NORTH AUGUSTA, S.C. — Kentucky already has commitments from the No. 1 and No. 5 players in the Class of 2011 in Michael Gilchrist and Marquis Teague.
Could John Calipari add No. 8 Anthony Davis as well?
“I gotta get on him, huh?” Gilchrist said last week at the Peach Jam. “ASAP, huh?”
Rivals currently ranks the 6-foot-10, 195-pound Davis No. 8 in the class, but he is in the conversation for No. 1 after the way he’s played this summer.
The latest word from the Davis camp is that he planned to visit his top three schools — Kentucky, Syracuse and Ohio State — before potentially taking other visits.
North Carolina head coach Roy Williams watched several of Davis’ games at the Peach Jam and figures to track him during this second evaluation period as well.
“I want to visit my top three first and then go visit any other schools that might be interested that’s not in my top three,” Davis, out of Chicago Perspectives, said last week.
Davis said he last heard from Carolina assistant Steve Robinson several weeks ago. Asked if he would consider Carolina if they offered, Davis said, “I would, yes.”
Still, Kentucky has to be considered a good bet to land Davis, who has designs on playing in the pros.
“John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins, Eric Bledsoe, all of them went to the league,” Davis said of Kentucky’s last freshmen group. “It’s just a great program, so that’s why I want to go to the NBA.”
With or without Davis, Gilchrist and Teague have developed a strong bond and friendship this summer that should benefit them once they step on campus.
After being prompted by James McAdoo to join the USA U17 team, Gilchrist, in turn, called Teague to get him on the team.
“Mike’s been talking to me, telling me to come play,” Teague said.
The two have been friends for a couple of years and roomed together during training in San Antonio, along with uncommitted guards Quinn Cook and Tony Wroten.
“Mike was my roommate most of the time so we [were] together a lot,” Teague said. “That’s my buddy. We talked a lot before we went there, so me and Mike have been good friends since 8th or 9th grade.
“”We [were] playing together real well. We came in in the same unit. We were working together real well.”
Teague said he enjoyed playing on the gold-medal winning USA U17 team in Hamburg, Germany after his Indianapolis Pike team failed to meet expectations last year.
“That was great,” he said. “The main reason I play basketball is to win. Anytime I get a chance to win, I’m all for that. That was a great opportunity for me.”
What was also important was watching Calipari in Germany to support the team, especially Gilchrist and Teague.
“He was there the whole time,” Teague said. “That was great. That was real important to me. To know that he cares enough to go all the way away from his family to watch us win that.”
Calipari returned to the U.S. in time to watch Gilchrist, Teague and Davis at the Peach Jam.
Only time will tell if he can land Davis as well.
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MilesCat / July 22, 2010
AZ… I am guessing that you have watched both Miller and Davis play. What is your opinion on who is better? I know there is a lot of talk about Miller leaning to Louisville or Baylor. I really like the Nash too, he is a little raw. This 2011 class is very deep with talent, there are a ton of potential stars.
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BostonCat / July 22, 2010
i remember hearing knight was leaning towards florida, jones was leaning towards washington, and teague was 60/40 ul.
if people are saying miller is leaning in a direction….i wouldnt consider them as good source. i wouldnt trade uk’s position with miller over any school.
if there is room, i think uk will get both. if not, uk will get 1, probably the 1 they prefer. it might be davis, it might be miller. both are amazing players.
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JessieWildcat / July 22, 2010
AZ,
We are seeing the NCAA getting ON the SEC, in football.
Many SEC teams have done some illegal things.
Do you think the NCAA will continue to HAMMER the SEC programs?
YES, the basketball programs are NEXT.
Wait for August time frame, the NCAA wants to make some BIG NOISE.
And Kentucky will be a BIG BIG target in the next few weeks.
Get ready Cali, the NCAA likes Good TIMING….
When is the best time for the NCAA to make noise about Kentucky’s illegal activities??? It is coming.
Just like USC avoided the death penality, kentucky will be faced with simliar decisions….
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jacobkiper / July 22, 2010
Boston,
I’m with you. I wouldn’t trade UK’s position for Miller with Baylor or UofLOL.
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Wheatgerm / July 23, 2010
BostonCat – There’s room for both Miller and Davis.
Cal has now used 13 scholarships with Gilchrist and Teague. With Harrellson in his last year, Cal can sign one more player from 2011 without relying on someone leaving early to open up another scholarship. And who thinks no one will leave early next year?
Could be Kanter (Jesus I hope not, but he’s most likely) or Knight or Jones or Darius or Liggins (Cal’s been touting the last two) or Hood (transferring), or some combination.
I think he easily signs two more, probably three, possibly four. It’s a shot in the dark, but I hope he saves a place for Rivers. I wouldn’t give up on him until he signs a letter of intent.
