Thursday, October 11th, 2012 at 6:01 pm  |  16 responses

Five-Star Recruit James Young Chooses Kentucky

As if last week’s commitments from the Harrison twins weren’t of enough joy for Wildcat fans, Kentucky got another pledge from a highly-touted recruit this afternoon. James Young, a 6-6 wing ranked among the top 10 in the nation, announced today that he will be heading to Lexington next fall. With many rumors swirling that Julius Randle and Andrew Wiggins could possibly also be joining the Blue Nation, there are talks already of Kentucky’s upcoming recruiting class being their greatest ever. Dynasty? From CBS Sports: “Another week, another top-10 prospect makes his college decision on national television – and yet another elite player chooses Kentucky. One week after John Calipari’s Wildcats landed top-five twins Andrew and Aaron Harrison, small forward James Young made his announcement. To no one’s surprise, the No. 7-ranked prospect in the class of 2013 picked Kentucky. “I will be headed to the University of Kentucky,” Young said, pulling out a Kentucky shirt. Young, a 6-foot-6 scoring swingman from Rochester (Mich.), also had Michigan State, Syracuse and Kansas in his final four. However, Kentucky had been the heavy favorite in Young’s recruitment since the Wildcats made a serious move on him in the spring. “I love their offensive system,” Young told CBSSports.com over the summer. “[John] Calipari is a good coach. I like the way they play offense and defense; they get up and down the floor. It’s a good educational school, too.” It really was only a matter of time before Young made it official. “I watched them growing up,” Young said at the time. “They like to win, and that’s something I like to do. I just always liked Kentucky.”

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  • Eiger

    Yikes! they are stacked

  • Darkside

    I hate to be the skeptic but I’m beginning to wonder if coach Cal has a ace up his sleeve. he for sure keeps a poker face, it makes you think is he doing something wrong how he continues to get top recruits, sooner or later NCAA is going to be asking the same question if not doing so now. then on the other hand does any D1 baller value a FREE! education? Yes I understand the league money looks good, Yes I understand they want to take care of their fam, BUT my goodess one would think your fam would want one to get an education. Truth be keep many of them don’t go back and get their degrees. It only takes one bad injury and that hoop life is done.
    Coach Cal must have some magic elixir he puts it the water on unofficial / official visits. He for sure has made use of the one and done rule ” by the way I HATE it “

  • theDankerNuggets

    At this point the ace up his sleeve is nothing but his track record, none of the highly ranked recruits hes gotten at Kentucky have flopped, hes gotten them all right into the NBA

  • Big D

    Just like at UMass and Memphis? Some unique aces up his sleeves there.

  • Kentucky fan

    We sure are loving it in the commonwealth though! Go cats! And god bless the bluegrass!

  • Yknot

    Start them all and make the fab five 2.0?

    Randall = Webber
    Wiggins = Howard
    Young = King
    Harrison = Jackson
    Harrison = Rose

  • Yknot

    “Randle”

  • Wheatgerm

    Don’t be coy, you big tease. Tell us what Calipari did wrong at UMass or Memphis. And be specific.
    This kind of remark is the hater’s last resort. And it’s lazy. Those of us who actually know what happened at UMass and Memphis understand that the punishments were for player conduct, not for anything the coach did. He was a victim, together with the rest of the team and the schools, of poor choices by a couple of kids.

  • Wheatgerm

    Cal doesn’t like one and done either, Darkside. He’d rather kids go straight to the NBA or stay 2-3 years in college, similar to the baseball model.
    The injury bugaboo is overplayed. Torn ACLs (Derek Anderson, Robbie Hummel), broken ankles (Kenyon Martin) and broken shins (Sam Bowie) don’t keep players from being drafted, not top players certainly. You will recover from a ruptured Achilles tendon in six months post-op. It’s hard to imagine what injury would make you give up the sport.
    Moreover, college players can now insure against the risk that injury might affect their future earnings. Why would any insurer offer such a policy? Because actuaries understand how small the risk is.
    I’m with you on the education point. Apart from getting a degree, you’re never going to be young again and have that same college experience. That’s a part of life you’ll never get back. Cal says some of his NBA players have told him they wish they had stayed in school longer.

  • salmonriver

    Yeha, the ace is winning dumbuck. winning and sending guys to the league. Not one other coach has done what he has done..taken a team of FR and SOPH and won and NC. Not K, not ROy, self none of them. Why is it so hard to see?

  • Dutch Rich

    I beg to differ. Cuse 02-03 roster had 1 senior in the starting line-up. 2 FR and 2 SOPH. One more senior and 1 junior on the team.
    Total of 3 SOPH and 4 FR.

  • LeroyShonuff

    You can’t use winning or national exposure. If that was true, then Florida would of dominated in the mid 2000′s in recruiting, that didn’t happen. Truth is, UK is hot, and people, especially young kids flock to what’s hot. Look around and ask how many 25′s, 26′s are running around screaming G-Unit like that did in high school? Ebb’s and flows happens. North Carolina, Duke, Ucla (with the right coach) KU, Mich St and etc are hardly struggling for players. Remember, UK and Carolina had the same number of first round picks this year. I just don’t think the UK model is sustainable over the long haul.

  • theDankerNuggets

    yeah i’m not gonna deny he’s had some suspicious incidents in his past, but clearly at this point if he’s talking to a five-star recruit all he’s got to say is “do you wana play in NBA kid?”

  • http://www.facebook.com/chris.callihan1 Chris Callihan

    What he said lol. You are exactly right. Remember Derrick Rose had an offer from Indiana, Duke, and Illinois as well. AND was cleared by the NCAA clearinghouse…aka playing by the rules. Not saying he’s a saint, but has had some unfortunate circumstances. And tell me exactly what aces you are referring to, Big D. Is it caring about his players, being a players’ first coach, winning, putting guys in the L and helping them succeed? All of his former players love him, they’ve all made trips Lexington during the off-season. Basically, don’t hate the player, hate the game. And don’t call Coach Cal a cheater then leave out every other coach in college basketball.

  • KipSmithers

    Yippy Skippy!!!(Sorry, lost it for moment there.)

  • calipari hater

    And why did umass and Memphis suffer for it cal is the most hated coach in America

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