New leader in the race for Cam Johnson?
On Sunday, Rawle Alkins announced he will be returning to Arizona.
Does that mean Kentucky is now the clubhouse favorite for ex-Pitt guard Cam Johnson?
CatsIllustrated.com asked Rivals.com's Corey Evans.
Evans has been on top of the Johnson recruitment from the very start and was first to report Johnson's initial list of offers following his decision to transfer from Pitt.
Evans has been saying that Kentucky and Arizona are the most likely landing spots for Johnson. Last week he said that if Hamidou Diallo and Rawle Alkins were to both remain in the draft then Arizona would be the favorite to land Johnson, a 6-foot-8 sharpshooter who averaged 12 points per game for Pitt as a sophomore.
With Alkins staying in the draft and Diallo's choice uncertain, that would seem to catapult Kentucky into the driver's seat.
Does Evans agree with that?
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"No, UNC if they get the ruling passed," Evans said in a message to CatsIllustrated.com.
Evans said he's not referring to the NCAA situation that has lingered over Chapel Hill like a dark cloud for years. Evans said Johnson might have to sit out a year if he were to choose to transfer to North Carolina. If that's the case, it's less likely Johnson would pick the Tar Heels.
Earlier today Pitt released a statement on their decision to block Johnson from transferring and becoming immediately eligible to play at UNC:
“We have remained consistent with our athletic department policy, within NCAA legislation, stipulating student-athletes are restricted from transferring to institutions within the Atlantic Coast Conference and those on our schedule over the next season. Cameron Johnson and his father were informed of our policy as well as the appeals process when they elected to seek to transfer. They went through our transfer appeals process and were granted permission to contact ACC schools however, the committee upheld the policy to limit immediate eligibility within the conference. If Cameron were to transfer within the ACC, he would be eligible to receive financial aid immediately but would have to sit out a year of competition due to standard NCAA transfer regulations. Throughout this process, we have remained consistent to our department policy and we will continue to do so."
However, there is evidently still hope in Chapel Hill that Pitt may acquiesce. Media pressure probably won't hurt UNC's cause. Earlier in the day Jay Bilas tweeted his displeasure with Pitt's decision.
While Evans believes UNC may be the favorite if (and this is a big if) Pitt were to allow him to play next year at UNC that doesn't mean Kentucky's a long shot. Not at all.
"Definitely does help UK though," Evans said in a message. "Think they jump ahead of Zona."
Conventional wisdom said that Kentucky's standing with Johnson was hurt when five-star wing Kevin Knox picked the Cats.