Former Kentucky Wildcat John Wall signs a max deal and Mark Stoops has 5 newly ranked Top 300 in the 2014 Class

Jul 25, 2013; Las Vegas, NV, USA; USA Blue Team guard John Wall dribbles the ball during the 2013 USA Basketball Showcase at the Thomas and Mack Center. Team White won the game 128-106. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

John Wall becomes the first of John Calipari’s former Kentucky Wildcats to cash in on a reported (terms not officially disclosed) max deal since being drafted as a one and done prospect, but he certainly won’t be the last.  The Washington Wizards drafted him #1 Overall in 2010 and owner Ted Leonsis isn’t about to make the dumbest decision of his short stint as an owner and let Wall go free.  Wall intends to lead the Washington team back to the finals for the first time since they were the Bullets

"“Since drafting John with the first overall pick, we have been impressed with his maturation, hard work and commitment to our franchise,” said Monumental Sports and Entertainment Founder, Chairman, Majority Owner and CEO Ted Leonsis. “He is the cornerstone of our team, and we have clearly expressed our desire to build around him well before making it official by re-signing him today. We are extremely confident in his leadership abilities and are excited to see the continued improvement of the team.” Wall was originally selected by Washington with the first overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft. He holds career averages of 16.9 points, 8.0 assists, 4.4 rebounds and 1.5 steals in 35.8 minutes per game in 184 career games (172 starts). Those numbers place him with Oscar Robertson, Magic Johnson and Chris Paul as the only players in NBA history who have averaged or are currently averaging at least 16 points, eight assists and four rebounds for their career. He is also one of only four players in NBA history (Johnson, Paul and Damon Stoudamire) to average at least 16.5 points, 7.5 assists, 4.0 rebounds and 1.5 steals over the first three years of their career. “John’s talent, ability and athleticism are unquestioned, but he is also a special player in terms of his will to win, unselfishness and ability to make his teammates better,” said Grunfeld. “The impact he has in all of those areas was evident last season and we look forward to both him and the team reaching new levels of success together.” Wall, who recently returned from his second consecutive summer as part of the USA Basketball Men’s National Team mini-camp, is also the fastest player (134 games) in NBA history to reach 2,200 points, 1,000 assists, 600 rebounds, 200 steals and 90 blocks (since steals and blocks became an official stat) and is the fastest active player to reach 900 career assists (111 games). Last season, Wall averaged a career-high 18.5 points, a team-leading 7.6 assists, 4.0 rebounds and 1.3 steals in 32.7 minutes per game in 49 games (42 starts) after missing the first 33 games of the season due to a stress injury in his left patella. He joined LeBron James and Kobe Bryant as the only three players in the NBA last season to average at least 22.0 points, 7.0 assists, 4.8 rebounds and 1.6 steals from March 1 through the end of the season. Wall was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week for games played March 11-17 after averaging 24.0 points, 11.0 assists, 5.0 rebounds and 2.5 steals per game while shooting .617 from the field, .800 from three-point range and .857 from the line while leading the Wizards to a 3-1 record. He scored a career-high 47 points vs. Memphis on March 25 and became the first player in NBA history to average at least 24 points, 11 assists, five rebounds, two steals, shoot at least .600 from the field, .800 from three-point range and .850 from the line in a four-game span."

John Wall:

"“I am both proud and humbled by the belief that the Wizards organization, the fans and my teammates have shown in me since I arrived here three years ago,” said Wall. “I can promise all of them that I will repay that belief by representing the city of Washington and doing everything I can to get this team back where it belongs.”"

2014 Shooting Guard, Rashad Vaughn announced via Twitter that he has cut his list of schools down to 11 and the Kentucky Wildcats are still among them.  Coach Cal has offered him and his friend, Josh Perkins (a highly sought after PG) and apparently there would be some interest in a package deal.

"Rashad Vaughn is down to 11 schools, he announced on Twitter Wednesday afternoon. The 2014 shooting guard from Findlay Prep, by way of Golden Valley, Minn., is still considering Baylor, Iowa State, Kentucky, North Carolina, Connecticut, Kansas, UNLV, Arizona, Georgetown, UCLA and Minnesota in no particular order. All 11 schools have offered the 6-foot-5 Vaughn, regarded by many as the most dangerous scoring threat in the Class of 2014. As a junior at Robbinsdale Cooper High School last winter, Vaughn averaged 28.8 points and 10.2 rebounds per game for the 22-6 Hawks. Vaughn previously told SNY.tv that he and 2014 point guard Josh Perkins would be interested in going to college together after going to high school together did not work out. The 6-foot-2 Perkins out of Huntington Prep is considering Gonzaga, UConn, Minnesota, UCLA and Kentucky."

In a sudden turn of events, 6’1 PG Quentin Snider has decommitted from Rick Pitino’s Louisville Cardinals after pledging his love for them in 2011.  Ironically, Snider fell to Calipari’s latest recruit in the 2013 class, Dominique Hawkins, in the KHSAA State Finals this year.

"Louisville commit Quentin Snider has done an about-face nearly two years to the day after pledging to the Cardinals and head coach Rick Pitino. According to multiple reports on Wednesday afternoon, Snider, a 6-foot-1 point guard, a native of Louisville and a star at Ballard High School, has decommitted from Louisville and will open up his recruitment. Minnesota was the first school to offer him after the decommitment, according to Jody Demling. That makes sense considering Minnesota coach Richard Pitino recruited Snider at Louisville. The Gophers are now involved with a number of 2014 point guards, including Tyus Jones, Ja’Quan Newton, Josh Perkins and now Snider. Demling also reported that some 25 schools reached out to Snider on Wednesday night alone. Snider originally offered up a verbal commitment to Louisville on August 4, 2011 in between his freshman and sophomore years at Ballard. Last season as a junior, Snider averaged 17.2 points and 4.4 assists for a Bruins team that went 32-5 and advanced to 96th KHSAA Boys’ State Tournament title game where it fell, 65-64, to Madison Central. With Snider out of the picture, Louisville now holds 2014 commitments from two players, 6-foot-7 small forward Shaqquan Aaron from Seattle and 6-foot-4 point guard JaQuan Lyle out of Evansville, IN."