Update on Kentucky’s pursuit of Frank Anselem

The Kentucky Wildcats are working hard to find a center for their 2020-21 roster and may just have an answer in four-star Center Frank Anselem.

After John Calipari and company failed to land 7’3 Purdue transfer Matt Haarms, the Cats shifted their attention towards the Georgia native.

Anselm’s Georgia Stars Nike league program coach Julius Smith told Ben Roberts of the Lexington Herald-Leader “We were told two days ago that they weren’t going to get Haarms — that he was going to go to BYU — so I think that’s when Frank started to take Kentucky seriously.”

“They watched film of him all weekend as a staff, and they liked him a lot,” Smith said. “They like the things that he can do, in terms of next year’s roster and how he can help. They think he’s a pro, like the other schools recruiting him.”

Smith added Anselem might not be a typical Kentucky target stating he may need more than just one year in college. “Frank probably needs two years, maybe three, in college, Smith said. “He’s a great kid. Incredibly athletic. Really advanced defensively. More raw offensively.”

Anselem moved to the United States from Nigeria in 2016 and has played basketball for just five years. He was originally a member of the 2021 class but loaded up on NCAA core courses to reclassify for 2021.

247sports rated him as the 85th ranked prospect in the nation for 2020 and the 20th ranked Center.

The LSU Tigers had widely been considered the favorites for the Center but after announcing his recruitment was open “The phone’s been ringing non-stop,” said Smith.

He currently holds offers from Maryland, Georgia, Alabama, LSU, Auburn, Kansas, Arizona and several other Power Five programs.

While the Cats were late to the game in his recruitment process, it’s safe to say they still have a chance to land the four-star prospect with their being no clear frontrunner.