Just last week, two of the Top 5 players in the 2013 recruiting class committed to the reigning National Champion Kentucky Wildcats when the highly touted Harrison twins chose to play their college ball for the Cats.
Now just one week later another Top 5 player, elite level forward James Young has also given a verbal commitment to Coach John Calipari and the Wildcats for next season. In a bit of suspense, Young scratched his head and thought before revealing a blue t-shirt that read “Kentucky Bound” live on ESPNU.
While Andrew and Aaron Harrison were the top ranked point guard and shooting guards in the nation, Young is the 2nd ranked SG and is arguably one of the best scorers and 3 point shooters in the class. Young averaged an amazing 18 ppg in the Nike EYBL this season and earned MVP honors at the 2012 Nike Global challenge. He fits perfectly in the mold of UK players that projects as yet another one-and-done type talent that we’ve grown accustomed to seeing on campus each year in Lexington.
At 6’6 and 215lbs, the sweet lefty shooting Young has prototypical size for the SG position and thanks to an impressive 6’11 wingspan, he also has immense potential as an elite defender as well. Many experts feel that Young has just scratched the surface of his immense potential which is an amazing fact considering he’s already ranked as the #5 overall prospect in the senior class.
Young chose Kentucky over Michigan State, Syracuse, and Kansas. He now joins the Harrison twins, 4 star PF Derek Willis, and potentially any combination of Julius Randle, Aaron Gordon, and/or Andrew Wiggins if he choses to reclassify to 2013. Could Kentucky land the best recruiting class in NCAA history?
James Young’s 2012 Season Mixtape:
James Young 2012 Nike EYBL Highlights:
Allen Moll has been a lifelong NBA and NCAA College Basketball fan who watches and studies games religiously, and coaches youth basketball in his native Lehigh Valley region of Pennsylvania. Allen has also provided content to Bleacherreport.com, Upperdeckblog.com, Cleveland.com, CSN Philly.com, Buckets Magazine, in addition to being a tenured NBA and NCAA columnist for TheHoopDoctors.com.
