GALLOWAY, N.J. — Andrew Wiggins and Xavier Rathan-Mayes aren’t playing together here this week at Live in AC.
But could they end up going together to Kentucky?
“Definitely,” the 6-foot-4 Rathan-Mayes of CIA Bounce told SNY.tv at Stockton College. “We’ve always wanted to play together since we were young and go to school together so that’s definitely a possibility.”
That possibility became a little more realistic when Wildcats coach John Calipari called Rathan-Mayes on Wednesday to express his interest.
“Coach Cal actually called me [Wednesday],” Rathan-Mayes said. “[He said] that he’s looking forward to seeing me when I go down to school [Huntington Prep in West Va]. They are about an hour and a half from the school, so he wants me to come up and see him and the guys.
“It’s pretty good to have Coach Cal call you.”
A deadly 3-point shooter, Rathan-Mayes forms the core of CIA Bounce along with Wiggins and point guard Tyler Ennis. He averaged 15.4 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists last season at Huntington Prep playing alongside Wiggins.
“The kid can score,” Bounce coach Tony McIntyre told SNY.tv. “He can shoot the ball. I think getting into a college sysem will help him with his endurance and his training. There’s no flaw in his game right now. He can straight up score so I don’t see any head coach not wanting a kid like that.
Rathan-Mayes listed offers from Florida State, Florida, Illinois, UConn, Baylor, Kansas, UCLA and Alabama.
“I’ll cut [my list] down right after summer is done,” Rathan-Mayes said.
Florida State coach Leonard Hamilton was here Wednesday night to watch Rathan-Mayes, but apparently did not get the memo that Wiggins is home in Toronto resting.
“Everybody has to step up a little bit [without him],” Rathan-Mayes said of Wiggins. “Tyler and I mostly gotta step up and take his scoring load on a little bit more. But I feel we’ve been doing a pretty good job.”
Kentucky and Florida State are recruiting both Wiggins and Rathan-Mayes, and figure to be in both players’ final lists.
Wiggins is currently Class of 2014, but could reclassify to 2013 and join Rathan-Mayes at one of those schools.
“It’s going to come down to where he’s going to play and play a lot as well,” McIntyre said of Rathan-Mayes. “It’s nice to have [Kentucky interest] but if he isn’t going to go in there and play a major role, he can do that on probably every other team.”
MuchLuck / July 26, 2012
Sure sounds like they’re not interested in college….
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dixiebullfrog / July 26, 2012
Wake-up kid! Either FSU or UK, you’re being used to get Wiggins. If Harrisons show up, you’ll be coming off the bench guaranteed.
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KingCal8 / July 26, 2012
You need to wake up. Big time players care about getting to the NBA and Kentucky is the most appealing situation. Win a national title, be a top 5 draft pick and live happily ever after.
It just tears other fans up that Calipari and Kentucky have become the hottest program in the country.
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Sinemax / July 27, 2012
He would not be a top 5 pick though. It’s not just the Harrison twins but also James Young, who is a lock. This kid won’t get a offer, bff or not.
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BostonCat / July 27, 2012
i agree…i doubt he gets an offer. cal doesn’t really need to pull stuff like that. look at self…he needs too. why do you think troy williams is getting a ton of ku interest all of a sudden? because they are trailing big time with barber. its so obvious….players know how to play self and other coaches.
but with cal its different. what he told mayes is no different then what he tells about 40 guys a year. “i’m watching you to see how you progress”. keep the door open with as many guys as you can, just in case. but its becoming more and more clear to these top, elite players that when cal comes at you with an offer, you better take it….its your ticket to accomplishing your dream. go somewhere else….you just add more risk to your future.
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RcKchalk12 / July 27, 2012
Lamb and Jones could have done a lot more somewhere else. these guys that are getting drafted high out of UK are top 5 recruits. theyre destined for greatness where ever they go
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UofA BJ / July 27, 2012
I agree with most of that Boston cat. UK is the new top dog since calipari’s arrival.It’s going to be tough to win every year with new players tho. I honestly think this years UK team will have more problems than any UK calipari yet. But they have great freshman talent in Noel, poythress, and Goodwin, but how great?
Depth will b a big issue.
Harrow
Goodwin
Poythress
Wiltjer
Noel
I’m interested to know about the bench?
Seriously who else is on this team besides Cauley who isn’t ready.
That’s a hell of a starting 5. But they can’t all play forty minutes.
