Take Two: Justin Edwards closing in on decision
Top-5 basketball prospect Justin Edwards will make his college destination known on July 25, and the Wildcats are trending.
This has been a Kentucky-Tennessee recruiting battle and there's a lot of momentum in Kentucky's direction.
The nation's No. 4 prospect from the Class of 2023 would be another huge addition for John Calipari. Here Travis Graf and David Sisk share their takes on where things stand and what Edwards would mean for Kentucky if that's his choice.
David Sisk: The Justin Edwards recruiting road seems to be one that is leading to Lexington. He went from a strong Tennessee lean for months to a Kentucky lean. It went back to 50/50 reports last week.
Now Kentucky is trending strongly to what could be an incredibly strong class even by John Calipari standards. Being part of that group, realizing how Kentucky would prepare him for the future, and the benefits that come along with being a Wildcat appear to be too much for the Volunteers to overcome in the final week of his recruitment.
Edwards would add a long, athletic wing who is one of the best on-ball and help side defenders in 2023. He’s not going to be the top option offensively, but 10 to 12 points per game as a freshman is a reasonable prediction. At 6-7 to 6-8 with his length and athleticism, Edwards will provide versatility on both ends of the floor. The bottom line is that this will be a big pickup for the Cats.
Travis Graf: It would surprise me if Justin Edwards ended up anywhere other than Lexington next season. Tennessee did a fantastic job of building a relationship with him and they would’ve been the choice had he decided two months ago. Since that time, John Calipari took over his recruitment and showed that he’s still the best recruiter in the game and has the ‘Cats primed for a top-five commitment when Edwards announces on the 25th.
Edwards is best served playing alongside other talent, and it’ll unlock some parts of his game that he hasn’t quite tapped into yet. He’s a wing that can create off of the bounce, especially in the mid-range. He also provides two-way ability on the wing.