Kentucky's 2012 basketball recruiting landscape has gotten a lot clearer after the arrival of the July recruiting period, while still managing to stay relatively murky. It's crystal clear that top targets have arisen. At each position (save point guard, which transfer Ryan Harrow is expected to man), John Calipari has offered multiple prospects that he likes the most.
Yet the tricky part for Kentucky is that not a single prospect on the board considers UK a heavy favorite, or even a marginal favorite at all. Right now, Kentucky is at best running 1-B for all its prospects. Realistically, the 'Cats trail another school or three, and in many cases that school is a local one.
Of course, that's how Calipari likes it best. At point guard alone, Calipari has plucked Derrick Rose from Chicago, John Wall from North Carolina, and Brandon Knight from Florida, just to name a few high profile names and their respective basketball hot spots.
So yes, Kentucky still doesn't have a single commitment for the class of 2012. And Kentucky fans shouldn't hold their breaths for an imminent verbal, either. But the board remains strong, and the fish will bite soon enough. Just getcha popcorn ready.
Please be advised that table is best-viewed in "Wide" screen mode, which you can toggle via your dashboard. It's jam-packed with information that just can't be contained!
| Name | Pos | School (City Located) |
Ranking (Scout/Rivals/ESPNU) |
Offer (Odds) |
Commitment (Odds) | Favorite School(s) | News & Notes | Trending (since 4/21/11) |
| DaJuan Coleman |
C | Jamesville-DeWitt (DeWitt, NY) |
Scout: 5*/4th Rivals: 5*/18th ESPNU: 5*/5th |
Offered | 45% |
Syracuse Kentucky Ohio State Arizona |
7/12/11 - Per Matt Jones (KSR), Coleman will officially visit UK in September and may make a decision around Christmas. He is UK's top priority at the 5. 7/3/11 - In an interview with Adam Zagoria (ZagsBlog), Coleman's AAU coach Jim Hart said Syracuse and UK are the two teams pursuing Coleman the hardest. 5/31/11 - In an interview with Coast 2 Coast Hoops, Coleman named his favorites (listed), with Arizona as a strong newcomer. |
 |
| Andre Drummond |
C | St. Thomas More (Oakdale, CT) | Scout: 5*/2nd Rivals: 5*/2nd ESPNU: 5*/1st |
Not Yet Offered (25%) |
N/A |
UConn Louisville Georgetown Kentucky UNC Pittsburgh WVU |
7/1/11 - Rumors continue to abound that Drummond is considering declaring for the NBA Draft after his senior year (due to his age, he's eligible). In an interview with Jeff Goodman (CBS Sports), Drummond admits he's keeping all his options open. 5/30/11 - Drummond's AAU and HS coaches denied the rumor that Drummond was considering reclassifying to the 2011 class. He maintains the same favorites, with local UConn in the lead. |
 |
|
Kaleb Tarczewski |
C | St. Mark's (Southborough, MA) | Scout: 5*/6th Rivals: 5*/12th ESPNU: 5*/9th |
Not Yet Offered (5%) |
N/A |
Kansas UNC Arizona |
7/6/11 - Tarczewski's AAU coach John Carroll said UK was still in the mix after UK's staff watched Tarczewski during the Adidas Invitational. So you're saying there's a chance... 6/29/11 - Per Dave Telep (ESPN), Tarczewski's has three favorites (listed) and unofficially visited all 3 this summer. He would like to make a decision by August. |
 |
|
Willie Cauley |
C | Olathe Northwest (Olathe, KS) | Scout: 4*/36th Rivals: 4*/41st ESPNU: 4*/31st |
Not Yet Offered (5%) | N/A |
Alabama Florida Okla St Kansas St New Mexico |
7/7/11 - At the LeBron James Skills Academy, Cauley listed the five schools above. He noted that he'd like to hear from UK, but it's unlikely unless other bigs start committing elsewhere. |
|
| Mitch McGary |
PF/C | Brewster Academy (Wolfeboro, NH) | Scout: 5*/5th Rivals: 5*/5th ESPNU: 5*/4th |
Offered | 25% |
UConn Maryland Texas Florida Kentucky |
