No. 1 point guard Fox picks Kentucky

LEXINGTON, Ky. – John Calipari kept his point guard pipeline flowing strong Thursday night when De'Aaron Fox, the consensus No. 1 prospect at his position in the Class of 2016, committed to Kentucky live on ESNPU's signing-day special.

"When I went on my visit, every fan knew who I was," Fox said on the broadcast. "I got off the airplane and people were greeting me like they knew me my whole life."

He went on to say that his relationship with Calipari was the best of any coach who recruited him – Kansas, Louisville and LSU were his other finalists – and that Calipari's reputation for churning out elite point guards was "a huge part" of the decision.

Fox, a 6-foot-4 native of Katy, Texas, is the 11th five-star point guard to play for Calipari since 2007 and the sixth ranked No. 1 nationally at the position by at least one major recruiting service. Derrick Rose, John Wall, Marquis Teague, Andrew Harrison and Jamal Murray are the others.

Cats to learn plenty from opening gauntlet

All but Murray, a freshman on the current team, played in a Final Four or were drafted No. 1 overall – or both.

"He's certainly in that same category," Scout.com national recruiting analyst Evan Daniels said. "He has elite upside, a one-and-done guy, future lottery pick and going to be a very good NBA player one day. I think after John Wall, he's probably as good as any point guard Cal has recruited at Kentucky. He's up there."

Cats fans will also like where Daniels went for former UK point guard who is comparable to Fox.

"He's not as fast as (Wall) and he's not as strong as John, but he has similar size and athletic gifts and he's a similar level competitor," Daniels said. "What a lot of people didn't know about John Wall was what a competitor he was, a guy who eats, sleeps and breathes basketball. I think De'Aaron is kind of the same way."

Fox is the Wildcats' third five-star pledge for 2016, joining big men Wenyen Gabriel and Sacha Killeya-Jones. This latest commitment will vault UK's class to No. 3 in Scout's national ranking, Daniels said, and Fox is actively recruiting even more talent to join him in Lexington.

"Just one right now. A guy who goes by the name of Malik Monk," he told the ESPNU crew, referring to the top-rated shooting guard in the country. "I'm trying to get him on board with me."

Kyle Tucker can be reached at (502) 582-4361. Email him atktucker@courier-journal.com.

CALIPARI'S NO. 1 POINT GUARD RECRUITS

2016: De'Aaron Fox

2015: Jamal Murray

2013: Andrew Harrison

2011: Marquis Teague

2009: John Wall

2007: Derrick Rose

Other 5-star point guards: Isaiah Briscoe (2015), Tyler Ulis (2014), Ryan Harrow (2012 transfer), Brandon Knight (2010), Eric Bledsoe (2009)