Ten intriguing recruitments for Kentucky basketball fans to follow in 2021
Kentucky goes into the new year with three players already signed for next season and another commitment from the high school junior class.
The Cats also have several talented prospects high on their wish list, for the 2021 class and beyond. As it stands, UK has signed five-star power forward Daimion Collins, four-star point guard Nolan Hickman and four-star small forward Bryce Hopkins for next season, with an additional commitment from five-star point guard Skyy Clark, a 2022 recruit who is still considering a move to 2021, which would put him on next season’s Kentucky roster.
UK’s recruiting list is ever-changing, and its group of targets is certain to expand in the coming months, especially once the NCAA’s “dead period” is lifted and coaches can return to the recruiting trail and see players in person.
For now, here are 10 intriguing recruitments for UK fans to keep an eye on in 2021.
Jaden Hardy
The top-ranked player on Kentucky’s recruiting list for the 2021 class is Jaden Hardy, the No. 1 backcourt prospect in the country and an elite perimeter scorer from all three levels (with range that extends well beyond the college three-point line). Hardy was the first guard in the class to land a UK scholarship offer, and the Cats even appeared to be the favorite for several months after that offer, but the 6-foot-4 combo guard from the Las Vegas area never made it to Lexington for a visit before the NCAA dead period began. Going into the new year, a jump to the G League seems to be the “favorite” in Hardy’s recruitment, though UK might still be the leader among college teams. (UCLA, Oregon and others are also in the mix). An end to the dead period in April would allow Hardy to make a visit to UK before he makes a decision on his future, so that would be beneficial to Kentucky’s efforts here. The Cats could certainly use someone with his scoring and shooting ability next season.
Hunter Sallis
Generally regarded as the No. 1 point guard in the 2021 class, Hunter Sallis landed a UK scholarship offer over the summer. The Wildcats were seen as possible favorites in the aftermath of that offer, but there’s been much more buzz in Gonzaga’s favor in recent weeks. A couple of 247Sports analysts logged pro-Zags predictions on Sallis’ Crystal Ball page at the end of 2020, and Sallis’ only official visit before the NCAA dead period was to Spokane. His high school coach told the Herald-Leader last week that he still wants to visit Kentucky and North Carolina. If the NCAA lifts its dead period on April 15 — allowing Sallis to take official visits before a decision — it could help Kentucky’s chances considerably. If the dead period is extended yet again, that could be good news for top-ranked Gonzaga, which is also emerging as a favorite for No. 1 overall recruit Chet Holmgren.
Efton Reid
There’s been no confirmation of a UK scholarship yet for Efton Reid — the near-7-footer from Virginia — but Kentucky has been staying in touch with him throughout the year, and he’s the only post player left on the Cats’ 2021 radar. The five-star prospect is in a post-grad year at IMG Academy (Fla.) and has hinted that a new recruiting list will be coming soon. Ohio State and Pittsburgh have been among the other schools mentioned, but there’s no clear sense of which way Reid might be leaning at this point, and several high-major programs are still pursuing him. There’s also no timetable for a commitment, and he seems to be in no hurry to make a college decision. Reid is one of only nine players in the top 100 of the 247Sports composite rankings for 2021 who is still uncommitted, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him among the very last to make his choice. It’ll be interesting to see how serious a player Kentucky becomes in his recruitment.
Brandin Podziemski
Kentucky’s most out-of-nowhere scholarship offer of 2020 went to Brandin Podziemski, a 6-5 shooting guard from Wisconsin who wasn’t even among the top 300 recruits in the 2021 class at the time of UK’s offer. (He’s now ranked No. 74 by 247Sports). Podziemski is a smooth-scoring prospect who could be one of the nation’s best three-point shooters. He does have offers from Kentucky and Kansas, but those schools are still in a bit of a feeling-out process with this recruitment. UK’s coaches have never seen him play in person and will continue to build a relationship long distance while monitoring his progress this season. Will Podziemski end up at one of these blue blood schools? Or another high-major program? UK could certainly use more shooters, and just how hard they pursue Podziemski will be worth watching.