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BlueCat32 / July 27, 2012
Wasn’t Austin Rivers the #1 high school-er going into college last year?
Where in the draft did he go?
Wasn’t top 5,was he?
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BlueCat32 / July 27, 2012
http://rivals.yahoo.com/basketballrecruiting/basketball/recruiting/rankings/rank-rivals150/2011
1 Rivers
2 Davis
3 Kid Gilly
4 Beal
etc,
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kentuckymortgage / July 27, 2012
Wiggins and Harrison Twins and we are set at Kentucky. Rollin in the Bluegrass
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BostonCat / July 27, 2012
cal will never have depth at uk because how he recruits. cal has 5 starting spots to sell to elite players, even a 6th man can get starter minutes. after that it becomes more difficult. elite guys don’t want to sit the bench and guys ranked 40-100 don’t really want to come because they know cal is going to keep bringing in top 10 guys at their position…so when do they play?
but cal hasn’t had depth in his 3 season at uk and it really hasn’t been an issue. he plays his best guys as much as he can. this year will be a lot like 2010….struggle a bit, especially on the road, but come NCAAT time teams won’t want to play uk. uk has 3 lottery picks in its starting roster, no one else does. plus its also going to be a terrible year for college hoops. so the starters and bench don’t need to be that good.
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RcKchalk12 / July 27, 2012
Rivers was a lottery at 10 so I’d say he’s doin well. I also said top 5 recruit not drafted top 5
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BostonCat / July 27, 2012
quincy miller was #4 on scout, went #38
sullinger was #4 on scout, went #21
selby was #5 on scout, went #49
perry jones was #9 on scout, went #28
henson was #4 on scout, went #14 after 3 years
smardo samules was #2 on scout, went undrafted
scotty hopson was #7 on scout, went undrafted
plus top level, elite players coming out of high school that are still in college after 2 or 3 seasons like boynton, leslie, nash, adonis thomas, patric young, etc.
the “he is a lottery pick where ever he goes” argument simply does not hold water. the coach you play for and the system you play in matters a great deal. find a good match and you can shine and have your dreams come true. make a poor decision and senior night might be the highlight of your life/career.
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mikemiller13 / July 27, 2012
well said boston, sorta. ” make a poor decision and senior night might be the highlight of your life/career?” wowwwwwwwwwww. is this what cal is telling these recruits and parents?
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BostonCat / July 27, 2012
cal doesn’t have to tell these kids anything. in fact…cal down plays uk because after putting every start and 6th man into the NBA….some think they can just show up.
but if you think elite kids coming out of high schools have visions of SR night in college…..you are very, very out of touch with reality.
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BlueCat32 / July 27, 2012
RcKchalk12
July 27, 2012, 10:07AM at 10:07 am #
Rivers was a lottery at 10 so I’d say he’s doin well. I also said top 5 recruit not drafted top 5
Fair enough..
BostonCat explained what I meant better than I did,He was spot on.
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RcKchalk12 / July 27, 2012
he had a good list but the list of top high school players drafted high would be even bigger so there really is no argument. the only thing these players need is for themselves to work hard
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BlueCat32 / July 28, 2012
And they are working hard for coach cal.As a longtime fan of UK,I’m loving every minute..
Go Cats!
“Just a matter of time before we hang number nine”
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mikemiller13 / July 28, 2012
boston, no need to explain. it went well over your head. a degree and senior night is a “poor decision.” well said sir?
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BostonCat / July 28, 2012
whats that degree in? you probably never went to college so you are probably under the assumption that “sports management” is actually worth something. and if you think these kids are thinking about getting their degree as a primary goal…again, shows how out of touch you are. you want to pretend that this stuff actually matters….cool. i dont care.
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UofA BJ / July 28, 2012
Lol, mikes a douche, he’s one of those guys that disagrees with everything anyone says, even tho he doesn’t believe it.
You are telling me you would rather have a degree, then be a lottery pick?
What a scholar you are mike miller.
I agree BC, only thing mike has a degree in is bullshit.
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mikemiller13 / July 31, 2012
2 years at ku, 2 at wsu boston. currently work in a field that you wouldn’t be able to last 1 day in. if a degree, and a senior night is a poor decision, i must be out of touch with life and society. that is pretty cool, dude.
as for u, keep being that guy trying extremely hard to fit in. ” i agree boston.” you’re the true definition of a captain. i will anxiously be awaiting your gypsy predictions during the 2013 offseason. always remember, ua > uk, ku, unc, duke april through november. i got it brother
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