NCAA Basketball Recruiting: Impact of five-star Devin Askew going to Kentucky
What Kentucky does next with Askew on board
Technically speaking, Askew is the first and lone commit for Kentucky’s 2021 recruiting class. However, there have been strong murmurs regarding the five-star commit possibly moving up a year to the 2020 class, a move many top-tier players tend to make to speed the clock to go pro. A decision for this is expected in the Spring but if he has another big high school campaign, look for Askew to make the jump.
If that happens, he would join an already stacked 2020 class for the Wildcats. Currently ranked No. 2 overall, four other players that are top-50 overall are on board, led by five-star commits Terrence Clarke and BJ Boston. Both are natural shooting guards but at 6’6 and 6’7 respectively, they each can play on the wings while Askew can run the point if the trio comes together. Assuming Ashton Hagans goes pro after next year, there will be a need for a ball-handler in Lexington.
There is a thought that five-star combo guard Cade Cunningham could be that guy. Although conventional wisdom is that he picks Oklahoma State and his brother on the coaching staff, there’s noise that he could go elsewhere, including potentially Kentucky. Since he’s a top-5 overall prospect, the Wildcats have to make a legit run at him. But having now Askew and the possibility of him moving up a class is as great an ace in the hole as one can ask. So even if Cunningham opts for the Cowboys, after all, the Wildcats won’t be impacted as long as Askew does, in fact, move up.
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The 2019-20 NCAA Basketball season hasn’t even started, yet Kentucky has accomplished as much as they possibly could on the recruiting trail. The only thing left for them is to find a true center for the 2020 class, with several available for them to choose from. But even if Wildcat fans have to wait an extra 12 months to see him, it’ll be worth it to have a talent like Devin Askew.