Kentucky's football program landed another impressive Ohio commitment yesterday. Here's all the analysis and information you need about that.
Calipari's USA U19 squad was dominating in a 50-point win over Iran, and Hamidou Diallo heated up. More on that here, too.
Also, CatsIllustrated.com reports that a key player for UK baseball in 2017 will be moving on to the majors.
SCOUT'S TAKE
Rivals.com Midwest recruiting analyst Josh Helmholdt shared his thoughts on new Kentucky tight end commitment Keaton Upshaw when CatsIllustrated.com reached out to him on Saturday, not long after the three-star prospect had made his choice.
LINK: Rivals.com's Josh Helmholdt on new Kentucky commit Keaton Upshaw
IMPACT ANALYSIS
CatsIllustrated.com breaks down the significance of tight end Keaton Upshaw's commitment to Kentucky.
What does his choice mean for the future of the tight end position and for UK's 2018 recruiting efforts? We'll answer those questions and others.
LINK: Impact Analysis: What Upshaw to Kentucky means
Upshaw's commitment nets Kentucky 75 points in the Rivals.com team rankings formula, since he's got a 5.6 Rivals Rating on the network's scale. He's Kentucky's second tight end commitment from the Class of 2018. Brenden Bates, also of Ohio (Archbishop Moeller in Cincinnati), was the first.
Upshaw is a 6-foot-7, 215-pound project as a tight end. While Bates is more of a traditional, in-line pass-catch option as a tight end, Upshaw is coveted as more of a pass-catching hybrid who can exploit the middle of the field and cause matchup problems with slower linebackers or smaller defensive backs.
FIRST LIST
On the same day three-star Lima (Ohio) tight end Keaton Upshaw committed to Kentucky, another Wildcat target classified as a tight end narrowed his list to ten schools.
Leonard Taylor would still likely be a take for Kentucky, even though the Cats already have two tight end commitments from the Class of 2018.
LINK: Four-star prospect Leonard Taylor announces first list of favorites
T.J.'S TAKES
John Calipari picked up his first win as the head coach of the USA U19 men's team. The American dominated Iran 108-48.
Basketball Recruiting Analyst T.J. Walker weighs in with his top five takeaways from Saturday's win for Calipari and Team USA in the FIBA 2017 World Cup.
LINK: T.J.'s Takes following Calipari's U19 team's dominating win over Iran
WALL WAITS
John Wall has a four-year, $168-million contract extension on the table with the Washington Wizards, according to several reports. You or I would see $168 million and probably start involuntarily twitching, sure, but not Wall. He isn’t taking that extension just yet.
Wall, who has two years left on his current contract with Washington, wants to see what the Wizards do to improve the roster before signing the “designated player” extension, also referred to as a “supermax.” Wall is eligible because he made the All-NBA third team last season, one of the deal’s qualifiers. While Wall won’t leave Washington before 2019, the proposed extension would keep him in D.C. until 2023. He’s allowed to take his time to think it over.
LINK: Wizards have offered John Wall a 'supermax' extension, but he's not ready to say yes yet
BAM SHINES
Bam Adebayo signed his rookie contract and made his Miami Heat summer league debut Saturday morning inside the Amway Center.
The Heat’s first round pick had his share of both good and bad moments in his opening game. He finished with 14 points on 6-of-14 shooting, 10 rebounds and three blocks in 33 minutes worth of work in a 74-67 loss to the Charlotte Hornets.
The bad: Adebayo, who admitted he had some jittters early on, shot three airballs and collected six fouls.
The good: He displayed some slick post moves, defended the paint well at times, flashed a 17-foot jump shot and brought the ball up the court with ease after grabbing rebounds.
LINK: Heat rookie Bam Adebayo goes for 14 points, 10 rebounds, three blocks in summer league debut
LEWIS MOVING ON
UK sophomore pitcher Justin Lewis, an 11th round selection of the Tampa Bay Rays, is in Tampa discussing contraction negotiations, a source told Catsillustrated.com.
We're told that Lewis is expected to sign with the Rays while in Tampa. In 2016, only 15 of the 150 players selected between the 11th and 15th rounds didn't sign.
