Mar 15, 2013; Nashville, TN, USA; Kentucky Wildcats head coach John Calipari watches his team play against the Vanderbilt Commodores during the quarterfinals of the SEC tournament at Bridgestone Arena. The Commodores beat the Wildcats 64-48. Mandatory Credit: Don McPeak-USA TODAY Sports
Analyst Jerry Meyer from 24/7 Sports recently talked to the Herald-Leader earlier in the week about Kentucky’s future recruiting efforts. Meyer’s crystal ball takes a closer look at the players and how they each work. You can take a closer look on Jerry Meyer’s thoughts about the upcoming recruiting class in 2014, and as well as some insight on the 2015 class here.
Meyer has predicted that four out of the six offered players from UK will end up in Lexington when it’s all said and done for the class of 2015. There are two other recruits that have high hopes for becoming a Kentucky Wildcat, but UK has yet to offer them. John Calipari has a knack for scooping up big players for future classes, and 2015 is looking like another year that the Cats will earn the number one spot in recruiting. Losing players to the NBA hurts most teams, but at Kentucky players just seem to come and go while leaving a mark in college.
To avoid another catastrophe like last season, John is going to have to recruit for depth as well as talent. Talent is one thing that these kids have already as Juniors in high school. Lets take a look at some future prospects on Jerry Meyer’s 24/7 Sports Crystal Ball page …
Malik Newman — The No. 1 overall player in the class. A 6-foot-3 combo guard who might be the best scorer in the country.
Skal Labissiere – The No. 7 overall player in the class. A lanky big man from Haiti who plays his high school ball in the Memphis area.
Carlton Bragg — The No. 12 overall player in the class. A 6-8 forward from Cleveland who doesn’t have a UK offer but could get one soon. If the Cats offer, they’d probably be considered the favorites.
Charles Matthews — The No. 14 overall player in the class. A 6-5 combo guard from Chicago who plays for Orlando Antigua’s high school coach.
Danjel Purifoy – The No. 18 overall player in the class. He doesn’t have a UK offer but is high on the Cats. (Read more about him below).
Luke Kennard – The No. 20 overall player in the class. A smooth 6-5 shooting guard from southern Ohio who grew up rooting for Kentucky.
You may be wondering what the name Purifoy is, and why you haven’t hear of him. Jerry Meyer speaks highly for the young man. He’s a 6-foot-6 forward and,according to 24/7 sports, he will be included in the top 20 for prospects in the 2015 recruiting class. Purifoy hasn’t received an offer from the Cats, but if he does then Jerry Meyer thinks he will ultimately become a wildcat.
"“His story is he loves Kentucky and he’s dying for them to offer him,” Meyer told the Herald-Leader. “If they do, he’s going to end up there. I think, at the end of the day, he’s Kentucky good. I think he eventually gets that offer.”"
The Kentucky Wildcats will always be safe with talent under John Calipari is around. He was just recently named College Basketball’s “Hardest Coach to Recruit Against”. Adding on to my point, players are obviously picking UK for a special reason. Players like Malik Newman come around rarely each year and he looks like a super-human when scoring and making plays. Playmakers that mesh well as a team can get you very far in college basketball, and as well as anywhere else.