Five-star guard Tyrese Maxey picks Kentucky, will remain in 2019 class

Five-star guard Tyrese Maxey has announced he will attend Kentucky and remain in the 2019 class.

Based on all the recent chatter neither revelation should come as a surprise, but it's big news for the future of the Wildcat basketball program nonetheless.

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The 6-foot-4, 185-pound scoring guard from South Garland (Tex.) had narrowed his list to five schools - Kentucky, Michigan State, Michigan, Texas and Oklahoma State. John Calipari's program had been widely regarded as the heavy favorite to land Maxey.

With Maxey's commitment comes his decision to remain in the 2019 class. There had been plenty of speculation, and a lot of thought on Maxey's part, about a potential reclass to the 2018 cycle. That would have added to what is already expected to be a loaded backcourt for Kentucky.

With Maxey remaining in the '19 class, Kentucky has a tremendous early recruiting corps. He joins fellow five-star D.J. Jeffries and Ashton Hagans on UK's commitment list.

Maxey told Cats Illustrated's David Sisk and other reporters, at a recent EYBL event, that he was not bothered by the idea of being part of a loaded backcourt. He still might be part of one in the 2019 class, regardless of what '19 guard, and potential '18 reclass, Ashton Hagans decides to do.

" Coach Cal's really good with playing multiple guards at one position. That's what he does and that's what he embraces," Maxey has said in the past.

Maxey is ranked the No. 14 player in the 2019 class according to Rivals.com.

Rivals' Corey Evans recently told Cats Illustrated, "Maxey is a do it all guard that most any college program would love to get its hands on." Eric Bossi, another Rivals basketball analyst, told Cats Illustrated before the announcement, "A physical scorer who can play either the point or shooting guard spots, Maxey has always liked Kentucky. and behind the scenes buzz has picked that up for some time now."