Skyy Clark to 2021? Daimion Collins to UK? Those and other basketball recruiting notes.
The first big college decision is out of the way for Skyy Clark, who announced last week that he will play basketball for the Kentucky Wildcats.
The next major choice Clark will have to make: stay in the 2022 class and spend two more seasons in high school, or reclassify to 2021 and enroll at UK next summer?
“We’re going to see how it all plays out — see how he grows mentally and physically and everything,” Kenny Clark, the player’s father, told the Herald-Leader this week. “His game — they think he can play right now in college. But he’s still a kid. And he’s our first born, so we’re not rushing him out of the house, you know what I’m saying?”
Clark added a laugh to that last bit, stressing that he and his wife won’t be pushing the UK commitment off to college before he’s ready to go. Skyy — one of the top guards in the country, regardless of class — just turned 17 years old in late July, which would make him a bit young for the 2021 recruiting class. He’s taking the necessary high school courses to be ready to make that jump, if that’s what he ultimately decides, so there will be no hangups from an academic standpoint. It’s all going to be about when he feels ready to play college ball.
“We’re going to leave it up to him,” his dad said. “If he wants to go, we’ll be there to support him. But if he feels like he’s not ready mentally, he’ll stay. But between now and whenever that comes — there’s a lot of time.”
No final decision is expected anytime soon.
Another variable that could come into play will be UK’s projected 2021-22 backcourt at that time. From this season’s team, graduate transfer guard Davion Mintz will be gone, and freshman guards Brandon Boston and Terrence Clarke are projected as one-and-done lottery picks. Freshman point guard Devin Askew could be back next season, however, and the Cats already have a commitment from class of 2021 point guard Nolan Hickman. UK is also pursuing five-star point guard Hunter Sallis and five-star combo guard Jaden Hardy — both are top-10 national recruits — for the 2021 class.
A crowded backcourt could affect Clark’s future plans, though he and his father have both pointed out repeatedly in the past that John Calipari has achieved great success with multiple-point guard lineups and just last season started three players — Ashton Hagans, Tyrese Maxey and Immanuel Quickley — who were billed as point guards out of high school.
“You know, if you’ve got four or five guards on the roster, then they don’t even need you at that point. They can wait at that point,” Clark’s father said with a chuckle. “So there’s no rush, but I have confidence in my son’s game. He’s got confidence in his game. So we know, whenever he goes, he’ll be fine.”
Daimion Collins next?
It’s been quite a run for Kentucky basketball recruiting in recent days, with Skyy Clark committing late last week and Bryce Hopkins committing Monday night, both of them joining August commitment Nolan Hickman as future Wildcats.
Is five-star post player Daimion Collins next in line? It certainly appears so, with Collins — a highly athletic 6-foot-10 power forward — set to make his college decision Saturday. The Texas native has narrowed his list to Kentucky, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas and Texas Tech, but this recruitment has seemingly turned into a battle between the Wildcats and the Sooners.
And, by pretty much every account going into the weekend, the Wildcats are winning.
The flurry of Crystal Ball picks on Collins’ 247Sports page hasn’t slowed, with all 10 predictions over the past several days going in Kentucky’s favor, including high-profile picks from national analysts like Eric Bossi, Brian Snow and Jerry Meyer. Pro-UK predictions have also come in from “insiders” affiliated with the Oklahoma, Texas and Kansas 247 sites.
Collins is the No. 19 overall player in the 2021 class, according to the 247Sports composite rankings, but Rivals.com ranks him No. 10 overall and Meyer teased this week that he would be ranked in the 247Sports Top 10 at the next update, which is expected soon.
UK’s ranking with Collins
If Daimion Collins does indeed pick the Wildcats on Saturday, his commitment will propel Kentucky all the way to the No. 3 spot in the 247Sports team recruiting rankings for 2021.
Only Michigan, which picked up a commitment from top-10 recruit Caleb Houstan on Friday morning, and Florida State, which has four early commitments, would be ranked ahead of the Cats.
That would give UK commitments from Collins (No. 19 in the composite rankings), small forward Bryce Hopkins (No. 30), and point guard Nolan Hickman (No. 43). A reclassification from 2022 commitment Skyy Clark or an additional commitment from a UK target like Hunter Sallis or Jaden Hardy would push the Cats into the No. 1 spot.
There’s still time for other teams to catch up in the rankings, obviously. Duke sits at No. 23 in the rankings, but the Blue Devils have two top-10 commitments and are expected to land more top-tier recruits in the future, possibly No. 1 overall prospect Patrick Baldwin Jr.
They appear to be UK’s main competition for the top spot in the rankings going into November, but — whatever happens — it’s looking like John Calipari will again end up with one of the nation’s best recruiting classes.
Motivated Kentucky recruit
Fenwick High (Ill.) head coach Staunton Peck pointed out that his star player, UK commitment Bryce Hopkins, is ranked “top 30ish” in the country for the 2021 class. That’s right. Hopkins is No. 30 in the Rivals rankings, No. 32 on ESPN’s list, and No. 39 over at 247Sports.
“He thinks he’s better than that,” Peck said, and the drive to prove that point to the recruiting world is only helping to fuel his development. “I think that gives him a little chip of, ‘I’m going to prove to people how good I can be.’ That kind of grittiness and edge, I think, is only going to make Bryce become an even better player.”
Though his current ranking still makes him one of the most highly touted players in high school basketball, it’s about average — perhaps even a little below the norm — for UK recruits in the Calipari era. Don’t expect the 6-foot-6ish small forward to back down from any challenges once he gets to Lexington, however. Peck noted that Hopkins was teammates with five-star Duke freshman DJ Steward early in his high school career, regularly works out with high-major college guys — and, sometimes, NBA players — in the Chicago area, and played for the always star-studded Mokan Elite program at the highest Nike league level.
“He’s used to being around good players,” Peck said. “He’s excited to be around good players, and I think that motivates him. He doesn’t shy away from that.”
Expectations for Hickman
Another UK recruit for next season with a little lower national ranking than usual is point guard Nolan Hickman, the No. 43 overall player in the 2021 class, according to the 247Sports composite rankings. Like Hopkins, he’s still expected to be an instant-impact player at Kentucky in 2021.
Pro Insight basketball analyst Matt McKay, who has followed Hickman’s career closely in the Seattle area and watched him extensively at a major camp in Utah this month, said it’s tough to quantify what kind of freshman season the star point guard could have in Lexington, but he’s not underestimating his potential.
“I’m a huge proponent of Nolan, and even I’m surprised at the strides he’s made up to this point. I don’t want to put a cap on his continued ascension!” McKay told the Herald-Leader. “That said, I expect Nolan to have a productive freshman season in Lexington. Something along the lines of 12 points and five assists per game seems plausible. There may be some instances where he struggles versus bigger, stronger, longer, older guards, but … bulking up a bit prior to the 2021-22 season would help flatten that adjustment curve.
“I believe Nolan is a pro — whether that’s after one year or four, his trajectory appears pointed at the highest level.”
At the camp two weeks ago, McKay said that Hickman measured at 6-foot-2.5 without shoes (6-3.5 with shoes), with a 6-6.5 wingspan and came in at 179 pounds. That length is a boon for Hickman’s potential as a perimeter defender, and McKay pointed out multiple times that adding some functional strength will only make him a better player.
Hickman, Hopkins and Collins — if he commits to UK on Saturday — will be able to officially sign with the Wildcats starting Nov. 11.
This story was originally published October 30, 2020 at 7:35 AM.
