The offseason has arrived and John Calipari and the rest of the Kentucky staff are in full recruiting mode for the spring recruiting period.
A lot has happened in the past wee following the National Championship game, lets take a closer look at where the Cats stand and what they have been up to.
Matthew Hurt Calls Off Visits before Decision Date
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Kentucky really needs some frontcourt depth next season, and one player the UK staff would love to put on the UK blue and white is 2019 five star big, Matthew Hurt.
Hurt will decide the day before his birthday on April 19th and will choose between the four premier bluebloods in college basketball, Kentucky, Kansas, Duke, & North Carolina.
Most recruiting analysts believe that all signs point to Hurt choosing Duke and that belief grew even stronger when Hurt called off in-home visits from Kentucky and Kansas on Sunday.
Duke makes the most sense, due to the fact that he will have the least amount of competition and would play the most at Duke compared to the other schools.
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Here is a recent interview of Hurt at last weekend’s Nike Hoop Summit.
Calipari Visited 2020 Five Star Jalen Johnson
John Calipari kicked off the week by taking a trip to Wisconsin to visit the No. 3 overall recruit in the 2020 class, Jalen Johnson.
Johnson was offered back in September and told CatsPause.com, “It feels great. It’s very humbling. He said they don’t really offer guys this early so being one of the few means a lot.”
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With 15 schools still on his list, Johnson is far from making a decision. However, the 24/7 Sports predictions show Duke in the lead at 71%, followed by Wisconsin at 29%.
As a junior, Johnson carried led Nicolet to a 27-1 record and its first-ever Wisconsin state championship that included a 20 point and 20 rebound title game performance.
Johnson is already being compared to NBA All-Star Paul George, and if he wants to bring his three-and-D style of play to Kentucky, he will be welcomed with open arms.
UK Extends Offer to 2020 Big Man Cliff Omoruyi
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While visiting verbal commit Khalil Whitney, a 6-10 teammate of Whitney’s with a 7-6 wingspan caught Calipari’s eye. That freak athlete is Clifford Omoruyi, a rising recruit from Nigeria in the 2020 class.
Kentucky is the first elite school to show interest among other schools such as Florida, N.C. State, Miami (FL), and Seton Hall.
Omoruyi is ranked as the 56th overall recruit by Rivals and ESPN, while 24/7 Sports ranks him 74th. However, with Kentucky’s newfound interest he will likely receive a bump.
Reclassification has yet to be reported as an option. but it is something to keep an eye on if all else fails.
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UK Target Jaemyn Brakefield, will NOT reclassify
Jaemyn Brakefield, a 6-foot-8 210 pound, power forward, is considered one of the best bigs in the 2020 class. Many believed that there was a strong possibility Brakefield would reclassify and Kentucky was a real option.
Last week, Brakefield layed that belief to rest and will stay in the 2020 class and even suggested that his recruitment was far from over and is “still wide open”.
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Brakefield has been a Kentucky target for a while and has visited Big Blue Madness the past two seasons. Brakefield is a skilled lefty that would be a great piece to next year’s recruiting class.
Names to Keep an Eye On
Makur Maker
Cousin of NBA player Thon Maker, Makur Maker received a visit from John Calipari and Kenny Payne on Sunday.
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At 7 foot 235 pounds, Maker is an athletic specimen in the 2020 class. Maker is a bit of a mystery as he is ranked 15th by Rivals, 50th by ESPN, and 69th by 24/7 Sports.
Maker is yet to receive a scholarship offer, but with his mobility and NBA size Maker could be a “unicorn” in Lexington.
Names to Keep an Eye On
The Hauser Twins
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Could Calipari take two more graduate transfers?
On Monday, the Huaser twins of Marquette put their names into the transfer portal. Sam Hauser, a 6-8 forward, averaged 12.7 points and 6.0 rebounds per game while shooting 40.2% from three. While his brother Joey, a 6-9 forward, recorded 9.7 points and 5.3 boards per game, shooting 42.5% from deep.
Virginia and Wisconsin seem to be the frontrunners those far, but if the Cats can’t find another big, maybe they could go towards a “small ball” style of play with the Hauser twins.
Following Lamont Butler’s commitment to Kentucky on Friday, the Wildcats have received another commitment less than 24 hours later. This time Oklahoma transfer Otega Oweh, he announced on his social media.
This comes after Oweh visited Lexington earlier this week, with reports coming out that his recruitment could be wrapped up quickly after.
