Kentucky has three basketball commitments with signing week near. Will anyone else join?
The commitment of five-star post player Daimion Collins on Saturday night gave Kentucky a third pledge for its 2021 class, a group well on its way to cementing a spot at the top of the national rankings for this recruiting cycle.
Collins — at No. 19 in the 247Sports composite ranks for 2021 — became the highest-rated member of UK’s recruiting class, joining small forward Bryce Hopkins (No. 30) and point guard Nolan Hickman (No. 43), and the 6-foot-10 Collins appears to be headed for an even higher ranking in the near future.
The three Kentucky commitments will be able to officially sign with the Wildcats starting Nov. 11. Will anyone else join that trio before the early signing window closes on Nov. 18?
Here’s a look at the remaining class of 2021 recruits with UK scholarship offers, plus some other storylines to watch with national signing week a little more than a week away.
Hunter Sallis
Ranking: No. 7 overall.
Early decision? Maybe?
The highly touted point guard from Omaha should certainly be considered one of Kentucky’s recruiting priorities going forward, even though the Wildcats could already be stacked at his position next season. Freshman point guard Devin Askew could very well be back for a sophomore season. The Cats already have a commitment from Hickman, and it’s still possible that early 2022 commitment Skyy Clark — another point guard — could ultimately reclassify to 2021. Still, UK is all in on Sallis, and the Wildcats — as of now — are widely considered a lukewarm favorite for his commitment, with North Carolina and Kansas often mentioned as other possible frontrunners.
Will he make a college decision in time to sign this month? That’s not clear. It previously seemed that Sallis could be on track to make a fall commitment, but he has remained steadfast that he intends to wait until the spring on a decision regarding his future, hoping that the NCAA’s recruiting travel ban might be lifted by then, which would allow him to take some campus visits. He’s continued to say that in recent days, and — with the signing period beginning next week — it might be time to start taking those comments seriously.
Jaden Hardy
Ranking: No. 4 overall.
Early decision? Highly unlikely.
The dynamic combo guard from the Las Vegas area continued to prove himself as one of the nation’s best scorers with another stellar showing at a major recruiting showcase last weekend, the last day of which was televised on ESPN2. Hardy wowed viewers with his scoring ability, especially from three-point range, and he’s solidifying himself as the best guard prospect in the entire class.
UK was long viewed as the favorite — even as rumors of a potential jump straight to the pros loomed over his recruitment — though UCLA has come on as a possible frontrunner in recent weeks. The emergence of the Bruins — and other programs out west — plus the ongoing potential of a jump to the G League or other professional route, has led some to speculate that Kentucky might slow down its pursuit of Hardy in favor of other perimeter prospects. That couldn’t be further from the truth. UK has long been aware of a possible G League jump, but the Herald-Leader was told again late last week that the Cats will continue to pursue Hardy at full bore until he commits to another school or makes it clear he’s going pro.
As for a final decision, don’t expect one anytime soon. It’s looking like Hardy could be among the last of the elite players in this 2021 class to make a commitment, and any college pledge that comes before the spring or summer would have the possibility of a pro jump lingering over it.
Brandon Podziemski
Ranking: No. 267 overall.
Early decision? No sign of one.
One of the biggest surprises of the fall came when Kentucky extended a scholarship offer to Podziemski, who has raised his recruiting profile dramatically in recent months but is still listed far below the normal range of Calipari targets. A 6-6 shooting guard from Wisconsin, Podziemski is a lights-out scorer from all three levels. He’s an intriguing long-term prospect and projects as a multi-year player in college, which — along with some others already committed to UK and still on the Cats’ radar — could provide additional roster continuity for the program moving forward.
It’s been a bit of a whirlwind for Podziemski, who received an offer from Kansas one night after landing his UK offer and had previous offers from schools such as Arizona State, Kansas State and Marquette before the blue bloods came calling. There hasn’t really been any hint of an early commitment yet, but it’ll be worth keeping an eye on the wing scorer in the coming weeks.
Moussa Diabate
Ranking: No. 20 overall.
Early decision? Highly unlikely.
Perhaps the most mysterious recruitment among top-tier 2021 prospects, Diabate has long been considered one of the best frontcourt players in this class, but there’s never been a great feel for which way he might be leaning with a college decision. On the court, the 6-10 power forward from France is a long, athletic and highly energetic post player who appears to be one of the nation’s best rebounders and can also protect the rim. He’s still rounding into form offensively, but he should be an instant-impact rebounder and defender at the college level, and he has a motor that coaches will love.
As far as his recruitment, don’t expect it to end anytime soon. There has been little information of value on that front in recent months and no signs at all that he might be nearing a decision. Kentucky extended a scholarship offer in September, and his primary recruiter at that time was Tony Barbee, who has now been moved to a support staff role. With Daimion Collins now aboard for next season, it will be interesting to see how vigorously UK pursues Diabate.
Patrick Baldwin Jr.
Ranking: No. 1 overall.
Early decision? Maybe.
Of the players on this list, Baldwin — the No. 1 prospect in the 2021 class — seems the most likely to make a November decision, but that’s no sure thing. The 6-9 perimeter-oriented forward from Milwaukee has been listing Kentucky among his top schools, though the Cats appear to have little shot here, and Baldwin did not visit Lexington before the NCAA’s recruiting travel ban went into effect. He has visited Duke, and he’s well familiar with hometown Milwaukee, where his father is the head coach. Those look like the two favorites, and Baldwin has been deliberating over his scholarship offers — with his pick of destinations — for more than a year now. He should be in no rush to make his commitment — any school in the country would have a spot for him whenever he’s ready, including the blue bloods like Duke and Kentucky — but Baldwin might just want to get the process over with and move on. We’ll see in a couple of weeks.
Others to watch
The aforementioned players are the only ones with UK scholarship offers for the class of 2021 right now, but it wouldn’t be a surprise to see that list grow as this recruiting cycle continues.
One player to keep an eye on will obviously be Skyy Clark, who is Kentucky’s lone commitment for the 2022 class but is keeping the door open for a 2021 jump. No decision on reclassification is expected anytime soon.
There hasn’t been much recent buzz linking the Wildcats to five-star big man and previous UK target Efton Reid (No. 22 in the 2021 composite rankings). Finnish small forward Mustapha Amzil has been linked to Kentucky in recent weeks, but the Herald-Leader was told that he is not a realistic UK target at this time.
Brewster Academy (N.H.) center Mac Etienne (No. 44 in the composite rankings) would be an intriguing fit for Kentucky if the Cats are in need of more frontcourt help. The 6-10, 220-pound center is playing for the alma mater of Terrence Clarke, but Etienne might be a little too far into the process for UK to jump in now.
As always, players who choose to reclassify late could pop up on UK’s radar in the spring, and it would probably be a surprise if Kentucky doesn’t bring in at least one transfer in this cycle, especially with the NCAA likely to change its rules that require traditional transfers to sit out a year at their new school before being allowed to play.
The Cats will have at least three early signees, but the lid on UK’s 2021 recruiting cycle probably won’t be closed for several more months.
