Some of the best Kentucky basketball teams in recent memory featured a dynamic scoring duo on the wings.
Ron Mercer and Derek Anderson.
Keith Bogans and Tayshaun Prince.
Doron Lamb and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist.
The buzz leading up to the season suggests the Wildcats may have another exciting tandem to unleash on opponents in 2020-21 with the arrival of five-star freshmen Brandon (B.J.) Boston and Terrence Clarke.
Longtime friends on the AAU and camp circuit, Boston and Clarke chose to join forces as part of John Calipari's latest No. 1 recruiting class at Kentucky.
Boston, a 6-foot-7 Georgia native., averaged 19.7 points per game as a senior at Sierra Canyon in California en route to Golden State Male Athlete of the Year and McDonald's All-American honors. Meanwhile, Clarke, a 6-7 native of Boston, averaged 16.2 points per game at Brewster Academy in New Hampshire to earn McDonald's All-American status.
They spent the summer training in southern California with fellow UK signee Devin Askew before arriving in Lexington.
Clarke said he always put a lot of time into his game at home "but in LA we worked even harder. I feel like we worked out about four or five times a day, so I knew the situation would be great. I stayed with BJ for the time being. I stayed there for about a month, a month and a half probably... I knew that if I could get out there and work with my teammates, we could build chemistry early."
It worked.
"On and off the court, Terrence, that's my dog," Boston said.
Added Clarke: "One of the main things for me coming to Kentucky was BJ getting here, too."
That doesn't keep them from pushing each other, though.The competition during early UK practices has been fierce at times.
"That's my brother," Boston added, "but on the court, we're always getting after it and we just make each other better every day in practice... I'm not gonna lie. We go at it."
Calipari's staff has not attempted to dial down the hype on the duo.
Earlier this fall, UK assistant coach Joel Justus described Clarke as "an extreme talent," and that Boston has an inner drive to be special comparable to some of Calipari's other elite players.
New UK assistant coach Bruiser Flint said Clarke "oozes with talent" and echoed the sentiment on hints of former Wildcat stars.
"Cal, when I used to talk to him, even before this, would talk about him in the same way to me as the John Walls and the Anthony Davises and things like that," Flint said. "So, he has that type of talent, but he’s still got a lot to learn. He’s a really, really talented player.”
Calipari notes that the duo is similar in size and build but have different games. Boston is more perimeter-oriented at this stage in his development. He may emerge as UK's best shooter this season. Picture Devin Booker or Tyler Herro, scouts suggest.
Clarke, meanwhile, is described more in slasher terms that may favor the style of 2012 national champion Kidd-Gilchrist.
"He's one of those guards that, if you get him near the basket, he's really good. Like, really good 8 feet and in," Calipari said. "... He's long, athletic, quick."
The UK staff has been working this fall to find a style of play that can maximize their talents, along with that of several other potential stars, including 7-foot transfer center Olivier Sarr, who earned All-ACC honors last season at Wake Forest.
Calipari spent more time than usual this year watching the NBA Playoffs during the Covid-19 quarantine. He was inspired by the style of play utilized by the Miami Heat on their run to the NBA Finals.
Could that be a template for the way the UK boss uses Boston and Clarke this season?
“Yeah, definitely," Boston said. "He always stresses to me about moving, flying off screens like (Heat guards) Tyler Herro and Duncan Robinson, just getting straight to the basket like Jimmy Butler was doing. Just the movement of our offense. It’s not really different. It’s some of the same things I feel like. Me watching it and me playing it, it makes it easier.”
