The Lexington Herald-Leader and Kentucky.com preview the 2019-20 college basketball season. Access all of the content in one place here. Check back for new stories and videos each day leading up to the start of the season on Nov. 5.
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Dontaie Allen was Kentucky's 2019 Mr. Basketball at Pendleton County High School. He's recovering from a torn ACL suffered late last December. Mark Mahan
Dontaie Allen
Uniform number: 11
Height/weight: 6-6, 200
Position: Guard
Class: Freshman
Age: 19 on Nov. 5
Hometown: Falmouth, Ky.
High school: Pendleton County
About Allen: Allen has a wealth of experience — good and bad — to call upon. He was named Kentucky’s Mr. Basketball despite tearing an ACL on Dec. 22. Then he injured a shoulder in a car accident while coming to UK for a rehab session. His contributions will have a feel-good glow.
What Allen says: “Getting a lot better. I’ve probably got, like, a month and a half left” of rehabilitation (as of Oct. 11).
What John Calipari says: “He has been doing great things in the gym. But I still think, my guess is, he’s still a month away (on Oct. 1).”
Keion Brooks Jr. was the nation's No. 24 overall recruit according to the 247Sports composite rankings for the class of 2019. Mark Mahan
Keion Brooks
Uniform number: 12
Height/weight: 6-7, 205
Position: Forward
Class: Freshman
Age: 19
Hometown: Fort Wayne, Ind.
High school: La Lumiere School
About Brooks: He chose Kentucky over Indiana, Michigan State, Kansas and UCLA. He’s billed as an all-around good player who does not need the ball in his hands in order to contribute in multiple ways. His father, Keion Sr., played for Wright State.
What Brooks says: “I don’t like things handed to me where I don’t have to work hard for it. I’m the type of person, I want to come in and work hard and compete every day. That’s why I chose to come here.”
What John Calipari says: “He’s got a good feel for the game. Physically he has to catch up. … He’s long. He’s active. He plays rough. His body’s got to catch up to everything else.”
Brennan Canada, a freshman from Clark County, committed to the Wildcats as a walk-on last April. Mark Mahan
Brennan Canada
Uniform number: 14
Height/weight: 6-6, 198
Position: Forward
Class: Freshman
Age: 19
Hometown: Mount Sterling, Ky.
High school: Clark County
About Canada: He is a longtime friend of Dontaie Allen. He grew up as a Kentucky fan. He comes to UK after achieving a 4.0 grade-point average in high school. He was also active in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the Big Brothers-Big Sisters organization.
What Canada says: “My mom and dad always liked Kentucky. My family likes Kentucky. So I just grew up watching it, and started liking it and still like them.”
What high school coach Josh Cook says: “He went through a stretch when UK lets the kids go home. Every day he was home he was coming to our workouts with our kids just to work out.”
Ashton Hagans at photo day for UK Mens Basketball team on Thursday Sept. 19, 2019 in Lexington, Ky. Mark Mahan
Ashton Hagans
Uniform number: 0
Height/weight: 6-3, 198
Position: Guard
Class: Sophomore
Age: 20
Hometown: Cartersville, Ga.
High school: Newton
About Hagans: He was the SEC Defensive Player of the Year last season. His eight steals against North Carolina tied a school record. He gives UK a defender/disruptor against opposing point guards. He’s looking to improve his shooting (27.5-percent accuracy on three-point shots as a freshman).
What Hagans says: “Last year got (SEC) Defensive Player of the Year. That was a big-time award. Now I’ve got to keep on going and stay the course.”
What John Calipari says: “Ashton’s shooting the ball better. He has to do it in games, now.”
Ben Jordan was projected as a potential first-round pick in the Major League Baseball Draft before Tommy John surgery forced him to delay his dreams and take the college route back to the pros. Ryan C. Hermens rhermens@herald-leader.com
Ben Jordan
Uniform number: 33
Height/weight: 6-9, 250
Position: Forward
Class: Redshirt sophomore
Age: 21
Hometown: Olive Hill, Ky.
High school: West Carter
About Jordan: You could say Calipari went to the bullpen to get a reliever for his short-handed (by UK standards) front line. Jordan, a pitcher on UK’s baseball team, gives the basketball team another “big” to compete with EJ Montgomery, Nick Richards and Nate Sestina in practices.
What Jordan says: “Baseball has been and will remain my top priority. But I’m excited about the opportunity and the challenge of competing in two sports I love to play.”
