Kentucky basketball recruit Skyy Clark makes a notable jump in national rankings
Kentucky’s only basketball commitment for the class of 2022 isn’t doing anything to hurt his standing as one of the nation’s top recruits.
Skyy Clark, who committed to the Wildcats in October, jumped from No. 13 to No. 8 overall in the new Rivals.com rankings Wednesday. Among the players that were already ranked by Rivals.com as a top 25 recruit in the 2022 class, no prospect made a bigger jump in the new rankings than Clark, who is off to a stellar start to his junior season in the Nashville area.
The 6-foot-3 point guard scored 51 points in his season debut and is still contemplating a possible move to the 2021 class — allowing him to play for UK next season — though he doesn’t turn 18 years old until July.
Michigan State commitment Emoni Bates — arguably the top prospect in all of high school basketball, regardless of class — remained in the No. 1 spot on the Rivals list. He is also considering a move to the 2021 class.
That makes Philadelphia big man Jalen Duren the top-ranked available recruit in the 2022 class, and Kentucky has extended a scholarship offer. The Wildcats are seen as a possible favorite for Duren — No. 2 on the Rivals list — though a jump to the G League out of high school is also possible.
UK has also extended early scholarship offers to point guard Jaden Bradley (No. 7 in the new rankings) and Canadian wing Shaedon Sharpe, who jumped 70 spots to No. 20 overall.
Kentucky is still keeping tabs on several other prospects in the 2022 class. The Wildcats have been prominently linked to point guard Scoota Henderson (No. 13 overall), small forward Dariq Whitehead (No. 15), shooting guard Zion Cruz (No. 16), small forward Brandon Miller (No. 17), shooting guard Cason Wallace (No. 19) and shooting guard Isaac McKneely (No. 57).
The Wildcats have been in contact — or are expected to make contact — with several others, including top-10 national recruits Keyonte George (No. 6) and Mark Mitchell (No. 9).
