It's amazing how so much can happen in one day. One day, the Kentucky news is slow and short, the next day, everything starts happening. That's where we are right now.
First, we must talk about recruiting, and boy, is there a lot to talk about. Here is a quick "Around the UK recruiting world" tour:
Alex Legion, 4-star shooting guard stud recently decommitted from Michigan (sorry, Maize n Brew Dave) has scheduled a visit to UK today. This article seems to suggest UM (still, and his mom apparently favors them) and UK are the only viable contenders, but don't get too excited yet. If Legion were to want to come, he would be impossible to turn down. Parade All-American (fourth team), legitimate pro prospect, extremely athletic, good shooter. Note on his Scout page that the only school he lists with "High Interest" is UK - not dispositive, but encouraging.
Michael Sanchez is looking more like a diamond in the rough, and the scholarship offer Gillispie made to him is for '07. Sanchez wanted to prep a year before to allow his game to return to pre-injury (apparently pattellar tendonitis) form. At one time in his junior year, was ranked higher than Patrick Patterson nationally, according to Matt Jones. ESPN still has him ranked #84 in the '07 class.
Also according to Matt Jones, Willie Warren was on the verge of committing to UK right after an interview Matt did with him. His mother has now apparently convinced him to wait until the end of summer.
Darrington Hobson, a top 100 recruit formerly headed to Pepperdine, has scheduled a visit to UK. Hobson is a 6'7" wing forward. However, Jody Demling of the Courier-Journal says that Hobson will never make the visit. He still looks West-coast bound to most insiders.
All the aforementioned, plus Patterson and Lucas, have scholarship offers on the table from UK for 2007.
My observation is that once again, we are looking at winding up with a huge number of shooting guards/wing forward type players and a dearth of big people. That doesn't necessarily bother me, because we have seen what a good shooting team can do, even with only a few big bodies to help.
A team that included Legion, Hobson and Sanchez would still have our recruiting class easily in the top 20 and possibly top 15, and it will be the kind of team that could really get up and down the floor. If Warren commits, he along with Vilarino would be a drop-in replacement next year for the departing Joe Crawford and Ramel Bradley, but it still wouldn't make us any bigger. [editor's note, by Truzenzuzex] JL pointed out quite correctly that Vilarino is a 2009 recruit, not '08. Sorry for the error.
My take is that a scholarship offer for Steffphon Pettigrew is looking more remote every day. I still have no meaningful read on Patterson, although I think Lucas may well end up at Kentucky (although Donovan is making a strong late push. Hat tip: Aaron's blog) if others don't beat him to the punch and accept his scholarship. Theoretically, both he and Patterson could wind up "odd men out" right now.
I find it fascinating how, at this time of year, we always seem to find highly touted recruits become available to those who have a scholarship to offer. It really makes holding on to one of those scholarships till the spring make sense, although I don't advocate doing it when your only two signees are Mike Williams and A.J. Stewart.
Anyway, that's where we stand as of this morning. Today could bring a Legion commitment, so stand by for big news ...
Update [2007-4-19 13:18:55 by Truzenzuzex]: Lunchtime update:
Scout.com has a free article looking at the current state of recruiting out today.
Yet Another Sports Blog has an evaluation of BCS and selected non-BCS coaches. Kind of interesting, I guess. Hat tip: FireBilly.com
Pat Forde is taking NCAA and NBA officials to task.
Update [2007-4-19 16:3:46 by Truzenzuzex]: The K-Line blog wishes Ashley Judd a happy birthday. Indeed, happy Birthday, Ashley!
Evening Update [2007-4-19 19:41:5 by Truzenzuzex]:
NCAA Hoops has an update on NBA draft early entrants.
Terrance Henry, UK 2008 target, becoming a national name (subscription).