Euton, Vilarino, Avery looking elsewhere

Daniel Orton appears likely to remain Kentucky-bound. Dominique Ferguson is "strongly" considering re-opening his recruitment. New UK coach John Calipari welcomed Jon Hood to the fold.

Elsewhere in Calipari's busy first 48 hours on the job, several younger prospects used by former UK coach Billy Gillispie to create a recruiting buzz decided to change direction after Kentucky changed coaches. Those players include forward Dakotah Euton, guard G.J. Vilarino and the youngest of all, Michael Avery.

Here's a rundown:

Ferguson: Widely viewed as one of the two best prospects added to UK's fold by Gillispie, he said Thursday that he was "strongly" considering reopening his recruiting process.

"I like Kentucky's style," Ferguson said of the way Calipari approaches basketball. Then Ferguson added, "I'm still strongly thinking of de-committing."

Ferguson, a top-10 national prospect from Indianapolis, noted how he and Calipari are strangers. Calipari spoke to the prospect Wednesday.

"I just think I need to start things over," Ferguson said. "I don't know anything about him (Calipari). He didn't recruit me when he was at the other school (Memphis)."

Ferguson said his father advised him to consider how many players Calipari has helped get to the NBA. But Ferguson sounded uneasy about not knowing Calipari.

Ferguson said he hoped to decide by the weekend whether to remain committed to Kentucky or reopen the recruiting process.

Orton: After formally taking the UK job and then bidding farewell to Memphis, Calipari went to Oklahoma City later Wednesday to try to re-recruit this heralded big-man prospect.

Orton's father, Larry, said that his son would probably stick with his commitment to the Cats. But with so many reversals in his life recently, it was difficult to be 100 percent certain of anything.

"To be honest, I'd be surprised if he went anywhere else," Larry Orton said of his son. "But it could happen."

In a difficult year, Daniel injured a knee that required surgery. That sidelined him for almost all of his senior season.

Then the player's mother died. Then UK fired Gillispie, the coach who successfully recruited Orton.

"That's hard for an 18-year-old," Larry Orton said. "You say to yourself, what else is there that can happen?"

Calipari visited the Orton home for about an hour, the player's father said.

Larry Orton said that the UK coach's objective seemed to be to reassure Daniel of how well he would fit into Kentucky basketball.

When asked how Calipari said Orton would fit, the player's father said, "All over, I guess. Whatever your talent is, that is what (determines the role).

Orton does not plan to decide about his basketball future before the weekend, the player's father said.

"The sooner the better to me," Larry Orton said. "We've got to do more talking."

Larry Orton said he expected to speak with Calipari on the phone. "About just basic things," he said. "How he still feels about Daniel. Then see how Daniel feels about him."

Vilarino: Calipari let signee Vilarino down gently during a Wednesday telephone conversation. That led Vilarino, the first prospect to commit to Gillispie, to decide it would be best to look for a new college program.

"He was a gentleman all the way," the player's father, Gerry Vilarino, said of Calipari.

As the elder Vilarino recalled the conversation, Calipari said, "Look, I think your son is a very good player. He can play. ... I'd prefer the bigger guards, 6-foot-5.

"I don't want him to come here not having that understanding. He might be disappointed in how it turns out."

When asked what message he heard, Gerry Vilarino said, "That tells me it's probably not going to be a good fit.

"I have no ill feeling. The Kentucky experience for G.J. has been tough at times, exhilarating at times and now it's disappointing."

Vilarino has asked for his release. Through what his father called "back channels," the player has heard about interest from schools in the Big 12, Big Ten and ACC.

"You have to feel you're wanted," Gerry Vilarino said.

Although signed by Gillispie, Vilarino still hoped to play for Kentucky even after the school changed coaches.

"Pretty tough to deal with," his father said. "He's only 17 years old. It's probably the biggest disappointment in his life. I told him, in everyone's life, there's going to be rain." Avery: He made headlines when he committed to Kentucky as an eighth-grader. Now, as a ninth-grader, he has reopened his recruitment. His father said the decision benefits Avery and Calipari.

Of Calipari, Howard Avery said, "He has the freedom to go in any direction he wants to without feeling obligated or compelled."

Michael Avery will have plenty of time to readjust and explore college options.

"If he was in the Class of 2009, I'd be very, very upset," Howard Avery said. "Unfortunately, this is big-league basketball. There is a business aspect."

Euton: One of the first prospects to commit to Kentucky when Gillispie became coach, he has decided to look elsewhere now at the end of his junior year.

His father said the decision came after the family did not hear from Calipari.

"We sat down as a family and prayed about it," Clay Euton said. "Dakotah feels it's what's best."

Euton, a 6-foot-8 forward, will be a senior for Scott County next season.

"Dakotah just wants to play basketball somewhere and get a college education and get a college degree out of it," his father said. "That's his goal."