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Texas assistant Jai Lucas has not yet been officially added to Kentucky’s coaching staff, but he may already be making an impact.
According to Recruits Zone, Kentucky has reached out to Class of 2021 center Daimion Collins, one of the top recruits in Texas where Lucas has had a major recruiting impact for the Longhorns.
2021 5 PF/C Daimion Collins tells me that Arizona State and Kentucky have reached out to him recently (@CollinsDaimion ).
— Recruits Zone (@recruitszone) August 22, 2020
With news that Kentucky could add Lucas to John Calipari’s staff, more recruiting options from the Lone Star State may emerge soon. One of the most obvious examples is Collins, who is ranked 20th nationally by Rivals, and his lead recruiter has been Lucas.
The versatile big man from Atlanta (TX) holds offers from the Longhorns, Kansas Jayhawks, Oklahoma Sooners, Georgia Bulldogs, Arkansas Razorbacks and USC Trojans among others.
247 Sports scouting director Jerry Meyer offered up this scouting report of Collins while comparing him to Nuggets forward Jerami Grant:
Quite thin but has long arms and is quick off the floor as an explosive leaper. Highly mobile with good hands. Finishes with strength around rim and can score facing. Has potential to greatly improve as a face up player. Defensively, is a high level shot blocker who can also move his feet on perimeter. Can also rebound outside his area. Raw offensively in general but has great potential.
Meyer also projects Collins has a future first-round NBA Draft pick.
With Kentucky missing out on Paolo Banchero, it’s time for Calipari to cast a wider net with frontcourt recruits, and Collins is one of the best in 2021.
For now, Texas has the majority of predictions in the 247 Sports Crystal Ball. Texas and Oklahoma are currently tied in the Rivals FutureCast picks, but the Longhorns have the most recent prediction from recruiting expert Eric Bossi.
Will Kentucky jumping in the mix change the outlook of this recruitment? I’d venture to guess we’ll know soon if Lucas accepts Kentucky’s offer to join Calipari’s staff.
Check out some highlights of the newest Kentucky recruiting target in action.
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