Trae Young is undoubtedly one of the best guards in the 2017 recruiting class, as he's 21st on the ESPN 100, the No. 2 guard on the list, as well as the No. 3 guard in the 247Sports composite. Young has been one of the top priorities for John Calipari as he pieces his 2017 class together now, and Young has taken note of how serious Cal is about having him on campus come 2017.
"They've definitely made me one of their top priorities. They offered me last year and have stayed in contact with me," the Oklahoma native told 247Sports. He also said that he talks to Calipari "all the time," and Cal and his staff make sure he knows he's a top priority, which "really stands out to [him]."
There's no question as to why Coach Cal and company see Young as a must-have guard. De'Aaron Fox's talent could easily take him to the draft following his freshman season at Kentucky, and Cal is going to need another outstanding guard coming in if that does happen. It seems as though he's hoping Young can be that guy, although that's not the only 2017 guard they've reached out to.
The Cats have also offered up a scholarship to Quade Green, the No. 22 player on the ESPN 100 board. Green is an incredible passer and defender, though he is not quite as highly-touted as Young. While many would think that the Cats would only be able to get one of these outstanding guards, Young's outlook on the situation leads you to believe that they could grab both.
"The past few championships have been won with two smaller guards, so I can definitely see myself playing with another guard," Young said. The idea of him sharing the backcourt with another standout guard seems to not bother him, but that may be because of the fact that he and Green get along pretty well.
"Yeah, Quade's a really good player. We actually have a chance to play on the same backcourt in USA this next month. We've played together and we're really close off the court."
It certainly makes it easier to share the spotlight when you're friends with the other star, so this bond, or connection, should help these two get along if they both come to Kentucky.
Speaking of connections, Young also revealed that he's spoken to De'Aaron Fox and Malik Monk about their opinions on Kentucky.
"It’s really great to be able to be close with De’Aaron Fox, being able to text away to ask him what it’s like up there at Kentucky, what to expect if I went there," Young said. "It’s really cool being able to talk to (Fox and Malik Monk) and pick their brain a little bit about that school. When they got there, they fell in love with it. The environment they’re in, the practices and how they get better each day and each practice, they love it. That’s for sure."
It's great to see not only that Young is getting to speak to current Wildcats, but also that the new stars of Kentucky are enjoying their college experience.
Young appears to be interested in Kentucky, even if Green were to join him. He seems to appreciate John Calipari's interest, and he also seems to enjoy talking to Fox and Monk about how great the program is.
If you haven't seen Young's highlights, we suggest you check out some of his best moments below.