Jalen Duren
A star center from the Philadelphia area, Jalen Duren is the top-ranked available recruit in the 2022 class and landed a UK scholarship offer a couple of months ago. As the No. 2 player in his class — behind only Michigan State commitment Emoni Bates — Duren would be the highest-ranked UK commitment in several years, if he does indeed pick the Wildcats. There’s still a long way to go before that happens. The do-it-all frontcourt player is also a coveted target of hometown Villanova, and a jump straight to the pros has also been viewed as a realistic possibility. National recruiting expert Andrew Slater foreshadowed a possible Kentucky vs. G League battle for Duren’s commitment after UK offered in October. By the end of this year, we should have a much clearer sense of Duren’s next destination.
Jaden Bradley
One of the top point guards in the 2022 class, Jaden Bradley was also one of UK’s earliest recruits of interest from that group. Kentucky assistant coach Joel Justus made contact before Bradley’s sophomore year — he went on to win a state title and earn North Carolina player of the year honors last season — and Bradley’s father told the Herald-Leader last week that UK remained in regular contact. A few days after that, Kentucky extended a scholarship offer. Duke and North Carolina are also among those pursuing Bradley, who will clearly have his pick of schools by the time he’s ready to make a college decision. Now at IMG Academy (Fla.), the 6-3 playmaker is open to reclassification — even though he doesn’t turn 18 years old until September — but a perfect situation would have to present itself for such a move to happen. Bradley is looking forward to taking official visits once the NCAA’s dead period ends, and it seems likely he’ll be ready to make a college commitment sometime in this calendar year.
Shaedon Sharpe
One of the first prospects in the 2022 class to land a Kentucky offer was Shaedon Sharpe, a 6-4 shooting guard from Canada whose shooting ability is starting to catch up with his elite athleticism. Sharpe moved to the United States less than two years ago and is now playing for a high school team in Arizona, where he’s off to a terrific start to his junior season with stellar play that has brought scholarship offers from UK, Kansas and several others. He’s part of the same Canadian club team that produced former Kentucky standout Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and that could prove to be an important connection as his recruitment progresses.
Cason Wallace
It sounds like Cason Wallace — a 6-3 combo guard from Texas — might be pretty much a perfect fit for what John Calipari looks for in a player. Wallace, ranked No. 17 in the 2022 class by 247Sports, has been described as an elite competitor with high-end defensive skills who relishes locking down the other team’s best player. He’s also versatile enough to play multiple guard positions and would seemingly be a great asset on a squad with other star players. 247Sports analyst Brandon Jenkins told the Herald-Leader last week that he thinks Kentucky would be the “team to beat” for Wallace’s commitment if the Cats were to extend a scholarship offer. Will that offer come sometime soon?
Isaac McKneely
Outside shooting is obviously an integral part of college basketball, and Kentucky has been struggling from behind the arc this season. Isaac McKneely — a 6-4 combo guard from Poca, W.Va. — isn’t rated as highly as most of Calipari’s top targets (he’s No. 60 nationally in the 2022 composite rankings) but he’s an elite three-point shooter (45 percent from deep as a sophomore) and a talented guard who can play on or off the ball. Calipari also called recently to make sure McKneely kept UK on his list, saying the Kentucky coaches would be watching in person after the NCAA lifts its dead period. There certainly appears to be mutual interest here, and UK is the closest school to Poca on McKneely’s list of eight. A vocal segment of Kentucky fans has been calling for better outside shooters. Will Calipari make a serious run at an elite one who lives less than three hours from Lexington?
DJ Wagner
The only player on this list not in the 2021 or 2022 classes, DJ Wagner is here because he could end up as one of Calipari’s top-ranked commitments … ever. Wagner — a 6-3 point guard from Camden, N.J. — is the unanimous pick for No. 1 overall recruit in the 2023 class. His father is Dajuan Wagner, one of Calipari’s top players at Memphis. His grandfather is former Louisville star Milt Wagner, who more recently worked as part of the staffs under both Calipari and UK assistant Tony Barbee. UK walk-on Kareem Watkins is Wagner’s older brother, and Wildcats freshman Lance Ware is a former high school teammate. The UK ties run very deep with the top recruit in the 2023 class, and — if he plays college basketball — the Cats are already seen as a major favorite. Straight-to-the-pros rumors will come up for a player of Wagner’s caliber, but UK is in a good spot early. How Wagner continues to progress on the court and the status of his recruitment a year from now will both be interesting follows.
