Wisconsin and West Virginia.

UK Football players Jonathan George, Kevin Mitchell and Avery Williamson are on a weeklong Ethiopia service trip.  Mitchell talked about the first two days and what an amazing experience it’s been:

All the guys I’ve talked to just said, ‘Embrace it,’ ” Mitchell said.

The people here are super-friendly,” Mitchell said. “At first I didn’t really know because they kind of look at you weird, but they’re super-friendly, very accepting people. Everywhere we’ve been, they’ve taken us in and accepted everything we’ve been able to provide them. They’re real grateful.

I kind of knew what I was getting into, but it’s a different world when you actually get here,” Mitchell said. “Nobody can really describe how it really is. Once you see it with your own eyes, it’s really unbelievable.

Williamson also shared his thoughts:

Saw today how people can be so happy but have nothing.

— Avery Williamson (@awill40) May 23, 2013

The #12 UK softball team is  about to play in the school’s second-ever NCAA Super Regional against #5 Arizona State at Farrington Stadium in Tempe, Arizona. Tonight’s game at 10 p.m. ET will start the best-of-three series, with game two of the series coming Sunday at 5 p.m. ET. If necessary, game three of the series will be played at 8 p.m. ET Sunday. Head coach Rachel Lawson and her Cats are confident they can not only win this weekend, but go all the way to the championship game:

We’re really excited. First of all, to win region on our own field was really cool and to head out to Tempe to be in the Super Regionals (is fun). Every team at Kentucky, our goal is to win the national championship. To be in Supers is special in the sport of softball and our ultimate goal is to go to the World Series. So this is a good week in Kentucky softball.

Mark Stoops and John Calipari are on a blistering recruiting hot-streak, and Stoops talked to Larry Vaught about how much Calipari has helped him hit the ground running at UK:

We talk, not to that extent (about recruiting tips). I love being around him. He’s been very supportive. (I’ve) gone over and had breakfast with him over at the lodge and just see their operation over there and how they’re doing things. He’s helped with recruits. He’s there. He’s made that very well-known. He’s there to help in any way.

We’ve used him quite a bit, whether it be recruiting and different things. Certain kids we bring over to meet him. During our recruiting weekends when there was a home basketball game, each time he’s taken some time right before his game and come over and addressed our recruits real briefly. It’s been great.

UK Volleyball Announces 2013 Schedule.

Mar 15, 2013; Nashville, TN, USA; Kentucky Wildcats forward Willie Cauley-Stein (15) dunks the ball during the quarterfinals of the SEC tournament at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Joshua Lindsey-USA TODAY Sports

The SEC basketball conference will have a different look in the 2013-14 season than it did last year. A total of three teams will enter the pre season top 25 polls. Many teams have either lost or gained support in recruiting for this year’s season. In terms of talent and competitiveness, lets take a look at the teams who might be able to make things difficult for the Kentucky Wildcats this season.

The team that should be a great challenge for Kentucky in the 2013-14 season is the Florida Gators. The high rolling veteran team, composed with a few transfers and high quality freshman, can be dangerous for the Kentucky Wildcats and their destined season this upcoming year. However, unexpected absences during the offseason could possibly make Tennessee and Alabama strong bubble teams. Returning players and key veterans for the Volunteer’s and Rolling Tide can make them hot from time to time. That might be a struggle or two for the road games that the Wildcats will have to play  this season.

An interesting LSU Tigers team could produce trouble for most other  teams in the SEC. The  Tigers have done a great job adding strong players such as Jarell Martin, Jordan Mickey, and Tim Quarterman  (all freshmen) over the offseason. Along with the returning team that LSU had last year, the Tigers could put pressure on many teams with their new look that they are revealing this year.

Ole Miss and Missouri received heavy losses from key returning players. I could see a battle for sixth place between the two teams. While having personal losses, Missouri and Ole Miss do not have  strong leadership  just as they had last year to take them both back to the NCAA tournament.

Outside those list of teams, I have Arkansas, Vanderbilt, and Texas A&M to battle it out from being listed 8-10 in the SEC rankings. Elston Turner was a huge loss for the Aggies, as he led their team last year in a streaky and productive performance. SEC teams such as Georgia, South Carolina, Auburn, and Mississippi State are in the bottom of the standings for SEC basketball this upcoming season.

