Don't believe Whitney is a possibility either, nothing to substantiate this...Brown is a much bigger fish imo than even Whitney. Establishing and taking 2 TOP guys from Oak Hill (who year in and year out) producing 4-5* multiple position players almost yearly, is akin to if not a bigger deal than trying to land the top 1-2 guys from "just" Chicago every year.
I would even be okay with getting these 2 and following it up with the guard Cam Thomas (iirc), the following year with Adam Miller? Oak Hill pipeline can be more productive long term than the Chicago wannabe pipeline that is seemingly never paying off.
I have to believe that BU and OA specifically targeted this focus on recruiting, it just seemed to take some time to get legs. Getting a caliber of Oak Hill to produce and more importantly SEND players to Illinois annually will have huge dividends, and might even force some Chicago guys into a different mindset once we are winning again. I have to say I like where the staff is seemingly going here with our recruiting.
“My family and I have truly found the best option for me to continue my development — not only as a student and a basketball player — but also as a man. With that said, I am thrilled to announce that I am committed to the University of Kentucky.” Kahlil Whitney
I think we should focus on other options...
I'll make sure to send an email to the Illinois staff and let them know.Whitney is not coming! Jeez. Christian Brown is our guy.
KW everyday of the week and twice on Sunday, dont be naiveIf you could only have 1.....Kahlil Whitney or Christian Brown? I honestly can't answer that question.
Winning will change a lot of perceptions about Illinois basketball. Winning big, more so. If they build it, we'll be a legit option for a lot of highly rated kids, regardless of where they're from. Our crew has the recruiting chops to git it done. Last thought: gotta be careful about characterizing recruiting success as pipelines, be they from Oak Hill, Oak Ridge, Canadian, Chi-town, etc.
Still feel like Whitney is a pipe dream.
There are things going on behind the scenes at UK that has him hesitant to sign. While it might still be a dream if a couple domino's fall it might become a reality.
Whitney is not coming! Jeez. Christian Brown is our guy.
This! Because if the JT debacle has taught us anything it's that were not allowed to have our cake and eat it too!
straight up I agree...I think a twisted argument can be made that CB plays more years than KW & may be better total value, but I think there are a few too many assumptions in that argument for my sake.KW everyday of the week and twice on Sunday, dont be naive
Christian Brown used to be ranked much higher but had some injury problems and dropped off. He's back to full health. His ceiling is top 25 in his class. Would be our biggest get to date under Underwood.
Should be noted that this isn't a knock on Brown at all.KW everyday of the week and twice on Sunday, dont be naive
This is my take on KW as well as UK recruiting in general. Cal goes after the studs, the one-and-dones, the top 10 guys.
But he also goes hard after the 15-30 range as well, knowing that they will most likely be at UK multiple years and can use their experience and leadership to help the young guys along at times. Plus, they will probably commit faster.
However, the issue is that he pushes for a commitment from the lower ranked guys (15-30) to make sure he HAS a guy to fill that spot. A bird in the hand is worth 2 in the bush sort of thing.
Then, regardless of whether Cal was upfront to that 15-30 level recruit about it, Cal continues going after that top 5/10 one and done.
Basketball recruiting is so unpredictable that even the allure of playing at UK might not work and Cal now has his backup 15-30 player still in the fold if a top 5 recruitment goes south.
Where KW comes in is that he is a top 20 guy probably being sold on being a one and done. Maybe Cal is still heavily recruiting another guy at KW’s position and to guard against being locked in to anything, he didn’t sign and now has the flexibility to get out if Cal gets his top 5 guy.
It’s a win/win for UK as they either get a top 5 guy or they get a top 20 guy and Cal will tell KW that he never really wanted the top 5 guy and that KW would have been starting anyway.
That’s my take on it and it’s why there are still “rumors” KW might not be totally sold on UK. The chances of it going our way are probably pretty slim though.
If we get an official with Brown I imagine some crystal balls will trend our way and NC State will inevitably say “he gawn”. We’ve been down this path.
The problem is that Whitney is not just a top 20 guy who is being sold on being one and done. He is the 8th ranked recruit, and probably is a one and done.
The problem is that Whitney is not just a top 20 guy who is being sold on being one and done. He is the 8th ranked recruit, and probably is a one and done.
Grant Sherfield, former UCLA commit and Sunrise Academy player, has received his full commitment release from UCLA. One of the teams that has contacted him is Illinois. 6'4" wing
Talk about a guy whose rank has fluctuated substantially. He was Top 20, then in like the back up near the top, and now 129? Yikes.
FWIW....not sure he is a one and done at UK?
Kentucky is loaded at the wings for next year with or without Whitney. If for some weird reason Keldon Johnson stays in school, it could get interesting. Is Whitney really going to wait that long to sign though?