UK Basketball Recruiting Updates on Ashton Hagans, Tyrese Maxey and Vernon Carey

Most fans are waiting on the edge of their seats to hear the news on which current Kentucky Wildcats will be coming back for another season, but Coach Cal’s staff is also already working for the future.

The coaching staff has not been able to talk with recruits over this recent dead period, but talks have resumed today, and John Calipari has been on the move.

One of the first recruits Cal met with is Tyrese Maxey, according to Rivals reporter Corey Evans.

Maxey is ranked as the second-best point guard by 247 Sports Composite in addition to being the No. 13 overall player. He currently holds offers from Kentucky, Michigan State, SMU, Arizona State, Baylor, Florida State, Texas, UCLA and LSU among others.

The 247 Crystal Ball currently favors SMU, largely because they hired Tyrese’s father, Tyrone Maxey, but Kentucky has picked up three straight predictions.

Another name to keep an eye out for this weekend is DJ Jeffries. The five-star forward out of Memphis and the only commit Kentucky has from the class of 2019. He also just so happens to be the teammate of the No. 1 recruit for 2019, James Wiseman.

Coach Cal and assistant coach Tony Barbee are expected to be out in Memphis this weekend to see Jeffries, according to Ben Roberts of the Lexington Herald-Leader. With Wiseman and Jeffries both living in Memphis, so expect both coaches to pay the top recruit a visit Saturday.

Another recruit on the Wildcats trail is five-star big man Vernon Carey Jr. Carey is seen by many to be the top recruit in his class. He is ranked No. 1 at his position and No. 2 overall in ESPN’s top 100 for 2019 right behind James Wiseman, but according to 247 Sports, Carey has been seen as a heavy favorite to land at either Duke, Miami or Michigan State.

According to Roberts, Kentucky has cooled off on the big man recently, which suggests they feel pretty good about Wiseman and/or other targets. That may include five-star big man Matthew Hurt, whom Kentucky is visiting this weekend.

While UK would like to sign all of the above-mentioned players, the most likely 2019 recruit they’ll land is five-star point guard Ashton Hagans. Zagsblog reporter Adam Zagoria tweeted the following about Kentucky being in great shape with Hagans:

Then, Andrew Slater, arguably the best recruiting reporter in the game, tweeted out he following to make it appear it’s all but done that Hagans is on the Kentucky roster next season:

Come on down!