By ADAM ZAGORIA
TyTy Washington is headed to Big Blue Nation.
The 6-foot-3 point guard from Arizona Compass Prep (AZ) and Vegas Elite AAU committed to Kentucky on Wednesday night, choosing the Wildcats over Arizona, Kansas, Kentucky and LSU.
Washington is ranked the No. 3 point guard in the Class of 2021, per 247Sports.com. He averaged 23 points, 7 assists and 5 rebounds last season. He’s also projected as the No. 15 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, per ESPN.com.
“That’s a blue blood,” he recently told Rivals.com. “Coach [John Calipari] can put his resume next to anyone anywhere and it speaks for itself. He’s the best of the best. Growing up watching Kentucky, I’ve always liked how he uses his guards and the freedom he gives them to play their game.”
.@tytywashington3, who is ESPN's No. 12 overall recruit in the 2021 class, has committed to @KentuckyMBB, per @PaulBiancardi.
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) May 13, 2021
(🎥:: @theballdawgs) pic.twitter.com/Y7TPdoBxJk
Kentucky is notably lacking a point guard for next season, and Washington can slide in and take the job.
“He’s going to start right away and play high-level minutes,” Compass Prep program director Pete Kaffey told ZAGSBLOG.
“He’s going to bring that winning culture. He’s a kid that’s going to get his teammates better, a feverish competitor that is going to step in day one and be impactful.”
Kentucky, of course, is also recruiting Georgia transfer Sahvir Wheeler, who is down to a final four of Kansas, Kentucky, LSU and Oklahoma State.
“I do know that they do not have a point guard on their roster and I do know that they are also recruiting TyTy Washington,” Wheeler told ZAGSBLOG last week.
“All these schools have been very transparent as far as who’s on their roster and who they’re recruiting. I’m fine with how all of it plays out. If I commit there and TyTy goes there, that’s fine. I don’t think his decision will impact me too much but I know what I’m capable of what I bring to every team and I know the coaches that are recruiting me, they know what I bring to a team as well and to help win and also help elevate my game to get to that next level.”
Washington joins power forward Bryce Hopkins and big man Daimion Collins in Kentucky’s 2021 haul.
The Wildcats also added three transfers: Guard CJ Fredrick (Iowa), forward Oscar Tshiebwe, (West Virginia), and former Davidson guard Kellan Grady, a graduate transfer who announced his decision in late March.
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