State of Texas is on Kentucky’s recruiting radar. This five-star duo could be next.
Over the past few years, no state has been the origin for as much top-tier basketball recruiting talent as Texas, and Kentucky’s program has had more than its fair share of success pursuing its top prospects.
UK’s top player in last year’s freshman class was Texas native Tyrese Maxey. The Cats’ top signee for next season is Texas native Daimion Collins. And it hasn’t been that long since five-star recruits De’Aaron Fox, PJ Washington and Jarred Vanderbilt — all Texans — turned down home-state schools and major programs in Big 12 country to come north to Lexington.
The state is rich with talent — current college freshmen Cade Cunningham and Greg Brown are from there, as was preps-to-pros recruit RJ Hampton — and the basketball future in Texas is looking just as bright. UK is expected to continue to hit the state hard in the coming years, and the Cats now have former Texas assistant Jai Lucas — seen as a rising star in college coaching circles — on their staff as they pursue top players from the region.
The next two Texans on Kentucky’s list might be Keyonte George and Cason Wallace.
There are six players from Texas in the top 50 of the latest 2022 class rankings (and nine in the top 100), but George and Wallace are the standouts, and there’s already UK buzz around each of their recruitments.
Keyonte George
George — a 6-foot-4, 185-pound prospect from Lewisville, Texas — is the No. 15 overall player in the 247Sports rankings for 2022 and the only shooting guard with a five-star ranking in the entire class. (Rivals.com ranks him No. 10 overall).
Last season, George averaged 23.9 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.1 steals per game, surpassing 1,500 career points with two years still left to go in high school. He’s one of the best scorers in the country and a standout in a class with seemingly few elite players at his position.
“He’s so smooth and efficient in the way he scores it. He’s great scoring at all three levels,” 247Sports analyst Brandon Jenkins told the Herald-Leader. “He has a terrific pull-up game, and on top of that he just plays the game the right way. If a scoring opportunity doesn’t present itself, he always finds the open man. He’s really, really smooth and laid back in his approach to the game.”
Jenkins said that “laid back” vibe that George displays has been perceived by some as a weakness, a sign that he doesn’t have a “killer instinct” on the court. That would be a false assumption.
“It’s just how easy the game comes to him when it comes to scoring the basketball,” he said. “He doesn’t let things faze him. … He’s just really talented and confident in the way that he can get to his spots, pull up, or finish through contact. He’s just a smooth-operating scorer.”
Jenkins said George is a capable three-point shooter and noted that he wouldn’t be surprised if he ends up as a 35-37ish percent shooter from deep at the college level. He can shoot off the catch or create space for open threes off the dribble. George doesn’t have the quickest first step when driving to the basket, but he’s a long and athletic player who can get by defenders and is a terrific contested shooter as he gets closer to the hoop.
“He has a great scorer’s touch,” Jenkins said. “Just a very smooth player.”
Cason Wallace
Ranked similarly to George but on the other end of the basketball spectrum is Wallace, a 6-3, 175-pound combo guard from Richardson, Texas. While George projects as an elite scorer, Wallace is building a reputation as one of the elite perimeter defenders in high school basketball.
“When you think of Cason Wallace, you think of a Marcus Smart, Jahmi’us Ramsey type guard,” Jenkins said. “Yes, he can score. And he’s very good at that. But that’s not what he’s on the court for. If he was to go to Kentucky, he’d be out there for defense — just strictly locking dudes up and taking pride in that role.
“He takes matchups personally. He just wants to win, and that’s evident in his mentality and the intensity that he brings to each game that he plays in. … His calling card is definitely on the defensive end, just because of the way he locks up, his active hands — even off the ball, he always has his head on a swivel and can play the passing lanes. He’s just a very versatile defender who can guard all three perimeter positions.”
Jenkins sees Wallace as the type of a player who could have a long NBA career by buying into a role as a defense-first player who’s capable of making open shots when the ball comes his way.
Wallace averages 20-plus points a game — and he scored 31 in a recent game that Jenkins scouted — but he’s a ball-dominant player for his high school team and has always been tapped to play the point guard spot for just about every team he’s been with. It seems unlikely he’d be on the ball nearly as much at the college level.
He does project as a player who would fit in well with another talented point guard. He can handle the ball and makes smart decisions. He doesn’t need to get shots to stay in the flow of the game. He seems a perfect addition for a squad filled with other high-level players.
“With his skill set, he could play with other great players and still be just as effective as if he was (the only star),” Jenkins said. “He affects the game in other ways than scoring, which is the best part about him, and that’s why he’s ranked so high.”
Wallace jumped 60 spots in the latest 247Sports rankings for the 2022 class, moving from No. 77 to No. 17 overall.
Kentucky’s recruiting outlook
So, what are the Cats’ chances to land these Texas stars if they were to make a serious push for their commitments?
The relatively new G League path will apparently be a major option for George, who already has scholarship offers from some of the country’s top teams but might bypass college altogether for a jump straight to the pros.
Jenkins said Kansas and Texas Tech are getting a lot of buzz at the moment, with the Red Raiders seemingly in an especially good spot among college teams. Texas Tech assistant coach Ulric Maligi — viewed as a top recruiter nationally — extended George his first scholarship offer more than two years ago while in his previous job as a Texas A&M assistant, and that relationship has continued to blossom since his move to Lubbock. It’s too early to say where Kentucky would land on George’s list if the Cats were to come through with an offer.
Wallace also has a long and growing offer list, and Jenkins said Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Baylor and Arizona are all on him heavily. UK is watching, however, and the Cats sound like they’re in a good spot if and when they decide to pounce.
“If Kentucky extends an offer, they’re going to be the team to beat,” Jenkins said. “He likes that program. … Cason’s goal is to get to the NBA, and who else better than Kentucky? If Kentucky gets in there now, I think they would definitely be the favorite.”
Jenkins noted that Lucas had already started to inquire about Wallace’s recruitment on Texas’ behalf before he left the Longhorns last year for a spot on Kentucky’s staff.
Having the energetic and respected 32-year-old assistant coach help lead the way should only elevate UK’s chances to land players like Wallace, George and others from Texas in the coming years.
“They found a coach who fits what they believe in,” Jenkins said. “I don’t think that Kentucky could have found anybody better to fit what they need. His future in this business is just tremendous — the sky’s the limit. And I think Jai is just a perfect coach for Kentucky.”
This story was originally published December 29, 2020 at 10:31 AM.
