John Calipari, TyTy Washington react to big addition for Kentucky

Well, that was fast.

Just minutes after TyTy Washington became a Kentucky Wildcat, the school announced the signing of the five-star guard. ESPN’s 12th-ranked prospect is now Kentucky’s top-ranked recruit in said service.

“I’m excited for the opportunity to come to Kentucky and chase my dreams,” Washington said in his announcement. “Coach Cal told me if you come to Kentucky, you bet on yourself, and I’ve always done that.”

Kentucky has finally secured a point guard for next season. Davion Mintz appears likely to go pro, Devin Askew transferred to Texas, and Nolan Hickman just backed out of his commitment last week.

With Washington in the fold, John Calipari, sporting a specialty in molding lead guards, now has the young floor general he hopes to develop into a future NBA Draft lottery pick.

“Players who thrive in our culture are players who are physically tough, who have a mental toughness to them, who want the challenge and are not looking for guarantees, and who want to see how good they can be in a really competitive environment,” Calipari said in a press release. “All of that describes TyTy Washington. He wanted this. He wanted the challenge. He is a combination guard who can play both point and off guard. He is a downhill runner who physically gets to the rim. His physical attributes and his mental approach leads me to believe he will be a terrific defender too. I am ecstatic for him to join Bryce Hopkins and Daimion Collins, two other young and talented players, in our freshman class.”

Kentucky’s 2021-22 backcourt is finally starting to round into form now that Washington is in the fold, and recent buzz suggests Sahvir Wheeler is a prime candidate to be its next addition.

And be sure to go follow our Twitter page and ‘like’ our Facebook page to get all of the latest Kentucky Wildcats news, views and other fun stuff.