The 2013-14 SEC basketball season should be a lot better than the season before. Teams are indeed better and more balanced, and some could possibly sneak away with a home victory against the Cats. The Kentucky Wildcats will have to be consistent and well prepared for the pressure that can be brought to them in SEC play. I think when it’s all said and done, the Kentucky Wildcats will live up to their pre season selection as being the top team in the conference and in the nation, but it will be a challenging journey.

Mar 9, 2013; Lexington, KY, USA; Kentucky Wildcats forward Willie Cauley-Stein (15) dribbles the ball against the Florida Gators in the first half at Rupp Arena. Kentucky defeated Florida 61-57. Mandatory Credit: Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports

The 2013-2014 college basketball season is only a couple months away, and ESPN, CBS, and USA Today have already released their preseason top 25 polls for next season. Usually around this time of year a lot of different media outlets that have a different #1 team, but everybody agrees this season, and its the Kentucky Wildcats.

Coming off a “bad” season to put it mildly seeing Kentucky back in the #1 spot is a sigh of relief for Kentucky fans. I wasn’t ready to put Kentucky #1 in the preseason until I found out that Willie Cauley-Stein, and Alex Poythress decided to come back for their sophomore seasons. The freshman Kentucky has coming in are great, but we needed leadership to help these young guys during the tough times of the early season. Kyle Wiltjer also will return for his junior season, and will be able to play a more laid back role as a pure shooter as he did for the 2012 title team. Kentucky is the favorites everywhere you look to when the title next season, but college basketball will have a lot of good teams unlike last season when college basketball was terrible.

Here is my preseason top 25 for the 2013-2014 college basketball season……….

1. Kentucky
2. Michigan State
3. Kansas
4. Duke
5. Louisville
6. Arizona
7. Michigan
8. Florida
9. North Carolina
10. Ohio State
11. Marquette
12. Syracuse
13. Colorado
14. Wisconsin
15. VCU
16. UCLA
17. Memphis
18. Gonzaga
19. Tennessee
20. Notre Dame
21. Harvard
22. Virginia
23. Indiana
24. Boise State
25. Wichita State

Dec 2, 2012; Lexington , KY, USA; Kentucky Wildcats head coach Mark Stoops spoke to reporters after being introduced as the new football coach at the University of Kentucky in the Nutter Field House. Mandatory Credit: Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports

Mark Stoops could have an exciting summer coming up as a couple of recruits may be nearing their decisions.

First up, three star defensive tackle Matt Elam. Elam is an Elizabethtown, Kentucky native and has been hotly pursued by Kentucky, Alabama and Louisville. He recently stated that it is a tight race between the three:

I will say of the offers I have right now, it’s a three-horse race between Alabama, Kentucky and Louisville,” Elam stated. “Kentucky and Louisville are so close to home, [they're] great atmospheres, I love the coaching staffs at both schools. And then Alabama — national championships, that’s just a great opportunity to have.”
Elam doesn’t seem to be in a hurry to make his college decision, but he’s definitely enjoying the process. Coach Lewis said the two of them recently “skyped” with Coach Saban for almost an hour — just to get to know each other a little better.

It is important to point out that Elam and Kentucky commit Drew Barker tweet back and forth all the time about playing together at Kentucky. Both are home grown class of 2014 stand out players.

While Elam may not be in any hurry to announce his college choice anytime soon, Cincinnati area recruits Mike Edwards and Darius West may be. Edwards was on campus earlier this week and the visit went well by all indications.

Edwards holds offers from Kentucky, Louisville, Nebraska, Wet Virginia and Vanderbilt. The three star safety may be close to making a decision, May 31st is the rumored date, and 247Sports.com and their experts are predicting Kentucky with 100% agreement.

• Josh EdwardsContributorCatsPauseFollow on TwitterPREDICTED:
  KY 4/14/13 12:00AM

• Chris FisherKentucky InsiderCatsPauseFollow on TwitterPREDICTED:
  KY 4/14/13 12:00AM

• Steve WiltfongNational Recruiting Writer247SportsFollow on TwitterPREDICTED:
  KY 4/15/13 12:00AM

• Alex GleitmanOhio State InsiderBucknutsPREDICTED:
  KY 4/17/13 12:00AM

• JC ShurburttDirector of Recruiting247SportsFollow on TwitterPREDICTED:
  KY 5/06/13 12:00AM

• Chris AndersonWVU & BC Insider247SportsFollow on TwitterPREDICTED:
  KY 5/06/13 12:00AM

• Gerry HamiltonNational Scouting Director247SportsFollow on TwitterPREDICTED:
  KY 5/08/13 6:39PM

