Daimion Collins (USA Basketball Photo)
As Kentucky awaits the college choices by Bryce Hopkins and Skyy Clark this week, another key recruiting target for coach John Calipari remains 6-9, 210-pound Texas power forward Daimion Collins. He has narrowed his college list to Kansas, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Texas and Texas Tech. He’s a consensus top 20 national recruit and is considered an elite player with his ability to block shots or score in the paint. He’s also seen as a likely Texas or Oklahoma signee by most national recruiting analysts.
One edge Kentucky hopes it has is recently hired assistant coach Jai Lucas, who came to UK after being on the Texas staff. However, Atlanta (Texas) High School coach Jarrod Boston says there’s another Lucas connection that might be more helpful to Kentucky.
“Daimion’s dad, Ben, has a real good relationship with Jai’s dad, John,” Boston said. “They talk a little bit and he uses him as a resource and mentor to help him through (recruiting).
“Daimion likes Jai, too. He was always good to him but he also really liked Texas and not just for Jai. When he was a freshman I asked him where he would go to college and he said Texas. That’s the one (college) he has heard about and seen the most, but that could easily change. He has great choices to make.
“Kansas and Kentucky are the ticket to get looked at in the NBA and the other three (schools) he could step in and really help and show off his stuff. He can’t go wrong.”