7/8/11 - UK offered McGary after watching him participate in the LeBron James Skills Academy camp. 7/1/11 - McGary has flown up recruiting boards and holds offers from a multitude of schools. He has not announced a favorites list. |
*NEW* |
| Anthony Bennett |
PF/SF | Findlay Prep (Henderson, NV) | Scout: 5*/11th Rivals: 5*/7th ESPNU: 4*/46th |
Offered | 25% |
UConn Kentucky WVU Florida UNLV |
6/27/11 - Per Thomas Beisner (KSR) Bennett received an offer from UK. Bennett, like McGary, has been a fast riser up recruiting boards and has not narrowed down his list. |
*NEW* |
| Robert Carter |
PF/C | Thomasville (Thomasville, GA) | Scout: 5*/17th Rivals: 5*/16th ESPNU: 5*/14th |
Reportedly Offered |
25% |
Florida Florida St Georgia GA Tech Kentucky VA Tech Ohio St |
7/11/11 - Veteran Bob Gibbons (All Star Report) tweeted that he expects Carter to commit to UK soon. 6/21/11 - Per Jeff Borzello (CBS Sports), Carter may not have a firm offer, but is definitely interested in UK and provided a list of 7 schools. 5/25/11 - Per Cats Pause and ESPN, UK has offered a scholarship to Robert Carter from Thomasville. |
*NEW* |
| Perry Ellis |
PF | Wichita Heights (Wichita, KS) |
Scout: 5*/22nd Rivals: 5*/19th ESPNU: 5*/19th |
Offered | 25% |
Kansas Duke Kentucky Kansas St Memphis Oklahoma Wichita St |
7/15/11 - Surprisingly, UK made Ellis its most-watched target during the July recruiting period. It appears to be a three-horse race between KU, Duke and UK. 6/20/11 - Duke offered and is coming on strong as a major player for Ellis. |
|
| Brandon Ashley |
PF | Findlay Prep (Las Vegas, NV) | Scout: 5*/8th Rivals: 5*/14th ESPNU: 5*/6th |
Offered | 15% |
UCLA Texas Syracuse Oregon Kentucky GA Tech Arizona |
7/21/11 - According to Evan Daniels (Scout), Ashley has a final 7 with no overwhelming favorite. He will play for Nevada powerhouse Findlay Prep in his senior season. |
|
| Jarnell Stokes |
PF | Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, VA) | Scout: 5*/19th Rivals: 5*/10th ESPNU: 4*/18th |
Not Yet Offered (5%) | N/A |
Arkansas Memphis UConn Tennessee Florida Kentucky |
7/25/11 - Per Jim Tirey (Nation of Blue), Stokes hasn't heard from UK recently and may move on, given the lack of an offer. 7/12/11 - In an interview with Adam Zagoria (ZagsBlog) at the Peach Jam, Stokes named 6 schools, with Arkansas and Memphis leading. UK is the only school of the 6 that has not yet offered. |
*NEW* |
| Shabazz Muhammad |
SF/SG | Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas) |
Scout: 5*/1st Rivals: 5*/1st ESPNU: 5*/3rd |
Offered | 40% |
UCLA Kentucky Duke UNLV Texas A&M Texas Arizona Kansas Memphis |
7/24/11 - Per Ben Bolch (LA Times), Muhammad's the following list, but is not planning to decide anytime soon. He notes that UCLA will receive an official visit. 7/23/11 - Per Mike DeCourcy (Sporting News), UCLA is the "presumptive favorite," but Muhammad will narrow down his list after AAU season. 7/1/11 - Strong AAU and All-Star performances have vaulted Muhammad to the top of the Rivals and Scout recruiting boards. |
|
| Alex Poythress |
SF/PF | Northeast (Clarkville, TN) |
Scout: 5*/15th Rivals: 4*/38th ESPNU: 4*/17th |
Offered | 30% |
Tennessee Memphis Florida Missouri Georgia Kentucky Louisville |
7/17/11 - Per Jim Tirey (Nation of Blue), Poythress is definitely interested in UK and will likely take an official visit there. He's a unique fit for UK, who obviously will hold out for Muhammad at the 3; however, Poythress can flex to the 4 a la Terrence Jones. 7/16/11 - Poythress picked up an offer from UK after a strong performance at the Nike Peach Jam. |
*NEW* |
| Devonta Pollard |
SF | Kemper County (Porterville, MS) |
Scout: 4*/13th Rivals: 5*/6th ESPNU: 4*/23rd |
Offered | 15% |
