Dontaie Allen officially becomes a Wildcat
Dreams can come true. Dontaie Allen is living proof.
The small forward from Falmouth, Kentucky grew up wanting to play for his beloved Kentucky Wildcats. Friday, he made that a reality by signing his National Letter of Intent during a ceremony at Pendleton County HIgh School.
Allen committed to the Cats on August 2 after a short but closely followed recruiting process. He had a breakout spring and summer with M.A.T.T.S Mustangs. His consistent outstanding play, especially on the offensive end, spearheaded his explosion up the national rankings. He climbed into the Rivals top fifty in July.
That month became the most important of his basketball life. That led to serious interest from the Kentucky staff. He took an unofficial visit to Lexington on August 1, the same day he received an offer. Allen committed to the Wildcats on the next day.
Allen chose the Cats over Louisville, Auburn, Vanderbilt, Clemson, Xavier, Oklahoma, Iowa State, Illinois, Pitt, Florida, Virginia Tech, and Purdue.
Rivals Eric Bossi said seeing is believing when it comes to Allen, and that was the big reason his brand soared.
"Why did his stock rise? The most important factor with Allen was just getting a good, clean extended look at him in action. Once we were able to see him, his size, production and ability to make plays in all facets of the game stood out."
We saw Allen play several times at the Under Armour event in Cartersville, Georgia, and came away awed by the heart and ability that he showed game after game.
"The 6-foot-6, 200 pound wing scored everyway imaginable. He isn't a five-star athlete, but he is crafty with the ball, and can get to his defenders hip. Once he does, his strength, and wide array of ways to score takes over. He made threes whether it be on the catch, off the dribble, or the result of a jab. He did not have to be in rhythm. He nails mid-range pullups. Allen made layups off spin moves, behind the back moves into a Euro step, reverses, jump stops, or off either foot."
Shortly afterwards, the offer from John Calipari came. Allen's response was a no-brainer.
“Growing up in Kentucky, you just have to be a Kentucky fan, so I have been a fan of them my entire life, ” he told us.
When Allen woke up on this morning, he knew how important the day would be. He shared that with us via text just after 6 A.M.
"Today is a great day for me, my family, and my community. "Wildcat for life" is the buzz here in Falmouth, Kentucky. I would like to thank God and everyone that has played a part in my growth as a player. I will continue to grow and push myself toward my full potential. I would like to thank Coach Calipari and Coach Justus for the opportunity to play for the University of Kentucky. "Small Town, Big Dreams," BBN I'm staying home!!!"
Allen is rated as a four-star prospect by Rivals. He is currently ranked No. 54 overall as well as the 14th best small forward in the 2019 Class.
Allen joins Tyrese Maxey as the two first signees for Kentucky. Kahlil Whitney also committed to the Cats over the summer, but according to his mother may wait until the spring before officially signing.
Stay tuned to Cats Illustrated as we will have more details on Allen's signing, as well as all things related to Kentucky's basketball recruiting.