By ADAM ZAGORIA
After meeting Monday with Kentucky coach John Calipari, Aidan Igiehon is planning an official visit to Kentucky.
“Me and my family agreed to take an official visit,” the 6-foot-10 center from Lawrence Woodmere (NY) Academy and Team Rio told ZAGSBLOG. “The date is to be determined.”
Kentucky has stepped up its courtship of Igiehon recently and the big man recently cut his list to four schools: Kentucky, Louisville, Oregon and St. John’s. He had home visits Sunday with St. John’s and Louisville.
Igiehon has set official visits to Oregon (Sept. 13), Louisville (Sept. 28) and St. John’s (Oct. 5).
As for the Kentucky meeting, Igiehon added: “Cal’s overall message was that the whole process of going through college and preparing for what may be pro career is going to be hard. A truly intense process where only the strong survive.
“He asked me what was my “WHY.” I’ve always told myself that my reason why has to be greater than myself. We were both on the same page on that aspect. Cal then asked what was my overall goal with this game. And my response was to be in the Hall of Fame, to be one of the best to ever play. Cal wants a guy that can compete, a guy that is obsessed with the game of basketball, which I honestly I believe if you aren’t obsessed with the game then we speak a different language.
Kentucky expects to lose several frontcourt players to the NBA, with sophomores P.J. Washington and Nick Richards both on NBA radars. Thus, the Wildcats will need to replenisth their frontcourt.
Calipari met Sunday with 6-11 Minnesota big man Zeke Nnaji, who is also planning to visit Kentucky. Kentucky remains involved for several other elite big men, including James Wiseman and Vernon Carey.
“I don’t know enough about the specific guys but when I talked to coach [Kentucky assistant Tony] Barbee, it sounded like they were going to lose the majority of their frontcourt players,” Lawrence Woodmere coach Jeff Weiss said previoulsy. “That’s what it sounded like when I spoke to him.”
Weiss said he compares Igiehon’s body type to a young Amar’e Stoudemire or Dwight Howard.
“His upside and his physicality is unbelievable,” he said. “He’s got muscles on top of muscles and he’s very athletic. He jumps, runs, really athletic and his skillset is is pretty good for a guy that size. He’s big and strong. I compare him physically to Dwight Howard and Amar’e Stoudemire when they came out of high school.
“I think Aidan’s upside his enormous and if you know him, he’s a wonderful kid,” Weiss said.
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