So they were good until they lost their best player. We bring sports news that matters to your inbox, to help you stay informed and get a winning edge. But, for these purposes, I've projected everybody who can return to return, which would give Mark Few three of the top five scorers back from a team that finished 31-2 and was about to be a No. Weaver, Jackson and the Cats did all the laughing Saturday. Ben Roberts covers UK basketball, football, horse racing and other sports for the Lexington Herald-Leader and has specialized in UK basketball recruiting for the past several years. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Many view Oklahoma and Kentucky as the favorites, but Boston insists there is no current leader. 7 power forward in 2021, and the 247 Sports Composite has him listed at No. Texas Tech lost four of the top five scorers from its team that played for the 2019 national title but still finished 21st at KenPom in 2020. John Calipari has also offered Moussa Diabate from the IMG Academy in Florida. It's impossible to overstate what losing somebody like Payton Pritchard will mean to Oregon; he was fabulous and a worthy All-American. Wilson has now led Kentucky to record-breaking wins over Florida and Tennessee. Be sure to read the entire interview at KSR, Kentucky Basketball recruiting in the 2021 class, Skyy Clark’s dad updates recruitment; recruiting analysts make predictions for UK, Stoops and Wildcats recap historic win over Volunteers, Sunday Quickies: Season-Changing Win Edition, Mark Stoops awards game ball to John Schlarman. Big East picks: Can Creighton catch Nova? 6-keys: media/spln/collegebasketball/reg/free/polls_top25, at University of Kentucky basketball recruiting page showing committed recruits and remaining targets. Devin Vassell has already announced he's in the NBA Draft, Patrick Williams is a projected first-round pick likely to join him, and Trent Forrest is out of eligibility. If that happens, the Cardinal will add a heralded freshman to a roster featuring the top six scorers from last season's team that finished in the top 45 at KenPom and entered the Pac-12 Tournament on the bubble. 2 player out of Texas, according to the 247 Sports Composite. He's among the reasons Wisconsin will have a chance to secure back-to-back league titles. You’ll at least get looked at and have the resources to get looked at.’ It’s all up to how hard he’s willing to work, what he’s willing to do. Terry Wilson makes more history & has perfect message for it following win vs. Vols. But two of the other top-three scorers from the Pac-12 champs are expected back - and Dana Altman is working the transfer market again. That's rough. Exactly what John Calipari will do to further enhance his roster remains unclear. Assuming Garrison Brooks, Armando Bacot, Anthony Harris and Leaky Black all return, UNC will be talented enough to push Virginia and Duke at the top of the ACC. The Wildcats are losing their top six scorers from a team that won the SEC by multiple games - most notably SEC Player of the Year Immanuel Quickley and projected first-round pick Tyrese Maxey. He said way back when that he was going to wait till after basketball season so he can concentrate on just basketball, but I honestly don’t know if he’ll do that anymore.”. So Bob Huggins will enter next season with an accomplished roster good enough to compete for a Big 12 title. The surprising addition Josh Christopher was a major development for Arizona State, which should be able to pair the 5-star guard with an experienced core of double-digit scorers in Remy Martin, Alonzo Verge and Romello White. #top9.”. Includes sports news, message forums, and recruiting information for the Wildcats. However, perhaps the biggest recruit … The Texas native is being heavily recruited by Big 12 schools, but SEC schools like Kentucky, Alabama, and Arkansas are fully in the mix. Nolan Hickman is currently the only commitment for Kentucky for 2021. Presumably, he'll be joined by the four other starters from a team that finished 23rd at KenPom. UK Recruiting Top Kentucky basketball target ready to make his college choice and ‘be a kid again’ October 12, 2020, 7:34 AM. Kentucky had the No. SmithExpected additions: Day'Ron Sharpe, Walker Kessler, Caleb Love, Puff Johnson, R.J. Davis, Notable players definitely gone: Yanni Wetzell, KJ FeaginNotable players expected to also leave: N/ANotable players expected to return: Malachi Flynn, Matt Mitchell, Jordan Schakel, Nathan Mensah, Trey Pulliam, Aguek Arop, Adam Seiko, Keshad Johnson, Joel MensahExpected additions: Che Evans, Lamont Butler, Keith Dinwiddie, Terrell Gomez, Notable players definitely gone: TJ Holyfield, Chris ClarkeNotable players expected to also leave: Jahmi'us RamseyNotable players expected to return: Davide Moretti, Kyler Edwards, Terrence Shannon, Kevin McCullar, Clarence Nadolny, Avery Benson, Russsel Tchewa, Andrei SavrasovExpected additions: Nimari Burnett, Micah Perry, Chibuzo Agbo, Joel Ntambe, Notable players definitely gone: Andre Wesson, D.J. He averaged 4.5 points in 15.1 minutes per contest. 