Future Kentucky Wildcat basketball player Karl Towns Jr to try his hand at baseball

photo credit: 24/7 sports

As of now, Karl Towns Jr is the only member of the Kentucky Wildcats 2014 basketball class. Could he also be a two sport star at Kentucky and be a member of the Kentucky baseball team?

That is unlikely, but Town Jr is going to try his hand at the nation’s past time before he heads to Lexington and suits up for the Blue and White:

"Imagine a pitcher three inches taller than Randy Johnson staring down at you from the pitcher’s mound. That’s what opponents of the St. Joe’s-Metuchen baseball team could be dealing with next spring. Karl Towns Jr., a 7-foot-1 1/2 Kentucky pledge, told SNY.tv he plans to pitch on the school’s baseball team next spring before he heads to play for John Calipari. “Yeah, I’m thinking about playing baseball for St. Joe’s, so I’m really happy,” Towns Jr. told SNY.tv after putting up 21 points, 16 rebounds and 2 blocks as the White Team beat the Black Team, 119-114, in the Mary Kline Underclassmen game at Philadelphia University. “I’m trying to make a return.” He said when he last pitched in the eighth grade, he threw in the “high-80s.” “He was big, let’s put it like that,” Karl Towns Sr. said. “The first thing you saw, was his feet.” Towns Jr. stopped playing baseball last two years to focus on hoops. Having reclassified from 2015 to 2014, committed to Kentucky last season and then led his team to the New Jersey Tournament of Champions final, he can now enjoy his final season of high school a bit."

To be honest, there is probably less chance of Towns tearing an ACL on the baseball diamond and if he really pitched in the high eighties as an eighth grader, this could be a sight to see.

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

There has been some buzz recently that Nerlens Noel and the fact that he may not be ready yo play till December , if at all, for the 2013-2014 NBA season. Regardless, Noel will still be a top five pick and he is working hard to be ready to play next year. And we should not count Noel out as he is doing all he can to come back strong.

"“I’m being careful with the process,” Noel said while icing his knee during a break. “It just takes time to come back. Whenever I’m ready, I’ll come back. I want to make sure I’ll be able to contribute right away to whatever team I go to. “I feel great. I’m moving well. There’s obviously limitations to it. I’m just listening to Kevin and doing what I need to do so I can come back as strong as possible.” “Kevin” is associate clinical director Kevin Wilk, who is overseeing Noel’s rehabilitation. “He’s ahead of schedule,” Wilk said. “His motion is fantastic. His muscle is coming back. I think he’s doing fantastic. I don’t think he could be doing any better. “He always wants to do more.” Noel typically arrives at the center about 10 a.m. every morning. Last Thursday, he was one of about 30 patients sitting or lying on training tables around the outside of a large room surrounding all the typical weight training equipment — stationary bikes, weight machines, free weights, balls, bands. The walls are decorated with framed and signed jerseys of athletes who have been through here — Peyton Manning, Chris Webber and Penny Hardaway back in the day."

Looking ahead to the 2014 basketball class (and beyond), several of Kentucky’s top prospects were participating in the Pangos All American camp. And of course, the basketball analysts were tweeting about them non stop. Ben Roberts has some of the best tweets from the weekend.