It’s been a wild two weeks on the basketball recruiting track in Kentucky, and that’s putting the light on.
In the span of nine days, Kennedy Chandler committed for Tennessee, Paolo Banchero shockingly grabbed Duke, Kentucky bit a few recruits in Hunter Sallis and Bryce Hopkins, while Nolan Hickman came out of nowhere to pick the Wildcats.
You probably have not heard of Hickman prior to Saturday’s surprise promise to Kentucky, but this is a recruiting that the Wildcats were apparently heavily involved in dating to this past spring.
That was when Hickman, playing for the then Eastside Catholic (WA) (since being transferred to Wasatch Academy in Utah), dropped 36 points on Banchero’s O’Dea (WA) team in the Metro League semifinals tournament.
Why is this relevant?
That’s because Kentucky head coach John Calipari and assistant Tony Barbee were present … to see Banchero.
But Hickman was the star of the game, and that caught the eye of both Kentucky coaches enough that they began recruiting him about a month later.
Six months later, Hickman culminated in moving to Kentucky, just two days after Banchero started for Duke.
Apparently Hickman is not quite ready to throw in the towel to get Banchero to Lexington.
In an interview with Kyle Tucker of The Athletic, Hickman made it clear that he will still be in Banchero’s ear about collaborating with Kentucky.
Oh, and about that Banchero recruit: Maybe it’s not quite over yet.
‘You know, I’m working on it. That’s my husband, ”said Hickman. ‘We talk almost every day, so you know I’ll put Kentucky in his ear, of course. We’ll see what I can do. ”
There is an unwritten rule in college basketball that coaches do not recruit dedicated players. But in the case of recruits recruiting other recruits, all bets are off until a national letter of intent is signed.
I doubt Banchero will eventually flip to Kentucky, but it’s good to hear that Hickman is setting his sights high when it comes to recruiting 2021 players to join Lexington.
Be sure to read Tucker’s full piece for more insight into Hickman’s recruitment.
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