5-star SF Kevin Knox’s commitment to Kentucky a stunner – SECcountry.com

LEXINGTON, Ky. The outlook for Kentucky basketball next season just improved dramatically, as the Wildcats landed a surprise commitment Saturday from 5-star small forward Kevin Knox. Virtually no one expected him to pick UK over fellow finalists Duke, North Carolina and Florida State.

Im shocked, said Evan Daniels, Scout.coms director of recruiting. I feel like I usually have a pretty good feel even if I dont know exactly where theyre going, I can usually narrow it down to a school or two. But he left a lot of people guessing, and I didnt see this coming. I didnt think Kentucky was in the top 2even.

But the 6-foot-8 McDonalds All-American, a consensus top-10 overall prospect nationally, delivered the stunner via Twitter, then explained his decision in an as-told-to story in RMF Magazine with writer Jesse Nadelman. Knox laid out how he wouldve loved to play for Leonard Hamilton at Florida State where his father was a wide receiver in the 1990s or to add to the rich tradition that Duke University holds on and off the court.

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He wrote that it wouldve been a thrill to play for Roy Williams and chase back-to-back national championships at North Carolina or even attend Missouri, despite three straight losing seasons, because No. 1 overall recruit Michael Porter is heading there next season.

But ultimately, Knox chose Kentucky and the goal of bringing a national championship to the city of Lexington, he said, ending on: See you soon, Big Blue Nation. Score another one for master recruiter John Calipari and his ace assistant, Kenny Payne.

A lot of credit to those guys, Daniels said, because this is one of the more surprising commitments of 2017. When Kenny gets his claws in and builds a relationship with a kid and his family, hes tough to beat.

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The Wildcats already had the nations No. 1-ranked class for 2017 before Knoxs decision and now have eight top-100 prospects, six 5-stars and five McDonalds All-Americans although the status of Hamidou Diallo, who enrolled in January but sat out the second half of the season, is up in the air.

Diallo declared for the2017 NBA Draft but didnt hire an agent; he will participate in the NBA combine next week before deciding whether to return to UK. Regardless of that decision, preseason hype for the Wildcats will be enormous again, especially if 5-star big man Mohamed Bamba finishes off this recruiting class with an exclamation point.

If they get Bamba, too, and Diallo comes back, youre looking at a preseason top-3 team a team that can win it all, said Daniels, who explained what Kentucky is getting in Knox: a versatile forward, a guy who can play the three or the four. He sees himself as a straight wing, but he can play inside for them as well. Hes really versatile, really athletic, has really improved his outside shooting and can guard multiple positions. He is one of thereally elite players in the Class of 2017.

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And Kentucky is still considered the favorite to land Bamba, a 7-foot McDonalds All-American ranked as high as No. 2 overall in the class. Duke and Texas are the other contenders for Bamba.

In Scout.coms rankings, the Cats already have No. 9 Knox, No. 10 Diallo, No. 11 Jarred Vanderbilt, No. 14 P.J. Washington, No. 16 Nick Richards, No. 22 Quade Green, No. 39 Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and No. 85 Jemarl Baker. UK figures to be loaded with forwards next season, as sophomores Wenyen Gabriel (6-foot-9), Sacha Killeya-Jones (6-10) and Tai Wynyard (6-10) are back, plus the additions of 6-7 Vanderbilt, 6-8 Washington and 6-8 Knox.

The reason Im so surprised by Knoxs decision is they already had guys in Vanderbilt and Washington that are similar in position, Daniels said. I just didnt see those three dudes all going to the same place. I guess I shouldve learned my lesson after Eric Bledsoe and John Wall both went to Kentucky.

Thestunner Saturday was a reminder about recruiting: Never count out Calipari and the Cats.

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5-star SF Kevin Knox's commitment to Kentucky a stunner - SECcountry.com