(USA Basketball Photo)
A month ago Rivals.com recruiting analyst Corey Evans noted that Kentucky was in the “pole position” for California guard Jalen Green, the No. 3 player in the 2020 recruiting class. Green has said UK was his “dream” school and UK assistant coach Joel Justus went to Greece this summer to watch him play for Team USA.
However, Evans also said then he thought it would be a “cat-and-mouse affair” between UK and Memphis. He wanted not to count on Memphis and coach Penny Hardaway.
Guess what? A month later Evans now says he “would be surprised if Memphis does not get Jalen Green.”
So what gives?
“That is just his opinion,” Rivals.com recruiting writer Krysten Peek said about Evans’ prediction.
However, she understands Evans’ reasoning.
“I think Memphis is a very, very strong contender for Jalen,” Peek said. “Kentucky has a million guards and they are not all leaving next year.”
She says Memphis assistant coach Mike Miller is the “recruiting king” after helping land a class last year that included No. 1 recruit James Wiseman and now being positioned to land Green.
“I do not know what he is telling kids, but he is really building relationships,” Peek said.
Green, who will play at the Marshall County Hoopfest in December and McCracken County Mustang Madness in January, has set a decision date for Dec. 25.
“The longer it goes on, the better chances Kentucky has. He is going to watch and look at what is going on this season before he makes his decision even though I am not sure it will go on all the way to Christmas,” Peek said.
