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Big Week for the University of Kentucky

Lexington, Ky- The biggest week recruiting-wise for the University of Kentucky in recently memory ended with a bang today as KC Ross-Miller verbally committed to the Wildcats.

The 6’1 Miller is one of just a handful of class of 2010 players that are competing in the 17U divisions of the summer circuit.  He plays point guard for Team Texas where he is teammates with 6’0 Rotnei Clarke and 6’4 Willie Warren- two of UK’s biggest targets in rising-senior class.

Miller said that he was “blown away” by his visit to Kentucky’s campus this week where he met with the coaching staff, played in pickup games with current UK players, and toured the new practice facility in addition to Rupp Arena, the Kentucky Basketball Museum and the Wildcat Lodge.

Miller is the second big-time player out of the 2010 class to make an early pledge to Kentucky as 6’8 Dakota Euton of Rose Hill, Ky committed last month.

Since Billy Gillispie took over as head coach in early April he has earned a reputation as the nation’s hardest working recruiter.  In just his first week on the job, Gillispie received a verbal commitment from top-25 rising junior GJ Vilarino and followed that up by adding Patrick Patterson and Alex Legion to the ‘07 recruiting class before recently securing three more important commitments with 2008 star DeAndre Liggins and 2010 phenoms KC Miller and Dakota Euton.

University of Kentucky: Week in Review

DeAndre Liggins 6’6 Point Forward Wolfeboro (NH) Brewster Academy 2008- Liggins became Kentucky’s first recruit from the class of 2008 when he committed to the Cats on Wednesday.

KC Miller 6‘1 PG De Soto (TX) God‘s Academy 2010- Miller arrived in Lexington on Friday night in time to watch the current Kentucky players in a pickup game; takes a tour of the facilities that night; matches up against Jodie Meeks in a pickup game on Saturday; visits Rupp Arena; and on Sunday becomes the second player in the class of 2010 to commit.

Rotnei Clarke 6‘0 CG Claremore (OK) Verdigris 2008- Clarke was on campus most of the week and was also “blown away” by his experience; On Saturday, his father, Conley Clarke, told KentuckySportsRadio.com that “Well you know if it wasn’t for his mother and dad, the way he sounds (a college decision) would maybe have already happened this weekend.”

Trae Golden 6'2 SG Powder Springs (GA) 2010- Golden attended Rick Bolus’ High Potential Blue Chip Camp at Georgetown College where he earned camp-MVP; he also visited Kentucky and said that it was “hard for him not to commit” and that he “loves the coaches”.

Andre Clark 6‘10 C North Little Rock (AR) 2007/2008- It is unclear if Clark will receive the qualifying SAT score necessary to keep his class of 2007 status, but whether it’s as a late addition to the ‘07 class or as a 2008 prospect, Clark is being heavily courted by UK and he is another player that was on campus this week.

Mike Jones 6'6 SF Hopkins (SC) 2006- This highly touted class of 2006 prospect that spent a semester at Syracuse before heading to South Carolina and later parted ways with that program is now being recruited by Kentucky and made a visit over the weekend.  He is reportedly enrolled at Indian Hills Junior College in Iowa.

Leonard Washington 6‘6 Lake Charles (LA) 2007- We first heard rumblings two weeks ago that Kentucky will try to add Washington to their 2007 recruiting class, and it’s looking more-and-more like this could happen (as early as Monday) as Washington has also reported that his visit went great.

Jacob Jenkins 6’4 SG Louisville (KY) Dupont Manual 2009- Although Jenkins hasn’t been offered by Kentucky, he was among the recruits that visited over the weekend.  It’s obvious that the UK staff is on top of the in-state kids as Jenkins is widely considered one of the top rising juniors in the Bluegrass. 

Others that Kentucky is heavily involved with include 6’4 Willie Warren (Mouth of Wilson, VA, Oak Hill), 6’6 Darius Miller (Maysville, Ky, Mason County), 6’8 JaMychal Green (Montgomery, AL, St. Jude), 7’0 Tyler Zeller (Washington, IN), and 6’8 Olek Czyz (Reno, NV).

Nathan@HoopsReport.com