Isaiah Todd sets final 5; transferring to John Wall’s alma mater

One of the Kentucky Wildcats’ top targets in the 2020 basketball recruiting class is transferring to Word of God Christian Academy in Raleigh, North Carolina — the former stomping grounds of former Cat John Wall.

Isaiah Todd is five-star power forward out of Raleigh, North Carolina. He’s long been viewed as a Kentucky lean, despite the fact that he’s in the North Carolina Tar Heels’ backyard.

In an interview with Jason Jordan of USA Today, Todd said that he decided to make the move because of his past relationship with newly-hired head coach Byron Williams.

Todd also just announced his final five, which includes Kentucky and North Carolina among others in a Thanos-themed announcement:

While changing schools may not have a huge effect on his recruitment, it’s interesting news, nonetheless. A mesmerizing high school basketball recruit and top Kentucky target playing at John Wall’s former high school is certainly not insignificant.

Last season, Todd averaged 28 points and 15 rebounds a game for his now former high school, Trinity Academy. He was subsequently named ALL-USA Player of the Year in North Carolina.

This summer, Todd continued to show that his junior season was no fluke, putting up 18.3 points and 8.4 rebounds a game on the Nike EYBL Circuit.

This high level of play has led to offers from UNC, as well as the Maryland Terrapins, Kansas Jayhawks, and Michigan Wolverines, among others. That list also includes the Cats, of course.

One interesting tidbit that Todd threw in his interview was his desire to take on the newly-formed superteam out in Chatsworth, California. That would be Sierra Canyon High School — home of current UK commit BJ Boston, as well as five-star forward Ziaire Williams, LeBron James’ son Bronny James, and Dwyane Wade’s son Zaire Wade.

“We want them,” Todd said of Sierra Canyon. “I’m just a competitor so I want to get better in everything that I do. That’s how I’ll approach things there at Word of God. It’s gonna be a fun year.”

That sounds like the perfect mentality for a future Cat. However, Todd’s recruitment has been quiet of late. This is the first time we’ve really heard much of anything from the 6-10, 195-pound forward.

While the Cats currently hold the lead in his Crystal Ball with six of the 12 predictions, none of the teams mentioned above can be ruled out. And I think that’s especially true for the home-state Tar Heels.

However, it might all be for not. There are rumors swirling around recruiting circles that Todd might actually opt to play overseas in Australia instead of playing college basketball. They’re only rumors, for now, but it’s certainly something to keep an eye on. And it could be a reason the talk with the five-star prospect has been so quiet of late.

Regardless, Todd is maybe my favorite player in this class. He’s ranked No. 14 overall by the 247Sports Composite Rankings, but I believe he should be much higher than that. At 6-10, he can post up, rebound, shoot, and dribble the ball up the court.

He’s one of the best and most entertaining players in this class. And hopefully, he ends up in Lexington.

But for now, just enjoy these highlights.