Oweh is a top 25 transfer according to 247Sports, 38th by EvanMiya, and 55th by ESPN. Listed at 6-5, 210 pounds, Oweh is a strong and physical guard. His strength and athleticism have been a strength dating back to high school, which allows him to impact the game defensively, and also to get to the rim and thrive in transition opportunities.
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In two years at Oklahoma, the area that Oweh has significantly improved in has been his shooting. As a freshman, he shot just 25 percent from three, on just four attempts for the season, to 37.7 percent as a sophomore, making 20 of his 53 attempts. Most of that success comes from catch-and-shoot opportunities, where he rates in the 87th percentile. His ability to shoot off the dribble is the polar opposite, rating in just the 4th percentile.
Oweh is a two-way player with two years of eligibility remaining, while he will bring experience, there is still room for development with NBA upside. While he may not be a primary option, he’s certainly a player that can impact the game.
Oweh is now Kentucky’s third addition from the transfer portal and sixth player overall. A handful of top transfers are visiting, or currently visiting, Kentucky this weekend. The staff is hopeful a few join the roster.
Amidst anxiety from many of the Big Blue Nation, the Kentucky basketball program has added another player to the roster. On Friday Lamont Butler, a consensus top-60 transfer from San Diego State, committed to Kentucky, reported by On3.
Kentucky has been in contact with Butler since he entered the portal earlier this week. On Friday morning, four members of the Kentucky staff took a visit to Las Vegas, which we know now was to see Butler. It was enough to secure his commitment.
Coming out of a high school as a three-star prospect, Butler has been a true case of development. In four seasons with San Diego State, he improved his numbers year after year. As a three-year starter for the Aztecs, Butler averaged 7.7 points (41.2% FG), 2.6 assists, and 2.3 rebounds. He also received Mountain West All-Defense honors three straight seasons, winning the Defensive Player of the Year award this past year.
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Butler was a star for the San Diego State team that made it to the National Championship game in 2023, even hitting the buzzer-beater to send them to the title game. He will provide Kentucky with proven experience and the knowledge of what it takes to win.
As his defensive accolades show, Butler makes his biggest impact on the defensive side of the ball. However, he plays well within a system and is a really good passer for a guard who plays primarily off the ball, with a 21 percent assist rate. He also grades fairly well analytically on spot-up shots and in pick-and-roll situations as the ball handler.
With Butler on the roster, there are still many spots to fill, especially some spots for “dudes”. Fortunately, many big names are expected to be in Lexington this weekend for the visit.
With the deadline for players to enter the portal coming up on May 1st, Kentucky nearly has all their options on the table. Now two weeks since taking the job, Mark Pope has expressed interest in nearly two dozen names and has been keying in on some top names in the portal.
As of writing this article, top 25 transfer Otega Oweh (Oklahoma), is currently on a visit to Lexington, with three more players set to visit this weekend. There’s a good chance that some of those visits turn into commitments.
Kentucky has had just three players record a triple-double in program history. Deivon Smith recorded five triple-doubles this past season alone, the second-most all-time for a single season in NCAA history.
While undersized, he is one of the best all-around guards in the country, as his numbers show. It’s still early, but Kentucky getting the first visit is significant. St. John’s and Texas Tech have also been mentioned here.
Stojakovic is the son of former NBA All-Star, Peja Stojakovic. A familiar name for Kentucky fans from his high school recruitment. Stojakovic is a terrific shooter, and a top-25 recruit in the 2023 class.
On Thursday, Stojakovic cut his list to just three schools: California, UNC, and Kentucky. As a West Coast product, California was a school that showed interest when he was in high school, and so did Mark Pope when he was at BYU. Pope has made Stojakovic a priority, he could seal the deal this weekend.
One of the best guards in the portal. As a lead guard for Saint Mary’s, he displayed a good sense of playing under control, setting himself up and others. That said, his numbers were rather inefficient as the primary scoring option for the Gaels and shooting more than half of his shots from three. There are concerns about his playing against bigger guards.
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Mahaney visited UConn Thursday and it looks to be a race between Creighton, Virginia, UConn, and Kentucky.
A near 7-footer who is efficient and can stretch the floor, shooting over 37 percent from three, is a player that Mark Pope would love to add to his roster. That describes Andrew Carr who has played two years at each Delaware and Wake Forest and is looking to go elsewhere for his last season of eligibility.
Carr is coming off a visit to Texas Tech and will visit Villanova after he visits Lexington this weekend.