Kentucky Basketball Recruiting: Wildcats Back in the Hunt for Jarnell Stokes?

by jc25 on Nov 3, 2011 3:16 PM EDT in Kentucky Wildcats Basketball

That seems to be the case, according to Evan Daniels of Scout.com. Earlier, Daniels tweeted, "Sounds like Kentucky is making a move on a new 2012 recruit: Jarnell Stokes". Stokes is a five-star prospect from Southwind in Memphis, TN. He also happens to be a teammate of 2013 PF Jonathan Williams III. Kentucky reportedly went to watch Williams practice at his high school last week, and it's possible that seeing Stokes along with Williams kindled some interest.

Kentucky had actually briefly recruited Stokes earlier this summer, but the two sides have been quiet since then after Stokes dropped the Wildcats from his list of finalists. Stokes is also considering Tennessee, Florida, Memphis, Arkansas, and Connecticut.

At the time, it appeared that Kentucky was choosing to focus its recruiting efforts on Alex Poythress. Poythress is expected to make a decision by the Early Signing Period, and Kentucky's renewed recruitment of Stokes may be an indicator that they don't expect positive news from Poythress' camp.

Getting Stokes back into the mix gives Kentucky options at the forward positions going into the spring. The Wildcats are also recruiting Amile Jefferson, Anthony Bennett, and Devonta Pollard. All three are combo forwards that would fit in nicely to Kentucky's DDMO, and it's probable that all three wait until the spring to decide. It now appears that Wildcats fans can add Stokes to that list while awaiting a Poythress decision.

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I had heard

Pothyress was pretty much a UK lock only a few days ago… Guess rumors are just that… Rumors

"I wasn’t thinking about it. That’s the worst celebration of all time. I didn’t know what to do. I got lost in the moment." - Brian McCann

by HansonManCrush on Nov 3, 2011 3:57 PM EDT via mobile reply actions

Could getting back to Stokes just be to get Pothyress to commit or do they want them both???

by michaelj525 on Nov 3, 2011 4:19 PM EDT up reply actions

Rumors...

Pretty much the norm when it comes to recruiting. Gotta take most everything with a grain of salt.

Assuming there’s no two-year rule, Kentucky can absolutely take 2 more elite bigs, so if Poythress does commit to the good guys, it doesn’t cease recruiting of Stokes or the other 3. If Wiltjer is indeed the only returning big, a rotation of Wiltjer, Cauley, and two bigs is still plenty of frontcourt minutes. Also, keep in mind that the 3 will be open as well as Miller graduates and MKG will likely leave. Shabazz Muhammad is the ideal, but all of the forwards left on the board look like they can slide down to the 3 if required, with Stokes the least likely to be effective since he has no perimeter game.

http://aseaofblue.com | http://marchtomarch.fantake.com | @JC_Hoops

by jc25 on Nov 3, 2011 4:35 PM EDT up reply actions

silly question.........lol......

we want them ALL……….

I am now and shall forever be the Cat in The Hat, The Artist Formerly Known As ABC!!!

by Greg Alan Edwards on Nov 3, 2011 5:35 PM EDT up reply actions

I thnk Poythress will be at UK.

Calipari may just want to have more irons in the fire. I don’t think they are worried about losing Poythress.

A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan

by Glenn Logan on Nov 4, 2011 1:08 PM EDT up reply actions

Going to the NBA

With the way the NBA season is going this year there may not be a season. That means that the next season is going to be a mess. The guys who stayed in college are the smart ones and will be the ones who will be remembered when the NBA starts to play again. The ones coming out of college are the ones who will in shape to play. Before long the public is going to get tired of the way Pro Sports is acting and when that happens and no one is in the stands to watch the big pay days will be gone. Look at NASCAR, NHRA and how there stands are not as full as they used to be, it’s coming to basketball, baseball and football.

by kyalltheway on Nov 3, 2011 5:25 PM EDT reply actions