I've Got Five On It: Must-win recruiting battles
Class of 2023 prospects are coming off the board at a steady rate, but many of the most in-demand prospects remain uncommitted. With so many prospects’ college futures starting to take shape, it’s the perfect time to look at some of the cycle’s most high-profile recruiting battles and the programs that need to win them most.
This week in I Got Five On It, Rivals.com’s Rob Cassidy examines five programs and the battles each must win down the stretch.
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Transfer Tracker: Latest news and what lies ahead
2022 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team | Position
2023 Rankings: Rivals150
2024 Rankings: Top 40
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KENTUCKY
Must get: DJ Wagner
The pressure Kentucky faces to land Wagner is multifold. First, the five-star guard is a priority target for the Wildcats and a prospect with whom head coach John Calipari has a deep relationship. UK has been in pursuit of the New Jersey-based prospect for years and was once seen as the clear frontrunner to land his pledge.
Secondly, the main competition is in-state rival Louisville, which jumped up Wagner’s list when Kenny Payne took over and hired assistant Nolan Smith away from Duke. There’s a certain faction of Wildcat fans that have loudly wondered if Calipari is still operating at the elite level he once did. Losing a top-flight prospect to Payne and Smith would amplify such groans.
Wagner isn’t a program-defining recruit for a place like Kentucky, but the way his decision fits into the current conversation surrounding UK’s future makes him more important than anyone on the board.
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KANSAS STATE
Must get: Layden Blocker
Kansas State has found itself mentioned in relation to a handful of high-profile prospects since former Baylor assistant Jerome Tang took over the program back in March, but the Wildcats have been unable to seal the deal with any of the highly ranked prospects on which they’ve kicked the tires. Eventually, consideration has to turn into commitments, and Blocker seems to represent the best chance of that happening.
The four-star guard has a longstanding relationship with Tang, who recruited the Arkansas native heavily during his time at Baylor. Blocker’s official visit to K-State is said to have gone well, and the Wildcats are expected to be among the finalists when decision day arrives.
Tang needs to land a splash recruit to announce the new era of K-State hoops, and Blocker would fill that role nicely. Blocker's talent is undeniable based on his body of work, so he would certainly help the Wildcats on the floor. The larger message his commitment would send, however, would be equally as important.
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MICHIGAN STATE
Must get: Xavier Booker
One of the biggest stock-risers of the spring, Booker’s relationship with Michigan State has started to blossom as his stock has soared. The Spartans were able to get Booker on campus almost immediately after Tom Izzo began to prioritize his live period games last month, which says plenty about the mutual interest between the parties.
There will be plenty of competition, sure. Louisville recently entered the fray and Indiana has long been seen as a serious threat. Snatching Booker away from the in-state Hoosiers would be a nice feather in the cap for the Spartans, who would also need to hold off Michigan to land the in-demand big.
Booker might be Izzo’s most important target of the cycle based on his skill set and the way he’s able to impact games in multiple ways.
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UCLA
Must get: Ron Holland
The work UCLA has poured into landing Holland is unmistakable. Bruins assistant Darren Savino has been tireless when it comes to his pursuit of the 6-foot-8 forward and has been a mainstay at his games during recent live periods and high school events. Holland has been on record saying he feels most comfortable with the UCLA staff and noted that it was helpful to see head coach Mick Cronin courtside at his games during last month’s EYBL sessions.
The parties seem so close, in fact, that losing him now would be a massive gut punch for Bruin fans. The recruiting losses that hurt the most are the ones into which you’ve dumped resources, and UCLA has spent plenty of time and money on Holland, who is also considering programs such as Arkansas, Memphis and Oregon. Kentucky is yet to offer but remains interested.
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OREGON
Must get: KJ Evans
Previously looked at as the heavy favorite to land Evans, Oregon shouldn’t feel as comfortable as it once did. Arizona’s decision to enter Evans’ recruitment is shaking things up, as Tommy Lloyd and company have quickly turned what once looked like a sure thing into a full-fledged battle. Lloyd has strong relationships with multiple members of Evans’ camp and has gone all-in on the forward’s recruitment since offering him a scholarship.
There’s still plenty of time to go, as Evans does not plan to make a decision until this fall at the earliest, but the Ducks would hate to lose the five-star down the stretch after positioning themselves so well in the early going.
Arizona, Indiana, Miami and Kentucky are also involved here but the Ducks and Wildcats seem to have separated themselves a bit.