NEWSSTAND (7/25): Visit recaps; visit preview; Hoops recruiting; list cut
Two JUCO prospects visited recently and they recapped their time at UK with CatsIllustrated.com. Another target visits on Friday.
Basketball recruiting notes including the latest on Marvin Bagley.
NBA notes on former Cats, basketball student ticket prices rising and more.
OT PREVIEWS VISIT
Jacksonville (Fla.) Bolles School offensive tackle Nick Lewis recently picked up an offer from Kentucky and he promptly set a trip to Lexington. That trip takes place this weekend and he previewed the visit with CatsIllustrated.com this week.
The 6-foot-8, 340-pound offensive tackle didn't just start hearing from Kentucky completely out of the blue. He was hearing from the Cats a long time ago.
After all, he's a well-regarded prospect and one you can't miss on the field. On top of that, his former teammate is Alabama quarterback Mac Jones, who was committed to Kentucky for a large portion of the recruiting process.
LINK: 2018 offensive tackle target previews this weekend's trip to UK
INSIDER NOTES
It was another open period for Kentucky recruiting and UK's coaches spread across the country to watch stars in 2018 and 2019.
John Calipari made national news when he participated in the Drive By Dunk Challenge, which is a social media fad that involves people going to random houses and dunking on unused basketball hoops. Anthony Davis and De'Aaron Fox have also joined in on the fun via their social media accounts.
Today's Insider Notes will feature the latest with some of those recruits and what's new with Marvin Bagley III.
LINK: INSIDER NOTES: A surprise in 2018 and the latest with Bagley
GARNER'S TOP SIX
Just as he said he would four-star cornerback Stanley Garner released his list of six favorites on Monday afternoon.
And just as CatsIllustrated.com has been teasing for weeks, Kentucky made the cut.
JUCO PLAYERS VISIT, SPEAK OUT
Kentucky could use some immediate help in the trenches after the 2017 season and JUCO offensive lineman Damien Lewis has the attention of Mark Stoops' coaching staff.
He visited Kentucky over the weekend and CatsIllustrated.com has all the scoop on how it went, plus what's next.
LINK: JUCO OG recaps his weekend trip to Kentucky
Kentucky's running back situation has been one of the most frequently discussed issues related to the Class of 2018 recruiting cycle.
Could the Cats turn to a junior college recruit to fill the void?
BLUE SMITH TALKS UK, OSU
The trip to Ohio State was preceded by a visit to Kentucky previous weekend. His high school teammate Alex Reigelsperger, who is already committed to the Wildcats, accompanied Smith on that trip which gave them a sense of the team chemistry.
“It’s just the camaraderie they have in the locker room,” Smith said. “Even if they come from different backgrounds, when they come to Kentucky and are on the football team it is like everyone is a brother. It is just a big family, so that’s why I enjoy it when I go down there.”
Following a trade that was finalized while both were in Western Conference All-Star uniforms, Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins spent a total of 17 games and 394 minutes on the floor together last season with New Orleans. It was sufficient time to demonstrate promising signs about the duo’s future, but not quite enough to fine-tune all of the details of a big-man pairing that’s increasingly rare in the contemporary NBA. As a result, Davis and Cousins decided to work out together extensively this summer, in Los Angeles and Las Vegas, to get a head start on Pelicans fall training camp.
LINK: Anthony Davis, DeMarcus Cousins working out with goal of getting head start on training camp
COST RISING
If students must invest more in men’s basketball tickets, perhaps they will be more motivated to attend Kentucky home games.
That’s a reason cited for UK’s announcement Monday that it will double the price students must pay for tickets next season.
“We want to make sure that when our students, when they make the decision to buy, that it is an intentional decision,” said Guy Ramsey, the Director of Strategic Communication for UK Athletics. “That they’re going to plan to come to the games.”
LINK: UK hopes men’s basketball ticket price increase compels more students to attend
GENEROUS OFFER
John Calipari does a lot of things I will never get the opportunity to do. I have no problem with that.
But he did something Monday I would never want to do — he went on the “Dan Dakich Radio.” You remember Dakich, the former Indiana player who hosts a radio show in Indianapolis. And those of you who know, understand why I would never ever want to be in the same spot Calipari was today.
LINK: Calipari again explains how Hoosiers turning down chances to play Kentucky
YOUNG FAN
Before he came to the United States in 2013 from Jamaica, Nick Richards focused on soccer, volleyball and track — and was good in all three of them.
Once he focused on basketball, he gradually got better and better. He starts his college career at the University of Kentucky this season.
LINK: Nick Richards was UK fan even before he played basketball
RANDLE PLAYING WELL
While the past few seasons have been difficult for the Los Angeles Lakers, the silver lining has been the addition of a number of young, talented players that they are hoping to rebuild the franchise around. With the arrival of Lonzo Ball with the second overall pick in this year’s draft and the development of Brandon Ingram, it feels as though Los Angeles finally has something real brewing. That said, it would be a mistake to overlook bruising power forward Julius Randle.
LINK: Julius Randle Lights Up Drew League With 28 Points & 18 Rebounds
