It has not been a brutal week for Kentucky basketball recruiting — and coach John Calipari and UK fans are not used to that.
First, Kentucky lost Kennedy Chandler, the top point guard in the 2021 recruiting class, to Tennessee. Then on Thursday Paolo Banchero, the No 2 rated player in the 2021 class and considered a UK lean by many, verbally committed to Duke.
That’s two big hits for UK recruiting and likely will mean a scholarship offer should be coming for former Louisville commit Bryce Hopkins, a 6-7 forward who is a top 40 player in the 2021 class.
Rivals.com recruiting writer David Sisk has already predicted Sisk will pick Kentucky and likes a lot about his game.
“Hopkins has one of the best mid-range games I’ve seen. He can discard a defender with his physicality and also go over them. He has great touch from that area as well,” Sisk said.
College coaches and recruiting analysts like his physical play that allows him to score inside and at times overpower opponents. Many describe him as a point forward because of his ball handling and passing skills.
“When Bryce Hopkins has his motor going he gets to a different level,” Sisk said. “He has the size, strength, length and good feet to be a stud on the boards in college.”
