Calipari adds another star recruit to UK team

Calipari adds another star recruit to UK team

By LARRY VAUGHT
larry@amnews.com
August 30, 2010

When Indianapolis point guard Marquis Teague verbally committed to Kentucky in the spring, he did so in hopes other talented players would join him and Philadelphia small forward Michael Gilchrist in Kentucky’s 2011 recruiting class.

So far, so good.

Kentucky recently got a verbal commitment from Chicago power forward Anthony Davis, the top-ranked player overall in the 2011 recruiting class by www.scout.com, and Saturday night picked up another verbal from Oregon power forward Kyle Wiltjer, the country’s fifth-ranked power forward. That’s two more five-star players to go with Teague and Gilchrist, five-star players who are ranked No. 1 at their respective positions by www.scout.com.

“That’s what we had in mind was to get the best players to come play with us. They (Davis and Wiltjer) are two great players, two of the better ones in the country,” said Teague Sunday. “I think we will probably get a few more people, too, because you can never have too many elite players.”

Turning down requests

Calipari may well find out. Wiltjer’s commitment assures Kentucky of having a third straight No. 1 recruiting class. Things have gone so well that Calipari has told friends he has turned down requests from top 10 players to come to UK’s Big Blue Madness. He also reportedly told highly-regarded recruit DeAndre Daniels he needed to sign with UK now because if he went to a prep school as it appears he will, Kentucky would not have a spot for him in the 2012 recruiting class.

How does he do it?

“He is a great coach and everybody wants to play his style of play,” Teague, who took a week off this month to rest after a busy summer schedule said. “Style of play was big for me. He allows you to play your game and does not hold you back.”

Teague said he has played against both Wiltjer and Davis.

“They are both really good players. They are both real long players. They will be able to rebound and get up and down the floor, so I know we will get along real well because that’s what I like to do,” Teague said.

Excellent pick up

Www.scout.com national recruiting analyst thinks Kentucky got an “excellent pick up” in Wiltjer, Oregon’s top player who has helped his high school team win back-to-back Class AAAAAA state championships. The 6-9 Wiltjer averaged 16.5 points per game last year.

“I think Kyle is one of only a handful of sure fire excellent college bigs in this class,” Telep said. “He has the unique ability to play in lane and stretch defenses. He had a great summer and is one of the top five power forwards in is class. The timing of his decision caught me by surprise because I thought he would take visits.”

Wiltjer, who has not visited Kentucky, announced during halftime of Saturday’s Boost Mobile Elite 24 game on ESPN U that wanted to play for Calipari and Kentucky even though he was a huge recruiting target for nearby Gonzaga.

He has been called the most skilled power forward in the country by some recruiting analysts and is a versatile offensive player who should fit perfectly into Calipari’s dribble-drive offense. Www.scout.com has his ranked as the nation’s 19th best player.

Wiltjer reportedly had narrowed his choices to Kentucky, Wake Forest, California, Gonzaga and Texas. He was also heavily recruited by Kansas and Georgia Tech. He had 20 points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals in Saturday night’s game.

Yet when it came time to make his college choice, he picked UK partially on the advice of UK freshman Terrence Jones, who is from Portland, and UK assistant coach Kenny Payne, who came to Kentucky from Oregon this summer. And he did it without making a visit to Kentucky.

That’s why it was bit perplexing the way some UK fans reacted when Gilchrist posted on Twitter last week that he would take some official visits. No way he’s not coming to Kentucky.

Just ask Teague.

“Me and Mike talk. There is no problem with him and Kentucky. He is good as far as I am concerned from what he tells me,” Teague said. “I will be coming to Big Blue Madness. Mike told me it was real crazy last year. But he is going to go, too. He said he wouldn’t miss it.”