What teammate Nate Sestina says: “He’s going to help us out in practice, especially when guys get sick or have an injury.”
Johnny Juzang was the nation's No. 33 overall recruit according to the 247Sports composite rankings for the class of 2019. Mark Mahan
Johnny Juzang
Uniform number: 10
Height/weight: 6-6, 214
Position: Guard
Class: Freshman
Age: 18
Hometown: Los Angeles, Calif.
High school: Harvard-Westlake School
About Juzang: After reclassifying, he became a relatively late addition to the roster. He’s benefited from drafting off older brother Christian, who will be a senior point guard for Harvard this season. Juzang the younger is expected to be one of Kentucky’s best shooters.
What Juzang says: “I wouldn’t call myself a shooter though I shoot the ball well. That’s, like, a weird thing I have. … I just see myself as a player.”
What John Calipari says: “When he shoots it, you’re surprised if he misses it. Thank goodness. You’ve got a guy who’s going to stretch the court. You’ve got to give him the green light to let it go from NBA (distance) if he’s open.”
Tyrese Maxey was the nation's No. 10 overall recruit according to the 247Sports composite rankings for the class of 2019. Mark Mahan
Tyrese Maxey
Uniform number: 3
Height/weight: 6-3, 198
Position: Guard
Class: Freshman
Age: 19 on Nov. 4
Hometown: Garland, Texas
High school: South Garland
About Maxey: If one Ashton Hagans is good, why not have two? Like Hagans, Maxey is seen as a defender/disruptor. The tandem is expected to set the tone that makes Kentucky an elite defensive team. And it would be no surprise if he leads UK in scoring.
What Maxey says: “I’m going to do whatever it takes to win. Whatever Coach Cal asks me to do. On the ball. Off the ball.”
What John Calipari says: “His dad was a coach. His dad took on the dribble-drive. His dad did more with the dribble-drive than even I did. And his son has been trained with the dribble-drive. So when we do that kind of stuff, he does it.”
EJ Montgomery played 15.1 minutes per game as a freshman, averaging 3.8 points and 4.1 rebounds. Mark Mahan
EJ Montgomery
Uniform number: 23
Height/weight: 6-10, 238
Position: Forward
Class: Sophomore
Age: 20
Hometown: Fort Pierce, Fla.
High school: Wheeler
About Montgomery: EJ gets likened to PJ. As a sophomore, PJ Washington’s averages of 15.2 points and 7.5 rebounds surpassed his freshman numbers (10.8 and 5.7). His three-point shooting ballooned from 5-for-21 to 33-for-78. Calipari now calls for a similar enhancement from Montgomery.
What Montgomery says: “I don’t want to say PJ Part II because PJ is a different person. But, you know, the things he did were great. He changed his body. Became a great player. That’s the things I’m trying to do.”
What John Calipari says: “We’re going to ask a lot of him. We need baskets. We need tip-ins. We need him to be active.”
Zan Payne committed to Kentucky as a walk-on on May 2018 but had to sit out last season rehabilitating from a torn ACL. Mark Mahan
Zan Payne
Uniform number: 21
Height/weight: 6-4, 235
Position: Guard/Forward
Class: Redshirt freshman
Age: 23
Hometown: Lexington, Ky.
High school: Lexington Catholic
About Payne: Of course, he is the son of Kentucky associate coach Kenny Payne. A knee injury late in his senior season ended his high school career at Lexington Catholic, where he was a 1,000-point scorer. While sitting out last season, he made the SEC Academic Honor Roll and UK’s Dean’s List for the spring semester.
What Payne says: “I’m doing way better than last year. I’ve lost a couple of pounds. My knee is fully recovered, and I should be back out on the court (by late October).”
What Calipari says: “I wanted Kenny to take the same approach with Zan that I had with Brad. Let the kid do what’s best for him and be there to support them.”
Immanuel Quickley played 18.5 minutes per game as a freshman last season, averaging 5.2 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.2 assists. Mark Mahan
Immanuel Quickley
Uniform number: 5
Height/weight: 6-3, 188
Position: Guard
Class: Sophomore
Age: 20
Hometown: Havre de Grace, Md.
High school: The John Carroll School
About Quickley: As UK’s first guard off the bench, he made five of 24 shots (20.8 percent) in the final five games of last season. But in the Blue-White Game this preseason, he led all scorers with 25 points. Maybe more importantly, he played with a confident purpose that suggested a new Quickley for a new season.