• Josh KaysRecruiting WriterWildcat Blue NationFollow on TwitterPREDICTED:
  KY 5/11/13 1:42PM

• Charles DossRecruiting AnalystLand-Grant Holy LandFollow on TwitterPREDICTED:
  KY 5/16/13 6:30PM

• Patrick LoneyOwnerKentucky Blue Sports NewsFollow on TwitterPREDICTED:
  KY 5/20/13 8:56PM

Clint BrewsterMichigan InsiderWolverine247PREDICTED:

February 12, 2013; Gainesville, FL, USA; Kentucky Wildcats forward Nerlens Noel (3) shoots a free throw against the Florida Gators during the second half at the Stephen C. O

We knew going in that this was going to be a weak NBA Draft so it’s really no surprise that Cleveland may be shopping their number one draft pick. Sports Illustrated’s Luke Winn is especially sour on it and seemingly is not that enamored with former Kentucky Wildcat big man Nerlens Noel either.

I don’t know if this is a bad NBA draft or just a mediocre one that’s been overly maligned, but I’m certain that it’s an easy one for GMs to botch. There are no locks for stardom and only a few for starter-dom. There will be a few shrewd picks and far more flops, and no one will know on draft night which is which. Kentucky center Nerlens Noel is likely to go No. 1 because of his projectable defensive value, yet the Cavaliers are so enamored with him that they’re already shopping their pick. When a frail center with limited offensive ability — who’s coming off an ACL tear and won’t be available to play until Christmas — is atop most big boards, it does not say much for the projectability of the rest of the Class of 2013.

I know that Winn comes off as salty, but to be honest, I have no problems with what he is saying.  Whoever takes Nerlens Noel is not going to get a quick fix and may as well consider this year as a “redshirt season” for Noel.  And more than likely, will find themselves right back in the lottery next year, competing for a number one draft pick once again.  So Noel will need to go to a team that sees the big picture and is patient at another down year … but sees the upside of  top five lottery picks in back to back years to set a foundation for a team.

Are you listening, Orlando Magic?

June 28, 2012; Newark, NJ, USA; Kentucky Wildcats coach John Calipari (middle) greets former players Anthony Davis (left) and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (right) before the 2012 NBA Draft at the Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports

Regardless of where Noel goes, you would think that he will be burning up the free mobile to mobile minutes to talk with last years number one and number two picks Anthony Davis and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist to get a feel for what the next month will entail. Davis recently recounted his whirlwind NBA Draft experience:

“It was a whirlwind,” Davis said. “I didn’t know what was going to happen. My family was more happy than me. I was pretty nervous. I didn’t know what was going on. I was just scared. (I was told) ‘Oh, you’re going to be No. 1 pick, you know this’. But you never know what’s going to happen.”

The month that led up to the draft was not much lighter. He said he was a “nervous wreck” until it became a formality. It was a case of over-cautiousness that guided his psyche.

“It was just the fact I didn’t know if I was going to get drafted,” Davis said. “You’re supposed to have certainty but I’m the type of guy that I don’t believe nothing is going to happen unless it happens. I got to make sure it happens first. Anything can happen. I gotta make sure it happens before I relax.”

Davis’ nerves were soothed during a meeting with Williams in his hometown. One night after the NBA’s draft combine in Chicago, the two went to dinner at Giordano’s Famous Stuffed Pizza – joined by Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and an assistant coach. For several hours, they watched a playoff game, ate pizza, and talked. It was not so much a job interview as chance to get to know each other.

Now that summer is approaching, we are getting to learn more about the memebrs of the 2013-14 Kentucky Wildcats basketball class and there are quite a few distinct personalities. One of them is Marcus Lee. In addition to battling dyslexia and ADHD, Lee is pretty much a stud on the volleyball court.

“I am hoping to be a McDonald’s All-American in volleyball, too. I started basketball about age 7 and then volleyball maybe six years ago. I am pretty sure I am better in basketball, but I love volleyball, too,” Lee said. “Basketball and volleyball go hand in hand for me. Volleyball really helps me with jumping and timing for basketball and basketball keeps me together and ready for volleyball. They go well together.”
He’s a prolific shot blocker in basketball, something he attributes to playing volleyball.

“Volleyball helps my timing and helps me know how to keep my arm away from their arm. It teaches me the basics of my footwork that basketball kind of skips over. It shows me all the basic stuff that works for basketball that basketball sometimes forgets,” he said.

