NCAA Basketball Recruiting: Jalen Green to visit Kentucky along with 2 others

Five-star NCAA Basketball prospect Jalen Green plans on taking three upcoming visits in the near future.

Consensus top-five 2020 NCAA Basketball prospect Jalen Green, who made Team USA’s U19 12-man squad on Thursday, told Jacob Polacheck of ZAGSBLOG that he is planning to take visits to Arizona, Oregon, and Kentucky. No dates have been set for the visits.

Green has already taken official visits to Florida State and Memphis. While the 6-5 combo guard has not disclosed a finalist list, he did tell Polacheck what his deciding factors will be when he chooses a school.

"“I want a coach that is going to keep it real. I might want to go back and finish school. I want to be able to handle the ball and take a leader role.”"

This is the third USA team that the  2018 FIBA U17 World Cup MVP has been part of. He has two gold medals as a member of the U17 and U16 teams. This past season, he was named the 2019 All-USA Today California Boys Basketball Player of the Year after averaging who averaged 27.9 points, 7.7 rebounds and 2.8 assists for San Joaquin Memorial. Green is the all-time leading scorer at Memorial but will finish his prep career at Prolific Prep.

The Fresno (Calif.) native is a good athlete who thrives with the basketball in his hands. He is able to create his own shot and make plays for others. Green can score from all three levels and possesses a soft touch while having the capability to knock down a shot equally as well off the dribble as off of the catch from mid-range and long distance. However, the 17-year-old still needs to develop physically and improve his left hand.

Green is ranked as the second-best prospect in the 2020 class by ESPN and 247Sports Composite. Rivals have him rated as the third-best prospect while 247Sports has him at No. 4 in the country.

There is no timetable for Green’s decision. He holds at least 19 offers and Memphis is currently an overwhelming favorite to land his services although we shall see. Oregon, UCLA, Kentucky, Kansas, and Florida State is also pursuing him hard.

Sharife Cooper’s recruiting wide open

Cooper is a top-five point guard in the 2020 class and a consensus top 21 player overall. While it is believed that Auburn and Kentucky are primary favorites for the 6-foot point, he recently said his recruitment is “wide open.”

“I’m wide open right now,” Cooper told ZAGSBLOG’s Jacob Polacheck. “I’m just taking it in from a lot of coaches.”

Even though the Marrietta (GA) native failed to make the USA Basketball U19 team, the experience did prove to be fruitful as Kentucky coach John Calipari along with assistant Joel Justus were able to watch him a different setting as both were on hand for the team’s training camp on Sunday. Cooper, who has made an official visit to Auburn already, is planning to take an official visit to Kentucky in the near future.

Other recruiting tidbits

• Former Monmouth guard Nick Rutherford transferred to St. John’s on Tuesday. He is eligible to play immediately as a grad transfer and is expected to compete for the Red Storm.
• Both Saint Louis and UMKC offered 2022 6-8 PF/C Tarris Reed Jr. a scholarship on Friday. Reed averaged  5.2 points and 5.2 rebounds in 25 appearances for Chaminade (MO.) High School. It is the first offers that the sophomore has received.
• 2020 shooting guard Devin Carter (Doral, FL) picked up an offer from Georgia Tech on June 21. Carter averaged 26.5 points, 5.9 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 2.1 steals as a junior last season. He now holds six offers with VCU, Northern Arizona, Flordia Atlantic, Richmond, and FIU being the other programs to offer him.