NCAA Basketball: Formerly injured players set for big impact in 2020-21

LOUISVILLE, KY - NOVEMBER 27: Head coach Tom Izzo of the Michigan State Spartans talks to Joshua Langford #1 during the ACC/Big Ten Challenge against the Louisville Cardinals at KFC YUM! Center on November 27, 2018 in Louisville, Kentucky. Louisville won 82-78 in overtime. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

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LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY – FEBRUARY 15: John Calipari the head coach of the Kentucky Wildcats (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /

Dontaie Allen – Kentucky

Amidst all the unknowns stemming from Dontaie Allen’s knee injury as a senior at Pendelton County High School, is the fact that the guy can play basketball and everybody knows it. Prior to being named 2019 Kentucky Mr. Basketball the 6’5 guard played in just thirteen games during his senior year. In those thirteen games, he averaged 42.9 points and 14.2 rebounds per game, then the aforementioned torn ACL in his left knee.

While the thirteen games might not have been enough for some outlets in the recruiting industry to rank the Falmouth, Ky native, as he did not appear on ESPN’s top 100, rivals.com listed him at No. 67 and 247sports placed him No. 91. His overall No. 92 in the Recruiting Services Consensus Index (RSCI) was clearly not a deterrent to Coach Calipari or the 21 other schools that offered him a scholarship.

Having scored 50 or more points in four of his first ten senior high school games, it was believed that Allen would become the second-highest scorer in Kentucky history. Allen may not have been able to get into game action for the Wildcats, but as indicated on the Kentucky Men’s Basketball website, Allen began practicing with the team in January.

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