Only days after telling USA Today that he is 95% sure where he wants to play college basketball, Keldon Johnson may not be close to a decision after all.
As his dad told ZAGSBLOG on Monday, they are going to be “really, really careful with the situation at hand. At 18, I’m just trying to walk him through so we don’t make mistakes.”
Johnson is the No. 7 overall recruit according to ESPN, and many believe he is underrated. His high school coach at Oak Hill Academy believes he is absolutely destined for the NBA.
He’s an NBA prospect. he’s that kind of player. He’s very skilled, he’s a great passer. He’s long, he defends, he rebounds. He’s a great offensive rebounder and then he can score the ball as well as any wing in the country so he’s got a great upside. I’ll be shocked if he doesn’t play for money one day.
Johnson’s final list consists of Kentucky, Texas, Maryland, and N.C. State, although Kentucky has been considered the leader for quite some time. According to the 247Sports Crystal Ball, the Wildcats have a 62% chance of landing the star wing.
Oak Hill has played close to perfect in the first quarter, leads Northwood Temple 20-4. Keldon Johnson threw down the dunk below. #HoopsDreams pic.twitter.com/eiTkEGhvec
— Hoops & Dreams (@HoopsDreams910) November 4, 2017
“No, not this week, I don’t think so,” Johnson’s father, Chris, said when asked about the timeline. “It might be a chance next week, but I really don’t think that he would do it this week. Possibly next week. It’s not too far-fetched that he waits till the spring.”
Johnson’s hesitation should not come as a surprise, as there are several dominoes that could fall that would have an impact on his college experience. For example, he may or may not want to play alongside top wings R.J. Barrett and Zion Williamson.
He must also consider the current rosters of teams. If both Hamidou Diallo and Kevin Knox enter the NBA draft, perhaps it would clear the way for Johnson even if another star wing commits. But if they don’t, is it in his best interest to join them or go elsewhere and be “the guy”?
Johnson has said he wants to go to a program that gets him the most NBA ready. If that’s the case, it seems like playing for Coach Calipari would be a no-brainer. So is he not sold on Kentucky or is he just waiting to see where other players end up? I guess we will find out later this week...or next week...or in the spring.
Do you think this delay is bad news for Kentucky or just part of the process?
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