29, and Louisville would be No. So even if Jahmi'us Ramsey leaves early for the NBA Draft, which is expected and reflected here, Chris Beard will operate in the top half of the Big 12 again. His arrival alone won't cancel out the expected departure of Kaleb Wesson, which is reflected here, but it'll help. A big reason for that was Malachi Flynn's breakout season. Most believe that the Cats will land another point guard, but who will it be? Every player who started a game for Creighton this past season was projected to return - but that changed when Ty-Shon Alexander, the Bluejays' leading scorer, announced his intention to enter the NBA Draft and suggested he plans to remain in it. 30 overall. But 5-star forward Scottie Barnes is talented enough to make an instant impact, and there are enough quality pieces returning to keep Florida State competitive in the ACC. 14 overall recruit and the No. So the Seminoles will have holes to fill. “I know if it were up to his dad, he’s tired of seeing him tired all the time and think about it all the time. But, for now, the presumption is that the 6-8 forward is done with college basketball, which means the Spartans will likely be without the top two players from a team that shared the Big Ten title with Maryland and Wisconsin. Literally the only player set to return is Keion Brooks. And assuming the All-American point guard returns for his senior year, San Diego State will again be the team to beat in the Mountain West Conference and a real factor on the national stage too. Another power forward target is Daimion Collins. Rutgers is expected to return seven of the top eight scorers from a team that finished 28th at KenPom - most notably double-digit scorers Ron Harper Jr. and Geo Baker. #top9. The class of 2021 is looking pretty slim right now. If that happens, the Zags will be led by All-American Filip Petrusev, have three of their top five scorers back, and benefit from a top-10 recruiting class highlighted by 5-star guard Jalen Suggs. Ohio State recently beat Duke for graduate-transfer Seth Towns - a 6-8 forward from Harvard who was the Ivy League Player of the Year in 2018. He'll be joined by 5-star point guard Daishen Nix, a one-and-done talent who makes the Bruins the favorites in the Pac-12. Bryce Hopkins has also become a priority as of late. Luka Garza will be the obvious preseason national player of the year if he returns to Iowa for his senior season, which is among the reasons he's expected to return to Iowa for his senior season. Saddiq Bey, at this point, qualifies as a consensus projected first-round pick. With only one commitment, you would think Kentucky will have a series of commitments to come in starting this fall. However, perhaps the biggest recruit landed by John Calipari this year was former Texas assistant Jai Lucas. But if any program is built to overcome these departures, it's the one set to enroll the nation's top-ranked recruiting class featuring 5-star guards Terrence Clarke, BJ Boston and Devin Askew. 1 seed in the 2020 NCAA Tournament. Version 9.0 is likely right around the corner. Will it be Kentucky? Positive injury update on Quinton Bohanna after he was carted off the field vs. Tennessee. Kentucky adds 4-star defensive back Joel Williams to its 2020 … Kentucky has been among best when it comes to recruiting under head coach John Calipari. Subscribe Subscribe now! All of his 247 Sports Crystal Ball predictions are for the Wildcats. Bohanna went down in the first half with a scary leg injury, but it sounds like he’ll be fine. Wisconsin got better after Kobe King quit the team in January - evidence being how the Badgers won eight straight games to close the regular season and shared the Big Ten crown with Maryland and Michigan State. Change of plans...too many great schools. So Fran McCaffery should have the best team he's ever had in 22 years as a Division I head coach. And don't forget: Iowa will get Jordan Bohannon back after a redshirt season. Meantime, Duane Washington, CJ Walker and Kyle Young should provide Chris Holtmann with an experienced nucleus on a team that is projected to return five of the top nine scorers from a roster that finished No. The top three scorers from a Baylor team that spent multiple weeks ranked No. Bohanna went down in the first half with a scary leg injury, but it sounds like he’ll be fine. The Longhorns are considered the leader for 5-star big Greg Brown. Leonard Hamilton just led Florida State to its first conference title since 1989, but most of the best pieces from that team aren't expected to return. Sallis is the No. Finding a suitable replacement at point guard for Cassius Winston won't be easy. Collins is ranked No. Collins will be a huge get for one lucky school. … He wants to get a shot. The official Men's Basketball page for the University of Kentucky Wildcats Tennessee is adding 5-star guards Jaden Springer and Keon Johnson to a core of John Fulkerson, Yves Pons, Santiago Vescovi and Josiah-Jordan James. As previously noted, what I've done here is assume all consensus projected first-round picks will enter the NBA Draft, made educated guesses about other underclassmen, projected relevant uncommitted prospects — like Greg Brown, for example — to enroll where 247Sports currently projects them to enroll, and omitted all traditional sit-out transfers. If Quentin Grimes and/or DeJon Jarreau decide to pursue a professional career, the ceiling will be lowered. 7 recruit and the No. San Diego State was the biggest surprise of this season - evidence being how the Aztecs started 97th at KenPom before finishing sixth. 6’9” Daimion Collins is the best shot blocker in High School @TheCircuitHoops pic.twitter.com/xXJ6qmGALm. 6 and No. He is a 6-10 power forward that comes in just behind Collins at No. 27, Florida would be No. On Monday, it was Immanuel Quickley. Who will be Kentucky’s next basketball commitment? Combine that with a top-10 recruiting class highlighted by 5-star guard Jalen Suggs, and Gonzaga should be considered the favorite to win the 2021 NCAA Tournament. Still, the expected return of Matthew Hurt and Wendell Moore should give Mike Krzyzewski two experienced and reliable pieces to pair with a top-two recruiting class highlighted by 5-star prospects Jalen Johnson, Jeremy Roach and DJ Steward. Get the latest Kentucky Wildcats news, scores, stats, standings, rumors, and more from ESPN. But, for now, Mark Few's Gonzaga Bulldogs remain No. Weaver, Jackson and the Cats did all the laughing Saturday.