UK announces addition of Tyrese Maxey

UPDATE

The school has announced the addition of Tyrese Maxey, who is now officially a member of the Kentucky Wildcats family.

“Tyrese has unbelievable competitive spirit,” head coach John Calipari said in a press release. “I love Tyrese’s basketball savvy. He has an elite ability to score the ball, yet he creates shots for his teammates, he defends and he rebounds. In all the time I’ve watched him play, rarely does he make the wrong play. He may not make every shot, but he almost always make the right play. You can tell that he’s a coach’s son. Physically he is going to be able compete with the best in the country.”

In the Class of 2019, Maxey is ranked No. 7 overall by ESPN, No. 9 by Rivals and No. 10 by 247 Sports.

“Growing up watching Coach Cal-led teams, all the way back to Memphis, he always lets his guards play,” Maxey said. “He has a track record of developing guards and helping them reach their potential. I want to be coached and I know Coach Cal will push me and hold me accountable. I’m happy to be a part of this great tradition.”

Maxey was named to the 2018 USA Today All-Texas First Team, the 2018 Texas Association of Basketball Coaches All-State First Team and was crowned the 2018 Dallas Morning News Sports Day Player of the Year. He’s also a two-time TABC All-Region pick and made the 2018 University Interscholastic League State All-Tournament Team.

Every one of John Calipari’s recruiting classes at Kentucky has had a signature point guard. He may not always be the best player in the class, but it is always a guy that Kentucky fans know will be driving the ship.

In 2019, that guy is Tyrese Maxey.

He made it official on Wednesday, kicking off the NCAA basketball fall signing period by submitting his paperwork to play for the Kentucky Wildcats.

Maxey is the No. 10 overall player and the No. 2 combo guard in the 2019 class, according to the 247 Sports composite rankings. He is also the top rated player in the state of Texas.

He announced his decision to attend the University of Kentucky back on May 9th, and immediately began working other recruits to steer them to Lexington. Kentucky fans everywhere were a huge fan of Maxey’s announcement video.

Maxey’s label as a combo guard is an accurate one. He plays best with the ball in his hands and often handles the point guard responsibilities, but he is also a dynamic scorer that can make things happen off the ball.

He has largely been described as a “dog,” with a similar defensive intensity to Ashton Hagans and a fearless approach to attack the rim.

There is a lot to learn about this season’s point guard situation and recruiting for next year, so it is impossible to say how Maxey may fit in with next year’s roster. But based on what we have seen, he is sure to be a fan favorite.

Check out some recent highlights to get excited for his arrival in Lexington.

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