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  • Calipari eyeing top 2017 recruit DeAndre Ayton

    by
    Darrell KSR
    Published on 04-18-2016 02:17 AM
    4 Comments Comments
    By LARRY VAUGHT

    Seven-footer DeAndre Ayton of Hillcrest Academy in Phoenix is the top-rated player in the 2017 recruiting class and despite some recent speculation that he might be thinking about playing overseas a year instead of going to college before turning pro, he told me back in January at the McCracken County Mustang Madness that was not the case.

    "I'm going to college. My mom wants me to go to college and that it's a must. I do not want to go overseas and she does not want me to do that," Ayton said. "I' am going to take risks with my career just to get to the pros a little quicker."

    He wasn't sure then what his offseason plans would be but he's playing in Nike's EYBL on a California team to give recruiters even more chances to watch him play. For months it has seemed that Kentucky, Arizona, Duke, UCLA and Kansas are his top schools, but he has said for months that he won't limit his list until the summer and then set his college visits.

    Kentucky coach John Calipari watched him play over the weekend.

    "I don't have any favorite. I am just looking at programs and seeing who came out of programs and how they did. Anthony Davis at Kentucky, Thomas Robinson was a dog at Kansas and I am still looking at Jahlil Okafor (of Duke) and how he uses his body. I have not really studied John Calipari. They say he is a good coach. The relationship with me and the coach is the big thing I am looking at," Ayton told me after playing in Somerset in February.
    1. Categories:
    2. Basketball Recruiting
    Comments 4 Comments
    1. kingcat's Avatar
      kingcat - 04-18-2016, 11:45 AM
      Quote Originally Posted by Darrell KSR View Post
      By LARRY VAUGHT


      "I don't have any favorite. I am just looking at programs and seeing who came out of programs and how they did. Anthony Davis at Kentucky, Thomas Robinson was a dog at Kansas and I am still looking at Jahlil Okafor (of Duke) and how he uses his body. I have not really studied John Calipari. They say he is a good coach. The relationship with me and the coach is the big thing I am looking at," Ayton told me after playing in Somerset in February.
      Odd that you don't know so little about Cal, "dog"

    1. Rock Hard Ten's Avatar
      Rock Hard Ten - 04-18-2016, 11:58 AM
      Imagine a young man being inundated with these types of reporter inquiries…..by the time one gets to the 4 or 5th sentence, it likely becomes somewhat of a blur as to what he has just said….having just completed many other conversations in the past 30 minutes…….combined with being desirous of "keeping his cards close to his vest" during all of the conversations.

      Have to place a huge * on most of these types of interactions, imho
    1. Darrell KSR's Avatar
      Darrell KSR - 04-18-2016, 12:16 PM
      Yessir. Very astute.


      Quote Originally Posted by Rock Hard Ten View Post
      Imagine a young man being inundated with these types of reporter inquiries…..by the time one gets to the 4 or 5th sentence, it likely becomes somewhat of a blur as to what he has just said….having just completed many other conversations in the past 30 minutes…….combined with being desirous of "keeping his cards close to his vest" during all of the conversations.

      Have to place a huge * on most of these types of interactions, imho
    1. Padukacat's Avatar
      Padukacat - 04-18-2016, 12:46 PM
      I may be wrong but Ayton has the look and acts like a fella that won't choose based on which institution is best for him academically. I know few of them do worry a lot about school but Ayton really seems like a rocket scientist. Can't blame him I prob would quit studying in 3rd grade too if I was 7' tall and the best player in the country.

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