National analyst picking Kentucky for country’s No. 1-ranked basketball prospect
For all of John Calipari’s recruiting success stories, Kentucky hasn’t landed the nation’s consensus No. 1 prospect since Anthony Davis came to Lexington with the 2011 class.
That skid might come to an end in the next couple of years.
Rivals.com’s Rob Cassidy, the website’s new lead analyst for basketball recruiting coverage, has logged a new Future Cast prediction in favor of the Wildcats on DJ Wagner’s page. Rivals posted its first rankings for the 2023 class last week, putting Wagner at No. 1 in the country, the same spot he holds on the 247Sports and ESPN rankings boards.
Wagner — a 6-foot-3 and growing point guard from Camden, N.J. — is the son of former Memphis star Dajuan Wagner, who was Calipari’s first one-and-done recruit after he returned to the college coaching ranks following a short NBA stint in the late ’90s. The star prospect is also the grandson of Milt Wagner, the former Louisville star who was employed by Calipari at Memphis and later served as an assistant coach under Tony Barbee at UTEP and Auburn.
The family remains close with Calipari, and Dajuan Wagner’s stepson, Kareem Watkins, is a freshman walk-on with the UK team this season. If Watkins stays with Kentucky, he would be a senior during DJ Wagner’s freshman year of college.
“Anyone familiar with the bond Calipari has built with Wagner Sr. over the years knows that the relationship goes beyond the typical player-coach dynamic, as the story of Calipari demanding his former star leave Memphis to get paid is well-documented,” Cassidy wrote Wednesday on Rivals.com. “The two remain close to this day and that, in essence, has given the Wildcats a massive head start in the recruitment of Wagner Jr., who is soon to become one of the most sought-after players in America.”
247Sports analyst Travis Branham told the Herald-Leader recently that — while there will be preps-to-pros rumors as Wagner’s high school career progresses — Kentucky should be seen as the clear college leader for the No. 1 sophomore in the country.
“Absolutely,” he said. “Kentucky, I think, is going to be the heavy, heavy favorite in the race for him.”
As a freshman last season, Wagner averaged 18.5 points per game and led Camden High School to a Top 25 national ranking and favorite status in the New Jersey state tournament, before the postseason was canceled due to COVID-19. Wagner was also high school teammates with UK freshman Lance Ware last season.
