Future Focus | UK basketball's 2016 class shines
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Kentucky basketball’s No. 1-ranked 2016 recruiting class is so far living up to the hype, as all five players who’ve signed with the Wildcats are putting up huge numbers in their high school senior seasons.
De’Aaron Fox, Malik Monk, Wenyen Gabriel, Edrice “Bam” Adebayo and Sacha Killeya-Jones are rated the No. 4, 6, 10, 15 and 29 recruits in America, respectively, by Scout.com. Four of the five are averaging double-doubles and the other, Monk, is a scoring machine.
“This is a tremendous class all the way around,” said Evan Daniels, Scout’s national recruiting analyst. “Once the top-level guys become seniors, they’re kind of expected to put up big numbers, but it doesn’t always happen. Each of Kentucky’s recruits are playing at a really high level right now.”
Fox, Adebayo and Gabriel were selected this week to play for Team USA’s junior-select squad at the Nike Hoop Summit in April. Fox and Monk, rated the top point guard and shooting guard and in the class, scored 99 points between them (in separate events) on Saturday night.
“That’s a scary backcourt, and it may end up being the best backcourt in all of college basketball next year,” Daniels said. “Certainly going to be the most athletic and certainly going to be the backcourt with the most long-term upside.”
For the latest stats and progress reports on each guy’s game, The Courier-Journal caught up with the high school coaches of all five future Cats. Click each name to see how they're doing:
De’Aaron Fox, 6-4, PG (Cypress Lakes High, Texas)
Future Focus | UK signee Fox 'looking to lead'
Malik Monk, 6-4, SG (Bentonville High, Arkansas)
Future Focus | UK signee Monk 'good at everything'
Wenyen Gabriel, 6-10, F (Wilbraham & Monson Academy, Massachusetts)
Future Focus | UK signee Gabriel sets standard
Edrice “Bama” Adebayo, 6-9, PF (High Point Christian Academy, North Carolina)
Future Focus | UK basketball's 2016 class shines
Sacha Killeya-Jones, 6-10, F (Virginia Episcopal School, Virginia)
Future Focus | UK signee Killeya-Jones like AD?
Kyle Tucker can be reached at (502) 582-4361. Email him atktucker@courier-journal.com.