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Katbluefan / July 23, 2010
The NCAA is worried because the SEC’s Alabama won the Nat.Champ. in Football and looks to do it again, the SEC BB teams are getting stronger so the NCAA can’t let that happen. Their Golden Programs are in trouble, so they have to do something to the ones who are getting better. Same old NCAA crap, making millions $ off the college kids but they still want to play dirty with the colleges. It has to stop, When is the NCAA going to be fair with all and stop having their favorites ??????? I Know, when one stands up to the NCAA with out the fear of being bullied.
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BostonCat / July 24, 2010
when doesn arizona gets all its scholarships back from getting hammered by the NCAA for recruiting violations? not that it matters, they dont really need them for anything. its not like they are signing top level players. probably just a matter of time before they get caught doing illegal things again. the pressure on miller must be mounting as zona is just being lapped by in state rival asu.
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RockChalkWoody / July 24, 2010
Jessie, how are the Three Amigos doing out in Tucson? Instead of running your mouth about other programs you ought to worry about your own. So far the ROI with “Book” hasn’t been very good.
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Katbluefan / July 24, 2010
RockChalkWoody………I hope UK doesn’t have to go thru an investigation, but our Complianc. Dept. I would say is the BEST, so I’m not very worried. You are the one who should be worried, when the Feds are done then the NCAA is finished, Kansas will be lucky if it doesn’t get the “DEATH PENALTY”. Now the NCAA is looking at UNC and if they find Roy at fault he could be in trouble, didn’t he leave Kansas and put them on probation ? In the investigation Kansas is in now, my understanding is it goes back to the Roy Williams era. So this is why I say Kansas is in a LOT OF TROUBLE
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fearthephog25 / July 25, 2010
Hello, ya’ll.
Stopped in 4 a min. from. an ipod.
Reagardless who gets who, why has Kansas been blowing out teams with 3 or 4 star recruits? Quality coaching perhaps, afterall; they been doing it for 22 years straight. If it asn’t for white dudes like MaCnamera, would Carmelo name even surface? Just like Ali, who busts a 3 on a fast break? LOL Nothing taken away from NIU, they played a great game. Bring up the past all ya want!! Who won the TITLE last year? YOU DIDN’T AND WE DIDN’T!! So suck it up like we have, DUKE IS #1 RIGHT NOW AND SOMEONE HAS TO TAKE IT AWAY FROM THEM NOW. ITS GONNA BE A UP HILL BATTLE, WHICH LOOKS UNLIKELY. LOOK AT THEIR CLASS!!
Will someone please steal DUKES assistant or WOJO!! How are they getting their recruits?? DUKE is the new north carolina of this decade. Im a KANSAS fan, but, I think DUKE is back for business. I never had any hate for kentucky, but once they hired a sleaze like calimari. They were wiped away from NATION’S MORAL & HERITAGE. BASKETBALL GOES DEEPER THAN A QUICK FIX. If that was KELVIN SAMPSON at OKLAHOMA. And they can’t even deny it at all. The ones that do are not true fans of the college game. THEY MORE WORRIED ABOUT NATIONAL RECORDS, AND AND ANYTIME SOMEONE GET CLOSE TO PASSING THEM OUT. THEY BASH THEM!! FACT IS: ANYTIME YOU ASSOCIATE THE WORD BASKETBALL. WHAT COMES TO MIND????????????KANSAS TRADITION AND HISTORY. DISAGRREE ALL YOU WANT, YOU CANNOT ARGUE WITH HISTORY AND TRADITION. ANY BASKETBALL FAN GOTTA RESPECT THAT, WHEN THEY WALK INTO ANY OLD FIELDHOUSE IN THE COUNTRY, WHO HAS THAT AND WHO CARES WHAT BEER COMPANY BOUGHT YA’LL?? JUST ANOTHER SELL OUT BITCH, NOBODY OWNS KANSAS BUT JAMES NAISMITH AND PHOG ALLEN. WE DON’T COOPERATE SELL OUT!!! WERE IS YOUR TRADITION BITCH??? NIKE OWNS YA’LL TOO!!
WE AT KANSAS STAY TRUE AND DO NOT BOW DOWN TO ENTERPRISES TO GAIN RECRUITS. WE RAN unc OF THE COURT WITH 7 mcdonalds all americans!! WHO THE HELL IS NEXT!!!!
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RockChalkWoody / July 25, 2010
Katbluefan, what are you talking about? The Death Penalty because some fired athletic department employees stole $$$ from the University by scalping tix? It doesn’t sound like you really know what you’re talking about. I’d love to know your sources because there isn’t any investigation. No offense to the reasonable Cat fans who post here, but I’m not sure you should be casting any stones regarding issues with the NCAA.
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