Kentucky recruiting target has NBA players to guide his game this summer
There have been no live recruiting periods or opportunities for high-level team competition so far this spring. It has been an eventful time for Skyy Clark nonetheless.
The 6-foot-2 basketball prospect from the Los Angeles area — a major Kentucky recruiting target in the class of 2022 — made the long-planned move from California to Nashville with his family earlier this month. Clark will finish out his high school career at basketball-rich Brentwood Academy, and — though he hasn’t been able to play on the Nike circuit this spring because of cancellations related to the coronavirus pandemic — he’s still getting reps in on the court.
And Clark has found some talented running mates to help sharpen his game.
Starting last Monday — the Clark family’s first full week in Nashville — the 16-year-old prospect has been working out every day with Cleveland Cavaliers rookie Darius Garland, veteran NBA forward Robert Covington and former Tennessee star Jordan Bone, who’s now in the Detroit Pistons organization.
“It’s been a lot of fun and a lot of learning,” the recruit’s father, Kenny Clark, told the Herald-Leader after a fifth day of workouts with the trio of pros.
Clark — the No. 18 overall player for 2022, according to the 247Sports composite rankings — is one of the top perimeter scorers in high school basketball and the No. 1-ranked combo guard in his class. As a sophomore this past season, he averaged 25.5 points, 5.1 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 2.5 steals per game. He already has scholarship offers from several top college programs, with many more closely tracking his recruitment.
Under normal circumstances, Clark would have been playing with the Oakland Soldiers on the Nike EYBL travel circuit this spring. Instead of competing against his five-star peers, he’s getting some first-hand help from those who are already where he ultimately wants to end up.
“It’s been great for him,” said Kenny Clark. “He’s been learning a ton, because these are high-level guys. … They’re staying in his ear, and he’s asking questions. All three of those guys are very instrumental right now in his development.”
Garland, Covington and Bone all have Nashville ties. Bone is a native of the city. Covington played his college ball at Tennessee State. And Garland — a former UK target — starred for Brentwood Academy before staying home as one of the biggest recruits in the history of Vanderbilt’s program. He suffered a season-ending knee injury just five games into his college career, but he was still selected with the No. 5 overall pick in last year’s NBA Draft and had started all 59 games for the Cavs before the COVID-19 outbreak put the NBA season on hold.
All three of those pros work out with the All Around Game training program in Nashville, and Clark will spend the rest of the summer playing ball alongside them.
Clark’s father said that Garland has known his son for a while and was instrumental in his decision to attend Brentwood once the family knew they were moving to the Nashville area.
Garland — a 6-1 point guard — was in Clark’s position not too long ago. They have similar skill sets, and Clark is making sure to pick up whatever he can from the 20-year-old NBA rookie during these training sessions.
“He said he’s been watching Darius’ every move,” Clark’s father said. “Even when he doesn’t have a ball in his hand, and they’re just taking a break — he’s watching his every move. So it’s been great. They do have a similar game, so this is kind of like a cheat code for Skyy — to be in the gym with Darius on a daily basis.”
Skyy Clark’s recruitment
Even though college coaches haven’t seen Clark play this spring — and, for now, he still has two years of high school left — the teenager has remained a recruiting priority in recent weeks. Ohio State, Indiana and Tennessee have all extended scholarship offers over the past month. UCLA, Kansas, Michigan, Memphis and Arizona were among the many other schools that had already offered.
“He’s young, so we’re not really tripping on offers,” Clark’s father said. “If they do, we appreciate it, and they definitely get our attention. But he’s just trying to get better every day. He’s staying in the gym. He’s locking in with his online schoolwork.”
Clark — like all rising juniors — won’t be allowed to talk on the phone with UK’s coaches until June 15, but his dad has been staying in touch with the coaching staff.
UK assistant Joel Justus made multiple visits to California to see Clark very early in the process. The family made its first trip to Lexington late this past season for UK’s home game against Auburn, a 73-66 victory for the Wildcats. It was an eye-opening experience for the Clarks.
“The way they gave him their attention — they took real time out to let him ask questions, they asked him questions and just filled him in on the history of Kentucky and what Kentucky is all about,” Kenny Clark said of the UK coaches. “Obviously, we went to the Auburn game. And that was lights out phenomenal. We sat literally right behind the bench, so we felt like we were in the game. It was a good thing for Skyy to see Coach Cal, hear Coach Cal’s interactions with the players, how the players work, and how things work on the bench and everything. He said he felt like he was a part of the game without stepping foot on the floor.”
Outside of the game, John Calipari took time out to meet with the high school sophomore, the first contact between the UK coach and the star recruit.
“He was surprised that Coach Cal was so cool and personable,” Clark’s dad said. “He hasn’t been on many visits or met many coaches, but somebody of Coach Cal’s caliber, you’re kind of shocked when they’re that cool and personable. He looks you in your eye when you’re talking. He’s funny. He’s charismatic.”
He made a good impression on a family that hasn’t tried to hide the way they feel about Kentucky’s program. Both father and son told the Herald-Leader last fall that a visit to Rupp Arena would be a “bucket list” trip for them. Clark’s father has previously noted that the family’s move to Nashville will make it easier to get to Lexington for future games and practices. That first trip in late February only elevated their already sky-high feelings about UK, and they also got a better sense for how the people of Kentucky feel about UK basketball.
“Oh, yeah, it’s all blue and white over there. And those fans are real fans,” Kenny Clark said. “They knew who Skyy was. Even walking through the game, through the arena and everything — they wanted to take pictures with him. They know Kentucky basketball. It was a great town.”
Though Clark is currently a member of the 2022 class, he has been open about the possibility of reclassification into 2021, a move that would mean just one more season of high school ball before he makes the jump to college.
Clark’s father said over the weekend that the family has been “going with the flow” over that decision, something they’ll continue to monitor as Clark progresses in his high school career. Kenny Clark has noted in the past that Skyy, who turns 17 years old in late July, has never been held back a grade like many of the other star recruits who ultimately reclassify. If he stays in 2022, he’ll be on the older end of his class. If he moves to 2021, he’d be among the youngest star freshmen in college basketball a year from now.
“So it would kind of be like taking a year of growth and maturity away from him,” Clark’s dad said. “That’s been my thing with that — that’s the only drawback. But if he comes to me one day and says, ‘Dad, I think I’m ready,’ then we’ll sit down and talk about it and come up with the best plan.”
