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Last week, 2014 shooting guard James Blackmon, Jr. from Fort Wayne (IN) Bishop Luers decommitted from the Indiana Hoosiers. Blackmon had committed to the Hoosiers during his freshman year. Almost immediately, speculation ramped up that the Kentucky Wildcats would become the favorite to land Blackmon, ranked 38th in the nation according to the 247 Composite rankings.
According to multiple sources, Kentucky head coach John Calipari wasted little time extending a scholarship offer to the sharp-shooting guard. The Wildcats have a trump card in Blackmon's recruitment. Blackmon's father, James Blackmon, Sr., played at Kentucky from 1983 to 1987. He is currently the head coach at Bishop Luers High School.
In an interview with the Herald-Leader's Ben Roberts, Blackmon, Sr. noted that his son would still consider Indiana. He also mentioned that his son's decision had nothing to do with another notable decommit, power forward Trey Lyles. Blackmon and Lyles are AAU teammates on Indy Spiece, and both players committed to Indiana early in their careers. Lyles withdrew his commitment almost a year ago, and Kentucky now stands as one of his finalists.
As for Blackmon, he is now one of three shooting guards that holds a UK offer in the 2014 class. Kentucky has also offered Rashad Vaughn and Devin Booker, two highly touted prospects with different skillsets. Blackmon profiles closer to Booker in that he is a dead-eye shooter, though at just 6' 2", Blackmon lacks the prototypical NBA size for a 2-guard. That shouldn't be a problem in college, as smaller off-guards like Eric Bledsoe, Doron Lamb and Julius Mays have thrived in Calipari's offense.
After his decommitment, Blackmon now holds a slew of offers, including teams like the Florida Gators, Michigan St. Spartans, Memphis Tigers, and others. Blackmon doesn't have a timetable for visits or a commitment, but expect him to narrow down his list soon. A commitment to Kentucky may not be immediately forthcoming, but the Wildcats should be considered a heavy favorite.