Jordan Brand Classic rosters are out. How many Kentucky basketball recruits made it?
In this basketball recruiting cycle, it appears that the Jordan Brand Classic will be the postseason all-star game of choice for Kentucky fans.
The Jordan game announced its rosters Friday night, and five future Wildcats will be featured in the event.
The Kentucky men’s signees selected for this year’s showcase are Devin Askew, Brandon Boston, Terrence Clarke and Isaiah Jackson, giving the Jordan Classic the highest number of future UK players among the three major all-star recruiting events.
Only two of the six signees in John Calipari’s No. 1-ranked recruiting class — Boston and Clarke — were selected for the McDonald’s All-American Game last month. Askew and Jackson were widely mentioned among the “snubs” for that postseason classic, which will be played April 1 in Houston.
And for the first time since Calipari came to Kentucky in 2009, zero UK signees were chosen for the Nike Hoop Summit, a USA vs. the World event that typically draws its American players based on an extensive past with the USA Basketball program. While highly touted, none of the players in UK’s 2020 class had much experience with that organization. The Hoop Summit will be played April 10 in Portland, Ore.
This year’s Jordan game is set for March 27 in Chicago.
UK women’s basketball signee Treasure Hunt was selected to play in the Jordan Brand Classic girls’ game, also scheduled for March 27 in Chicago. Hunt — a 6-foot-1 wing from Chattanooga — is one of three high school signees for the Wildcats’ class of 2020, along with Louisville point guard Erin Toller and South Carolina forward Nyah Leveretter.
Hunt was also selected for this year’s McDonald’s All-American Game, the first UK women’s recruit to earn that honor since 2015.
UK and Jordan Classic
The Jordan game’s affiliation with Nike likely helped bolster the chances of some of Kentucky’s signees who were overlooked for bids to the McDonald’s Game and Hoop Summit.
Recruits who play on the Nike’s EYBL travel circuit typically have better odds of making the Jordan Classic, and all six of Kentucky’s 2020 signees competed in that league last summer.
Askew and Jackson, in particular, were likely among the last players out of the McDonald’s Game this year.
Askew, the Cats’ only point guard signee, is ranked in a range — No. 25 in the class of 2020 — that should have put him in a good spot for a McDonald’s selection, but he also plays a position that is heavy on talent in this recruiting cycle. A total of 10 players designated by 247Sports as point guards or combo guards were selected for the McDonald’s Game, and nine of them were ranked ahead of Askew.
Jackson — a 6-9 power forward — is No. 28 nationally, according to the 247Sports composite rankings, and he plays a position that is somewhat under-represented in the McDonald’s Game. Shortly after those McDonald’s selections were announced, Rivals.com national analyst Eric Bossi singled out Jackson as the top unchosen player that could have added more to this year’s game.
Boys’ roster
Home team: Jabri Abdur-Rahim (Virginia), Devin Askew (Kentucky), Jaemyn Brakefield (Duke), Nimari Burnett (Texas Tech), Terrence Clarke (Kentucky), Jalen Green (Undecided), Jalen Johnson (Duke), Evan Mobley (Southern Cal), Micah Peavy (Texas Tech), Jeremy Roach (Duke), D.J. Steward (Duke), Cameron Thomas (LSU), Ziaire Williams (Undecided), Mark Williams (Duke).
Away team: Scottie Barnes (Florida State), Brandon Boston (Kentucky), Josh Christopher (Undecided), Sharife Cooper (Auburn), Cade Cunningham (Oklahoma State), R.J. Davis (North Carolina), Hunter Dickinson (Michigan), Isaiah Jackson (Kentucky), Andre Jackson (UConn), Caleb Love (North Carolina), Adam Miller (Illinois), Day’Ron Sharpe (North Carolina), Jalen Suggs (Gonzaga), Isaiah Todd (Michigan).
Girls’ roster
Home team: Cameron Brink (Stanford), Paige Bueckers (UConn), Allison Campbell (Notre Dame), Kamilla Cardoso (Syracuse), Caitlin Clark (Iowa), Olivia Cochran (Louisville), Sasha Goforth (Oregon State), Treasure Hunt (Kentucky), Te-Hina Paopao (Oregon), Sydney Parrish (Oregon), Lauren Ware (Arizona), Kylee Watson (Oregon), Priscilla Williams (Syracuse).
Away team: Sarah Andrews (Baylor), Dalayah Daniels (California), Lexi Donarski (Iowa State), Angela Dugalic (Oregon), Hannah Gusters (Baylor), Diamond Johnson (Rutgers), Deja Kelly (North Carolina), Natalija Marshall (Notre Dame), Mir McLean (UConn), Jordyn Merritt (Florida), Angel Reese (Maryland), Maddie Scherr (Oregon), Madison Scott (Ole Miss), Hailey Van Lith (Louisville).
This story was originally published February 14, 2020 at 8:12 PM.