Miss St Mississippi Alabama Missouri LSU Kentucky NC State |
7/17/11 - A strange incident occurred with Pollard was benched in an AAU game...by his mother. Let's just move on. 6/6/11 - Per Jeff Borzello (CBS Sports), Pollard has no clear-cut favorites and will take his time making a decision. 5/31/11 - Per Dave Telep (ESPN), Pollard has the following schools listed. UK, Mizzou and NC State are the latest to offer. |
*NEW* |
| TJ Warren |
SF | Brewster Academy (Wolfesboro, NH) |
Scout: 4*/39th Rivals: 4*/36th ESPNU: 4*/39th |
Offered |
10% |
Louisville Georgetown Florida NC State Kansas Texas Kentucky UNC |
7/10/11 - Warren had dropped UK from his final 6, but a surprise offer from UK (along with UNC) has reopened Warren's recruitment. |
*NEW* |
| Kyle Anderson |
SF/PG | St. Anthony (Jersey City) |
Scout: 5*/14th Rivals: 5*/4th ESPNU: 4*/10th |
Possibly Once Offered |
0% |
Seton Hall St. John's Georgia UCLA Florida |
6/10/11 - Per Rivals, Anderson has narrowed his list down to five finalists, with UK not a finalist. He reportedly had a UK offer at one point, but that may have been smoke. He'll drop off the next big board. |
|
| Winston Shepard |
SF | Findlay Prep (Henderson, NV) |
Scout: 4*/58th Rivals: 4*/44th ESPNU: 4*/64th |
Not Yet Offered (5%) |
N/A |
Texas OK State Kansas Memphis New Mexico SDSU UCLA UNLV UTEP Kentucky Missouri |
7/19/11 - Per Jeff Borzello (CBS Sports), Shepard is considering 11 schools (listed), but no favorites, with UK included. 7/8/11 - Per Jody Demling (Courier-Journal), UK is still pursuing Shepard but has not offered. An offer doesn't appear likely at this point. |
|
| Archie Goodwin |
SG | Sylvan Hills (Little Rock, AR) |
Scout: 5*/20th Rivals: 5*/11th ESPNU: 5*/8th |
Offered | 45% |
Arkansas Kentucky Memphis Baylor UConn Tennessee Missouri Louisville Georgetown |
7/14/11 - Per Jeff Borzello (CBS Sports), Goodwin has about "20 schools" and plans to narrow down his list by the end of summer. Arkansas and UK should still be considered the top two. 6/6/11 - In an interview with Next Level Connect at the Pangos AA Camp, Goodwin named his favorites (listed). |
|
| Ricardo Ledo |
SG | Notre Dame (Fitchberg, MA) |
Scout: 5*/9th Rivals: 5*/8th ESPNU: 5*/13th |
Offered | 25% |
Kentucky UConn Providence Texas Arizona Syracuse Florida |
7/8/11 - Per Jerry Tipton (Herald-Leader) and Steve Jones (Cats Illustrated), Ledo will definitely visit UK. He also named a few other schools (listed). 6/30/11 - Per Chris Fisher (Cats Pause), Ledo thinks UK would be a "good fit." |
|
| Gary Harris |
SG | Hamilton Southeastern (Fishers, IN) |
Scout: 5*/16th Rivals: 4*/28th ESPNU: 5*/16th |
Not Yet Offered (<1%) |
N/A |
Indiana Louisville Michigan St Notre Dame Pittsburgh |
6/17/11 - Per Jeff Borzello (CBS Sports), Harris is down to five favorites (listed). At this point, it's very doubtful UK offers. |
|
| D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera |
SG/PG | North Central (Indianapolis) |
Scout: 5*/25th Rivals: 5*/20th ESPNU: 4*/32nd |
Not Yet Offered (<1%) |
N/A |
Xavier Texas Tennessee UCLA Louisville Kansas Mich St Memphis Georgetown |
4/9/11 - Jim Tirey (Nation of Blue) interviewed Smith-Rivera's mother, who named a few schools (listed). She noted that Smith-Rivera liked UK but there's been little reciprocating interest. |
|
| Torian Graham |
SG | Word of God (Durham, NC) |
Scout: 4*/34th Rivals: 4*/27th ESPNU: 4*/24th |
Not Offered (0%) |
0% |
NC State | 5/16/11 - Graham committed to NC State on Mar 16 without receiving a Kentucky offer. He'll drop off the next big board. | |
| JP Tokoto |
SG/SF | Menomonee Falls (Menomonee Falls, WI) |
Scout: 4*/65th Rivals: 4*/55th ESPNU: 4*/37th |
Offered | 0% |
UNC |
3/4/11 - Tokoto committed to UNC over Wisconsin on Mar 4. |
|
