HILLSIDE, N.J. — Kentucky head coach John Calipari is meeting with some of his prime Class of 2017 targets for a second time.
Calipari and assistant Tony Barbee met Tuesday with the 6-foot-6 Hamidou Diallo at Putnam Science Academy (CT) and will meet again on Thursday with St. Patrick’s (N.J.) big man Nick Richards.
Calipari previously visited with Diallo on Sept. 12, and Richards on Sept. 15.
“We want you and you would be a great fit,” was Calipari’s message to Diallo according to Putnam coach Tom Espinosa.
As first reported here, Diallo will be eligible for the 2017 NBA Draft, but has said he wants to go the college route. UConn, Arizona, Indiana and Syracuse have also met with Diallo, while Arizona State’s Anthony Coleman is due in on Wednesday.
Meantime, the 6-11 Richards said he will meet again Thursday with Calipari after last week’s home visit.
“It was a a home visit and then we talked for like an hour about coming down for a visit to the school,” Richards said Tuesday after an open gym.
Richards said he plans to take an official to Kentucky the weekend of Sept. 30.
“I’m probably going to do it next weekend, the 30th,” he said. “It’s probably going to be me and mom going, just check it out.”
Asked what Kentucky’s message was, Richards said, “Basically just come to the school. They told me about the environment of the school, how it is before games, after games, during the games. They showed me a video of what happens. It was pretty exciting.”
Kentucky could lose several bigs to the NBA after 2017, most notably projected Top-1o pick Bam Adebayo.
“Yeah, we was talking about the NBA for a little bit,” Richards said. “He was just telling me what Kentucky can do for me as a person and develop my game.”
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, a current NBA player whose jersey is retired at St. Patrick’s, has known Richards for some time and also been recruiting him to Kentucky.
Most importantly, Richards said his mother, Marion Tenn, likes Kentucky.
“She likes Cal, he keeps it real with her,” he said. “She likes the energy that they give to us.
Meantime, Syracuse is due in this week for Richards.
“I’m looking to visit Syracuse,” he said. “I don’t know when.”
And he said he’s also considering UConn, Indiana and Arizona.
“I’m considering every school,” he said.
As for a timetable on a decision, Richards said: “Whenever I have that feeling, I’ll just commit.”
KENTUCKY LOOKING AT 2018S and 19s, TOO
**Calipari is expected to check out 6-1 2019 point guard Al-Amir Dawes of St. Pat’s on Thursday when he sees Richards. The St. Pat’s coaches said Calipari was intrigued by the big point guard, who on Tuesday added an offer from Minnesota to go with Seton Hall, Rutgers and DePaul.
“That would make me feel more grateful,” Dawes said. “That would make me work harder having them come watch me.”
**Kentucky is also expected Friday at Hudson Catholic, head coach Nick Mariniello confirmed.
Louisville head coach Rick Pitino will also be into the New Jersey power on Friday focusing on 2018 forward Louis King.
Hudson Catholic features the trio of King, point guard Jahvon Quinerly and shooting guard Luther Muhammad.
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