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Hey, Coach Calipari. Guess what? You are not the only UK basketball coach who can bring in the McDonald's All-Americans. Matthew Mitchell just nabbed two himself.
Linnae Harper and Mikayla Epps (daughter of the NCAA Championship winning UK guard Anthony Epps) had already committed to UK earlier this year. So, when yesterday's announcements rolled in concerning this year's McDonald's All Americans, it was truly a delight to see that both these young women have been named to the team.
Kentucky already had 5 All-Americans on the roster, and with none of them leaving this season when it ends, that will put 7 on the opening day roster for Kentucky, another first for the program. Should UK be able to climb farther up the ladder of success this season, that bodes well for UK and badly for the rest of the SEC as they are now having to play catch up to Kentucky.
Harper is a 5'6" guard out of Whitney Young H.S. in Illinois, and Epps comes out of our own Marion county and stands 5'8". They are Mitchell's prototypical players. Fast, agile, and can shoot from the 3. They will help offset the big hole in the offense and defense when A'Dia Mathies is no longer wearing blue and white after graduation. Mathies and Brittany Henderson are UK's only seniors, and Mitchell is already looking at post players and power forwards to fill the hole.
With the addition of Harper and Epps, you can expect UK to garner a Top 10 preseason ranking.
McDonald's for everyone!!!