One of the hottest names in recruiting right now is Kyle Cain.
The 6-foot-7 Cain is a multi-faceted forward who pulled out of his commitment to Rhode Island and is now considering West Virginia, Arizona State, Alabama and Illinois.
He’s headed on a visit to West Virginia this weekend.
“Yeah, I’m going to West Virginia this Sunday and Monday,” Cain said Friday by phone.
Cain likes West Virginia because head coach Bob Huggins has churned out a slew of NBA-caliber forwards, including Devin Ebanks and Da’Sean Butler from last year’s Final Four team.
While Ebanks and Butler are gone, the Mountaineers do bring back John Flowers and Mount Vernon, N.Y. native Kevin Jones. They also recently added 6-7 small forward Darrious Curry.
“Coach Huggins, he’s made a living off of guys like me, long athletic forwards that can play multiple [positions],” said Cain, who starred at T.F. North High School in Calumet City, Ill., before honing his game for a prep year at New Hampton (N.H.).
“One time, Coach Huggins had played all forwards and Da’Sean Butler was running the one, a 6-7 guy. So that’s pretty special to me. On top of that, Coach Huggins is a legendary coach.”
Cain said he no favorite right now, but seems high on Arizona State.
“I don’t have a favorite school right now, but the one that stands out the most is probably Arizona State because they need immediate help with the forward spot and the three spot,” he said.
“They don’t have that many forwards so it’s like if I go to Arizona State, there may be a chance of me starting there as a freshman.”
He has not visited the campus, but said “That’s something I’m looking forward to setting up.”
Cain said he will plan out his other visits once he returns from West Virginia.
One school Cain won’t be visiting is Kentucky.
Cain said head coach John Calipari was supposed to call him on Mother’s Day but “it never happened,” and then he subsequently heard from assistant Orlando Antigua.
“I was excited that Kentucky called me and I was like, ‘Yeah, wow, Kentucky,'” Cain said. “But Kentucky is a school that goes after All-Americans every year. They missed out on some guys so they’re coming for the best next thing. And I’m not an All-American, but they know that I can battle with All-Americans. So they called and wanted to try to get me on a visit.
“When Coach Huggins and them called me, I was like, OK I’m interested in them a lot. When Kentucky called me, I was excited, but at the same time, I’m like, Do I want to go to Kentucky and take a risk? It could be a good risk or a bad risk for me.
“I could go to Kentucky and I could play well for my first year and maybe have a chance of going to the NBA or I can go to Kentucky and have a bad year and be under the bus with the fans and the coaches, so it’s a risk that I have to take.”
Cain didn’t want to get into why he decommitted from Rhode Island, saying only, “There were some things that were supposed to happen that wasn’t going to happen so I was kind of unhappy and I asked for my letter of release. I have a tremendous amount of respect for Coach [Jim] Baron.”
Wherever Cain lands, he figures to be a matchup nightmare for opposing defenses.
“I’m known for having a high motor, known for being able to run the floor, block shots, rebound the ball, finish strong around the rim. But why I’m getting all this high-major attention right now is because I went to prep school and polished up my game a little bit more.
“I’m at the level where I’m becoming a matchup problem for players. I’m able to take players off the dribble now. I’m able to shoot wide-open mid-range jump shots. I’m working on my ball-handling, so I’m becoming a matchup problem for a lot of players. I’m a 6-7 guy, real athletic. It’s kind of hard to stick me because if you bring a bigger guy out on me, I’ll go past him and if you bring a smaller guy on me, I’ll take him in the post and post him up.”
(Photo courtesy RamReportCox-sports.com)
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bigpapijugg / May 14, 2010
UK is still in the hunt for TJ, and when UK hires Kenny Payne our chances increase significantly. Plus Eloy Vargas will be on campus and everyone expects him to accept an offer. Not a big fan of Miami-Dade transfers but we need depth. So all i am asking is..who cares if a Rhode Island de-commit doesnt like UK.
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Michael / May 14, 2010
Agreed. Get over yourself recruit
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razor ramone / May 14, 2010
If you don’t have confidence in yourself that you can handle playing at UK, it is wise to go elsewhere. These same pressures exist at any major school.
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ChicagoUK / May 14, 2010
I don’t think the same pressure exists at other schools – maybe UNC, but that is it. Just think about Brandon Knight – a top 5 player has one year to prove himself or he is coming off the bench behind Teague in 2011. That’s a lot of pressure… and Knight is a top-notch talent.
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TheFinger / May 14, 2010
#1 reason why people dislike uk – ignorant arrogance.
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bigpapijugg / May 14, 2010
if knight did come back he would NOT come off the bench. he is more of a 2 guard anyway. he would play along side teague. if you tell me he will play wall and bledsoe (both penetrating guards) and not teague and knight (one being drive guard and one being a spot up guard) then you my friend are ridiculous.
not trying to bash a fellow fan, but that was absurd. (even though this possibility will never happen because Knight is NBA bound after a year)
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bigpapijugg / May 14, 2010
would you care if a rhode island de-commit wasnt interested in your school. answer honestly. not arrogance, just saying who cares. i cared about TJ, CJ, and Thornton not being interested, but a Rhode Island de-commit.
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ChicagoUK / May 14, 2010
Teague is not going to be the only guard coming in.. Wroten/Rivers/Cook may be in the same class. My point is that Knight could go to any other school and get unlimited PT. That would not necessarily be the case at UK in his sophomore year.
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rbcat / May 14, 2010
TheFinger…
We have a reason to show arrogance. Enjoy the Video! Why would any recruit not want to come and be a part of Big Blue Nation! http://kentuckysportsradio.com/?p=51838
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tsmooth / May 14, 2010
I can guarantee you that Knight would not be on the bench behind Teague. The two can coexist. Remember Wall and Bledsoe? Just sayin’
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tsmooth / May 14, 2010
Key word there: MAYBE. Rivers is a Duke lean. A heavy Duke lean. He’s “looking” at UK. Wroten only listed UK after Gilly committed. Not too much of a relationship there. And Quinn, I just don’t like him that much. Hasn’t impressed me yet
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fearthephog25 / May 15, 2010
Maybe because they want to play on a team that has more experience and depth. And a better chance at winning a national title.
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Birdseat / May 15, 2010
Yes UK is arrogant, the hickseed fan to the flunked out player. With as many probations as fingers on a hand. Be proud of that past.
http://www2.kusports.com/news/2010/feb/13/kentucky-basketball-victories-tainted/
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blasphemy / May 15, 2010
And the retort to that article.
http://larrygloverlive.com/2010/02/17/kansas-writer-lives-in-fantasyland/
be even prouder of yours.
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blasphemy / May 15, 2010
I hear that blogging while hungover is very popular this time of year fearthephog25. A carry-over from your college days perhaps?
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fearthephog25 / May 15, 2010
blablablasphemy,
heard that one b4, you are becoming very repeatative nowadays. Don’t you have any new material?LOL Or does the cat got your tongue? haha
And Knight won’t be going back to anywhere, or to uk for that matter. Being that calipari is listening to what NBA teams are laying on the table. Waiting for some naive remarks……
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bigpapijugg / May 15, 2010
Kentucky just landed vargas. Just another recruit lost by mr. miller and AZ. Their fans will be on here soon to say they didnt need him because they have such a good team returning. So good that they almost made the tourney…..that is the NIT
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bigpapijugg / May 15, 2010
Cal wont leave til teague and gillie play. He’s prolly gone in 2012
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blasphemy / May 15, 2010
Ya, *****I’m****** the predictable one. That’s rich.
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azd / May 16, 2010
…fail
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