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Kentucky Basketball: Breaking down the 2018 recruiting class

By Lukas Harkins

LEXINGTON, KY - NOVEMBER 10: John Calipari the head coach of the Kentucky Wildcats gives instructions to his team against the Utah Valley Wolverines at Rupp Arena on November 10, 2017 in Lexington, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
LEXINGTON, KY - NOVEMBER 10: John Calipari the head coach of the Kentucky Wildcats gives instructions to his team against the Utah Valley Wolverines at Rupp Arena on November 10, 2017 in Lexington, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /
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LEXINGTON, KY – NOVEMBER 10: John Calipari gives instructions. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
LEXINGTON, KY – NOVEMBER 10: John Calipari gives instructions. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /

As per usual, Kentucky basketball is bringing in one of the best recruiting classes in the country. What can each incoming freshman bring to the table?

It is no secret that Kentucky basketball is one of the best recruiting programs in the country. Year in and year out, head coach John Calipari brings in some of the best high school players from around the country. No matter where they are from, the recruiting phenom of a head coach will find a way to bring someone to campus if the program is interested. When looking at Coach Cal’s incoming 2018 class, it is clear that he once again was extremely successful.

The class comes in at No. 2 in the country (only Duke is ahead), marking the 11th consecutive season in which Kentucky is bringing in a class ranked in the top-2. This extended run of success has led to the Wildcats consistently being one of the top teams in the country. Of course, these highly-rated recruiting classes also yield a ton of roster turnover every offseason due to players departing for the NBA. While this does mean that Coach Cal’s teams are inexperienced compared to most other programs, for the most part this has not stopped his teams from being successful.

In fact, the program has reached the Final Four three times in the past seven years, cutting down the final nets on one occasion (2011-12). Could there be another championship coming soon? As of right now, it seems likely that the Wildcats will be one of two favorites to take home the title in 2018-19  (Kansas is the other). In addition to bringing in this highly-rated recruiting class, UK also returns a few players from last year and brings in the best grad transfer in the country. A true National Player of the Year contender, Reid Travis (from Stanford) will be the driving force of the team this year with his all-around play and senior leadership.

Still, the team cannot make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament without effective play from this 2018 recruiting class. So, without more introduction, let’s break down the five players joining UK for at least this coming season.

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