:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/66651030/1131762916.jpg.0.jpg)
One of the top high school recruits is spurning college to head overseas.
On Tuesday, five-star forward Isaiah Todd told Sports Illustrated he would be decommitting from Michigan and hire an agent to begin his pro career overseas.
“My dream has always been to play in the NBA,” Todd told SI. “I just feel like this route will help my game grow even more. I want to be as prepared as possible when the times comes. This was a no-brainer for me.”
A 6-10 forward out of Word of God Academy (NC) — the alma mater of John Wall — Todd is ranked 13th overall by 247 Sports Composite in addition to being the second-ranked power forward and top recruit from North Carolina.
There was once a time when Todd not only looked like a future Kentucky commitment, but there was even talk he could reclassify and join the 2019-20 roster. However, Todd and his family ultimately decided against reclassing, and Kentucky eventually stopped recruiting him.
That’s because the rumors of Todd eventually going overseas began surfacing, so John Calipari decided it was too risky to keep recruiting him and risk being left empty-handed like Michigan is for next season. Todd ultimately committed to the Wolverines in October of 2019.
At one point, I believe Isaiah Todd was John Calipari's favorite big man target in the class of 2020. Pushed for a reclassification last spring.
— Jack Pilgrim (@JackPilgrimKSR) April 14, 2020
For UK to completely fade was telling, went hand-in-hand with overseas rumblings after Peach Jam. Today's news is not a surprise.
Michigan, who Kentucky is tentatively scheduled to play in London next season, has had a brutal 24 hours after five-star recruit Joshua Christopher, another former UK recruit that Calipari stopped recruiting, committed to Arizona State.
As much concern as there is with how next year’s roster will shape out, at least Kentucky isn’t having the luck Michigan is having right now.