| Omar Calhoun |
SG/PG | Christ the King (Brooklyn) |
Scout: 4*/41st Rivals: 4*/39th ESPNU: 4*/38th |
Not Offered (0%) |
0% |
UConn |
6/10/11 - Calhoun committed to UConn on June 10 after an unofficial visit without receiving a Kentucky offer. He'll drop off the next big board. |
|
| LJ Rose |
PG | Westbury Christian (Houston) |
Scout: 4*/60th Rivals: 4*/69th ESPNU: 4*/47th |
Offered | <1% |
UCLA Texas Georgetown Virginia Memphis Kansas Baylor |
7/13/11 - Per Mike DeCourcy (Sporting News) and Steve Jones (Rivals), Rose no longer lists UK as a favorite and has a top 2 of UCLA and Texas. |
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Note: Offer status is per Rivals where appropriate. Likelihood of offer and likelihood of commitment are estimates based on available information. Percentage statuses change as new information becomes available.
Scholarship Situation
As of today, Kentucky has two graduating seniors in Eloy Vargas and Darius Miller. Returnees in 2012 would include Jon Hood (senior), Stacey Poole (junior), Doron Lamb (junior), Terrence Jones (junior) and the 2011 class of Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Marquis Teague, Anthony Davis and Kyle Wiltjer. Jones, Lamb, Kidd-Gilchrist, Teague and Davis are strong early entrant candidates. Kentucky will also add NC State transfer Ryan Harrow, who is eligible starting in 2012 (redshirt sophomore), and return two preferred walk-ons, Jarrod Polson (junior) and Twany Beckham (senior).
Based on the above, Kentucky could have as many as 10 scholarships open, or as few as 4. Expect it to be closer to the former rather than the latter. This is admittedly a projection far into the future, and Kentucky's needs can and will change accordingly.
Remaining Targets - Bigs (Needs: 2-4)
Calipari will likely be looking for at least one stud each for the 4 and 5 spots.
At the 5, it looks like DaJuan Coleman or bust for Kentucky at this point. Coleman is rumored to be down to two teams, but the second is hometown (and current favorite) Syracuse. He will likely take an official visit to Kentucky in September; expect a full court press from the Cats. Andre Drummond and Kaleb Tarczewski are unlikely options this point (neither has an offer), and Willie Cauley hasn't heard from UK in a while. If Coleman doesn't choose Kentucky, Calipari will likely look to a PF/C hybrid, much like Anthony Davis this year.
At the 4, your guess is as good as mine. Kentucky has four definitive offers out. Perry Ellis and Brandon Ashley are the holdovers, and two new offers have gone out to "hot" names Mitch McGary and Anthony Bennett. The past consensus thought was that Kentucky was falling out of the Ellis race and would turn on the burners for Ashley. Now, the converse is true. Calipari and company have made Ellis a top priority during the July recruiting period; Ashley, not so much.
McGary and Bennett should also be considered top targets. Both have received a ton of interest in recent weeks as their recruiting rankings have skyrocketed and do not appear to be trimming down their list. However, they are both prospects that Kentucky is willing to wait on.
There have been conflicting reports as to whether Robert Carter has an offer, but assuming he does, he's in strong contention to be the first commit for the 2012 class. A sixth name to keep in mind is Jarnell Stokes, who doesn't officially have a Kentucky offer but has (or perhaps had) the 'Cats on his short list.
Because frontcourt depth will be precariously thin going into the 2012 season (at this point, only Kyle Wiltjer should be considered a likely returnee), some lesser-known names may start appearing as the recruiting season continues as Kentucky tries to balance top-tier talent with four-year depth.
