Wenyen Gabriel made his official visit to Kentucky this week. (PHOTO SUBMITTED)
Wilbraham and Monson star Wenyen Gabriel, fresh off one of the most successful sessions any prep basketball player completed on the AAU circuit this summer, went on his official visit to Kentucky this week.
Gabriel, a 6-foot-9 power forward with a ton of length, mobility and athleticism, jumped 61 spots in the latest ESPN rankings, rising from No. 84 to No. 23 after his summer. According to his coach Mike Mannix, Gabriel's list remains steady at five: Kentucky, Duke, UConn, Providence and Maryland, all of whom have visited Gabriel at Wilbraham and Monson.
ESPN recruiting expert Jeff Borzello posted about Gabriel on Thursday, and in an ESPN video, he said Gabriel might be one of Kentucky's top big-man targets.
"Gabriel is one of the summer's biggest risers," Borzello said in the video. "Kentucky, if they don't get Miles Bridges (Huntington Prep's star forward) when he commits next week, I think Wenyen Gabriel is next on their list in terms of big men."
Providence and UConn were two of the first schools to come after Gabriel, but Kentucky would be a difficult school to pass up. Now a legitimate NBA prospect, Gabriel's stock could take a notable leap with the extra exposure afforded him by Kentucky's constant national TV presence.
The chase for Gabriel will only intensify as the prospects ahead of him start committing. Bridges, the No. 8 prospect, is set to announce his decision next week, and others will soon follow. How soon Gabriel commits remains to be seen.
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