May 16, 2013; Chicago, IL, USA; Nerlens Noel is interviewed during the NBA Draft combine at Harrison Street Athletics Facility. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports

Nerlens Noel continues to be projected by the majority of NBA Draft experts (and wannabees) to be the #1 overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft. Prior to Tuesday’s Draft Lottery, Noel visited Bristol to go through the ESPN Car Wash, and he met with fellow Car Wash visitors tennis legend Jimmy Connors and NBA star Al Horford:

In an interview with ESPN after the lottery, Noel talked about his one year at Kentucky, and how his rehab from ACL surgery is going:

It has been surreal. It’s crazy. I could be graduating high school right now, walking out on stage. I definitely made the best decision for myself. My year at Kentucky was the best year I’ve ever had.

I want everyone to know that I want to play this game, the game I love as soon as possible. I want to be ready. I’ve really benefited by being here. I want to come back as strong as possible.

Meanwhile, Draft Express released their latest mock draft and Nerlens Noel is projected to go #1 overall to the Cavaliers, while Archie Goodwin is the final pick of the first round at #30 to the Phoenix Suns. 

Noel will no doubt be seeking out advice from former UK All-American Anthony Davis, who recently recalled his ‘whirlwind‘ of the 2012 NBA draft lottery experience prior to being selected #1-overall by the-then New Orleans Hornets:

It was a whirlwind. I didn’t know what was going to happen. My family was more happy than me. I was pretty nervous. I didn’t know what was going on. I was just scared. (I was told) ‘Oh, you’re going to be No. 1 pick, you know this’. But you never know what’s going to happen.

It was just the fact I didn’t know if I was going to get drafted. You’re supposed to have certainty but I’m the type of guy that I don’t believe nothing is going to happen unless it happens. I got to make sure it happens first. Anything can happen. I gotta make sure it happens before I relax.

And according to ESPN’s Marc Stein, Davis has been invited to the Team USA mini-camp in late July in Las Vegas. He was on the squad that won gold in London last year, which gives him the inside track to get one of those final roster spots once again after initially being cut last year, but became a late addition after Blake Griffin bowed out due to a leg injury.

Kentucky will undoubtedly have more players hearing their names called in future NBA Drafts, as Scout.com’s final 2013 rankings are out, and Kentucky scored its fifth straight #1 class.

March 2, 2013; Fayetteville, AR, USA; Kentucky Wildcats guard Julius Mays (34) looks to make a pass under pressure from Arkansas Razorbacks guard Mardracus Wade (1) during a game at Bud Walton Arena. Arkansas defeated Kentucky 73-60. Mandatory Credit: Beth Hall-USA TODAY Sports

Former Kentucky Wildcat SG, Julius Mays worked out for the Brooklyn Nets in Easy Rutherford, New Jersey today as the graduate student transfer looks to continue his basketball career in the NBA.

The 6’2″ guard from Marian, Indiana averaged 9.3 points a game and mainly played shooting guard, but today managed to show his skills from the 1 and 2 positions during his workout with the Nets. All signs are that the workout went well, as Mays managed to put up 17 points during the 24 minute scrimmage game.

Kentucky coach John Calipari was in attendance for the workout and managed to Tweet this after everything was over.

With Julius after his great workout at today’s combine. Proud of you, kid. twitter.com/UKCoachCalipar…

— John Calipari (@UKCoachCalipari) May 23, 2013

While Mays is expected to go undrafted in next months NBA draft, Uncle Julius could easily find an invite to the NBA summer league as a free agent if the positive workouts continue.

May 16, 2013; Chicago, IL, USA; Nerlens Noel is interviewed during the NBA Draft combine at Harrison Street Athletics Facility. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports

The Cleveland Cavaliers won the first pick of the 2013 NBA Draft and with that, they have the options of selecting Kentucky Wildcats center Nerlens Noel with the selection.

I reached out to the Cleveland sports media to get their thoughts as to what the Cavaliers needs are and whether Noel would be a good fit for the team.

“I think the Cavaliers will look long and hard at Nerlens Noel,” Cleveland Plain-Dealer beat writer Mary Schmitt Boyer said. “He’s the sort of defensive player new coach Mike Brown would love to have, if he’s healthy.”

“He’s the best fit for them, even though they’d have to wait for him to be ready,” said Tony Zarrella, the sports director at 19 Action News. Long-term answer, especially defensively…impact player. To me, he’s the clear-cut choice.”