Remaining Targets - Wings (Needs: 1-2)
Shabazz Muhammad remains the hot commodity for the class of 2012. He parlayed a strong summer into the number one ranking on the Rivals and Scout recruiting boards, and the only reason he's not number one on ESPNU is because they haven't updated the board as recently. He's still heavily tied to UCLA, but there's no reason to think Kentucky won't be fighting for him until the very end.
Behind Muhammad are two new prospects that hold Kentucky offers, Alex Poythress and Devonta Pollard. Both are "SEC kids," Poythress from Tennessee and Pollard from Mississippi. It's a tad surprising that Calipari offered both, which may provide some intuition about Kentucky's chances with the more highly regarded Muhammad.
Even more surprising is that Calipari offered TJ Warren, who played at Word of God before announcing his intentions to transfer to Brewster Academy for the upcoming school year. Calipari is familiar with both schools: Word of God is John Wall's alma mater, and Brewster Academy is where fellow prospect Mitch McGary is playing. Warren had previously dropped Kentucky from his list, only to reopen his recruitment after receiving a Wildcats offer.
The fifth name to be aware of is still a holdover, Muhammad's AAU teammate Winston Shepard. He's still keeping Kentucky on his list, although the 'Cats haven't offered. Another name, Kyle Anderson, left Kentucky off his final list. Both sides have moved on there.
Right now, Big Blue Nation should feel good about Kentucky's chances with Muhammad. The longer he doesn't commit to UCLA, the bigger a win it is for UK. But with Darius Miller leaving and Michael Gilchrist possibly following suit, Calipari knows he needs players at the 3. Don't be surprised if Kentucky pursues two wings in the end, with or without Muhammad in the fold.
Remaining Targets - Guards (Needs: 1-3)
Archie Goodwin is a name that has been longed linked to Kentucky. While UK is still a favorite for him, Goodwin has maintained he still hasn't made a short list, nor is he inclined to decide anytime soon. That may explain UK''s recent rise in interest for Ricardo Ledo, a Goodwin clone that is big and can score at will. It's unlikely that Kentucky will take both (or that either would want to play together), so this could be a "first-come, first-serve" offer.
With Stacey Poole and Jon Hood likely to return in 2012, a smaller 2 guard isn't high on the priority list. That's good, because Kentucky has seen interest wane from its potential options there. Two players that had Kentucky interest but no offer, Torian Graham and Omar Calhoun, committed to NC State and UConn, respectively. Two more, Gary Harris and D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera, haven't been hearing from Kentucky and have moved on as well. So if Calipari wants to go fishing, it'll have to be for some new names.
One position where Kentucky appears done is point guard. Calipari seems satisfied with the transfer of Ryan Harrow, a former 5* recruit from NC State. Kentucky will also have Twany Beckham on hand as a backup. The only offer out at the 1 was to LJ Rose, and both parties backed off after the Harrow news due to mutual disinterest.
Outlook
What's the best case scenario? DaJuan Coleman at the 5, Shabazz Muhammad at the 3, and either Archie Goodwin or Ricardo Ledo at the 2. The 4 is the most wide-open. There doesn't appear to be a clear-cut favorite, although of the names listed, it appears Kentucky likes Perry Ellis the most. Not to get greedy, but one more super-prospect, preferably a combo position player like Anthony Bennett, would be the cherry on top.
Here's the deal, though. It's quite possible that none of these prospects will be committing anytime soon, and if they do, they probably won't be donning a UK hat. In a way, blame the NBA lockout. Top players are concerned that any new Collective Bargaining Agreement will stipulate that players have to be two years out of high school before they are eligible for the NBA Draft. Who gets hurt the most by that rule? Schools like Kentucky, which have multiple freshmen that could be NBA-ready come April 2012.
Not that Kentucky fans would complain if they got to experience Year 2 of Anthony Davis, Michael Gilchrist and Marquis Teague. Still, expect some recruits to hold on until the late signing period before decisions are final. Don't worry, folks: it's a market Calipari is intimately familiar with. In the interim, the Kentucky coaching staff is continuing to plant seeds and give clear signals to the prospects they like the best.
Follow my Twitter feed (@JC_at_M2M) for the latest updates and keep an eye out for the next big board update.
Other Recruiting Big Boards
2012 | Version 1 (4/21/11)
2013/14 | Version 1 (5/25/11)
2011 | Version 2 (4/25/11) | Version 1 (4/15/11)