Kentucky Basketball Recruiting: E.J. Montgomery now an option?

In the wake of the news that Zion Williamson was committing to Duke, many people (including myself) have wondered where the Kentucky Wildcats may turn next in the class, as it seems Calipari would like to add at least 1-2 more pieces before calling the class finished.

Well, according to Jeff Borzello, the Wildcats may be looking at forward E.J. Montgomery, one of the faster rising prospects in the 2018 class.

Montgomery has visited Vanderbilt and Clemson recently, but Borzello seems to think that Duke and Kentucky may once again go head-to-head to land Montgomery for next year, although neither have officially offered him yet.

Borzello predicts him to land at either Duke or Kentucky with 20 percent confidence. Others involved include Wake Forest, South Carolina, USC, Georgetown, Memphis, Vanderbilt, Clemson, Arkansas.

In a sepresta article, Borzello spoke with Ben Roberts of the Lexington Herald-Leader about Kentucky’s newfound interest in Montgomery.

“Talking to people close to the recruitment, it seems like they’ve come on stronger in the past couple of weeks,” said Borzello, who added it’s no secret that Kentucky wants to add another big man for next season.

Montgomery decommitted from Auburn in the wake of the FBI scandal after committing to the Tigers in Sept. 2016 , and since then, has got off to a hot start in his senior season and was recently named a McDonald’s All-American.

For those concerned about Montgomery being committed to Auburn due to the scandal, he is being recruited by a whole host of schools, which would seem to indicate that most of the programs do not have any concerns about potential eligibility concerns.

247 Recruiting analyst Brian Snow had this to say about Montgomery when their latest rankings came out, in which Montgomery jumped to #6 overall.

Montgomery is now the No. 6 player in the class, and as a potential stretch power forward who can also rebound and hold his own on the inside, he is loaded with talent and versatility.

With a motor that is running, defenders have struggled to find any way to defend Montgomery so far as a senior. He is putting up monster numbers for Wheeler High School so far this year, and has opened major eyes with his play.

Montgomery would be a solid addition to the class if Kentucky were to offer him. His size at 6’10” and ability to play as a stretch four with a solid outside shot make him an appealing addition to Kentucky’s 2018 class.

It will be interesting if it becomes another Kentucky vs Duke showdown for Montgomery.