What Quickley says: “(His greater confidence is) kind of a swagger, I think, you’ve got when you’re walking on the floor. Not an arrogance, but you just know the work you put in is finally coming through for you.”
What John Calipari says: “He’s not even the same guy he was a year ago. It’s because he’s freed up his mind.”
Nick Richards played 12.1 minutes per game last season, averaging 4.0 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.3 blocked shots. Mark Mahan
Nick Richards
Uniform number: 4
Height/weight: 6-11, 247
Position: Forward
Class: Junior
Age: 22 on Nov. 27
Hometown: Kingston, Jamaica
High school: The Patrick School
About Richards: Richards joins Alex Poythress, Willie Cauley-Stein and Marcus Lee as the only out-of-state players to play a third UK season in Calipari’s time as coach. Despite limited playing time last season (12.1 minutes per game), he led UK with 47 blocks. UK hopes this portends a blossoming.
What Richards says: “This year I feel more confident, stronger, more in shape. I feel better about my game. It’s going to be a good year for me and this team.”
What high school coach Mike Rice says: “Nick’s the poster boy for upside just because he started so late. … He’s got winning instincts now. It’s going to show this year.”
Nate Sestina was an All-Patriot League Second Team selection at Bucknell last season. He was also named to the Patriot League All-Tournament Team. Mark Mahan
Nate Sestina
Uniform number: 1
Height/weight: 6-9, 234
Position: Forward
Class: Graduate student
Age: 22
Hometown: Emporium, Pa.
High school: Cameron County
Last school: Bucknell
About Sestina: As a second graduate transfer in two seasons, he is compared to Reid Travis. Travis came to UK as a power player looking to improve his shooting. Sestina’s 41 threes last season were almost six times more than Travis’ seven. He should spread opposing defenses.
What Sestina says: “(Reid Travis) kind of paved the way for me in the grad transfer role, and I’m hoping to just take this thing and run with it and have my own little twist on my experience at UK compared to his.”
What John Calipari says: “I’d compare him to Derek Willis. Stretch the court. That’s what Nate does.”
Riley Welch said he chose jersey No. 13 because it was Hall of Famer Steve Nash's number. Mark Mahan
Riley Welch
Uniform number: 13
Height/weight: 6-0, 185
Position: Guard
Class: Junior
Age: 22
Hometown: Littleton, Colo.
High school: Chatfield
Last school: College of the Desert
About Welch: Perhaps no UK player has as varied an athletic pedigree as Welch. His grandfather, Coleman “Coley” Welch, was ranked third in the world as a middleweight boxer and once fought Jake LaMotta. His father, John Welch, is an assistant coach with the Los Angeles Clippers and a friend of Calipari.
What Welch says: “I’ll play as long as I can. Then I’ll go into coaching or maybe the front office.”
What John Welch says: “It’s a dream come true for a coach’s son who’s just a basketball fan. He’d be at home watching this game on TV. Now, he’s part of it. We feel so fortunate. We’re so grateful to Coach Calipari for allowing him to do this.”
Kentucky freshman Kahlil Whitney said he grew up in Chicago looking up to former Wildcat Anthony Davis, who also hails from the Windy City. Mark Mahan
Kahlil Whitney
Uniform number: 2
Height/weight: 6-6, 210
Position: Forward
Class: Freshman
Age: 18
Hometown: Chicago
High school: Roselle Catholic
About Whitney: If Kentucky basketball was a theme park, Whitney would be the thrill ride. He’s billed as having above-the-rim athleticism and a Michael Kidd-Gilchrist-like desire to compete. The former was on display when he jumped over the Picadome Elementary School principal for a dunk.
What Whitney says: “Anthony Davis being from Chicago, me growing up in Chicago, I was looking up to him. So when he committed (to UK), I was, like, ‘Man, I just want to go to that school in Blue.’”
What Calipari says: “Kahlil could be a stretch four because physically he’s that guy that can fight and guard and do that stuff.”
This story was originally published October 28, 2019 at 1:52 PM.
Jerry Tipton has covered Kentucky basketball beginning with the 1981-82 season to the present. He is a member of the United States Basketball Writers Association Hall of Fame.Support my work with a digital subscription
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The Lexington Herald-Leader and Kentucky.com preview the 2019-20 college basketball season. Access all of the content in one place here. Check back for new stories and videos each day leading up to the start of the season on Nov. 5.
