As expected, John Calipari and Kentucky have received a commitment from 2018 point guard Immanuel Quickley.
Kansas and Miami were also in the mix to land the 5-star prospect from John Carroll School in Baltimore.
Quickley is widely regarded as one of the best players in the 2018 class, with ESPN ranking him No. 12 overall and 247Sports ranking him No. 13.
According to Jeff Borzello, Quickley is Calipari’s 33rd 5-star commit in the past seven years.
Lovell’s Analysis
I said yesterday that there was no suspense with this commitment.
Kentucky has long been the favorite to land him, and now, Calipari will have a chance to feature another playmaking point guard in Lexington.
Depending on who returns for the Wildcats next season, the team’s backcourt depth could be pretty special (as always).
Quickley will certainly add size at this position with his 6-3 frame, but it’s his impressive length and athleticism that will give him a future at the NBA level.
Should freshman guards like Quade Green, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Jemarl Baker all return for a second season, it’ll give Calipari plenty of depth and flexibility in the backcourt.
And who are we kidding? He’ll likely add a few more elite prospects to this 2018 class in the near future, as players like Darius Garland, Keldon Johnson, and others are all on the Wildcats’ radar.
Like many top recruits, Quickley understood the draw of playing for Calipari. He’s produced countless NBA players at this point, so if that’s your goal as a high school prospect, it’s impossible to ignore that facet of Calipari’s coaching history.
So, to summarize for those keeping score at home: Calipari and his assistants – Joel Justus led the way on Quickley’s recruitment – haven’t lost their touch on the recruiting trail, and another big-time player is headed to play for the Wildcats.
The future looks bright for Kentucky basketball.
Go figure.