International forward taking trips
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One thing is for sure: Power forward Tai Wynyard, who took a 12-hour flight from his home in New Zealand to visit several colleges, is maximizing his time in the United States. A touted international prospect in the class of 2016, Wynyard is in the midst of taking visits to Kentucky, Texas and Villanova in the span of a week.
Standing 6-foot-9 and weighing in around 230 pounds, Wynyard is a low post prospect who has generated buzz of late.
"What I do well is probably my post game, it is getting pretty good," Wynyard told Rivals.com "People say how strong I am and that's probably one of the up points of my game. I'm working on my shot now and I have a pretty good mid-range going now. Pick and roll, I'm also pretty good."
While Wynyard feels good about his low post game, there are areas in which he would like to improve.
"Probably my agility so I can keep up with the players," said Wynyard. "I'm there but I'd like to be quicker so I can bounce around and get up and down the court a little faster."
Wynyard's first college trip was to Lexington to visit John Calipari and the Big Blue Nation.
"I haven't been to game in the States before so it was a massive new experience for me and it was pretty fun," said Wynyard.
The interest from Kentucky came about after they heard of his play overseas.
"I went to Nike All Asia camp and got the MVP of camp," said Wynyard. "(Nike Director of International Basketball) George Raveling saw me there and he said he liked my game and how I work and he contacted Kentucky and some other schools and they came after me. Then I got invited to the Jordan Brand Classic."
During the visit to Lexington, Calipari compared Wynyard to one of his current players.
"He wants to mold me into a three-four swingman and a guy that can bang in the post as well," said Wynyard. "Kind of like Trey Lyles. I had a conversation with (Lyles). I had a talk with other guys about what I would want to do at Kentucky."
After the UK visit wrapped up early in the week, Wynyard was off to Philadelphia to check in with Jay Wright's program.
"It was a lot different," said Wynyard. "They seemed a lot like a normal college, they aren't separate. Where you know at Kentucky they have their own little lodge and do their own things and their focus is basketball. Villanova is more about school because it is almost an Ivy League type school."
Though when it came to recruiting approach, Villanova had a similar message to Kentucky.
"They are pretty much the same (as Kentucky), said Wynyard. "He had generally the same ideas and it isn't really different from coaching me. It's just the area and atmosphere is different."
Friday, Wynyard made his way to Austin. He's currently visiting with Rick Barnes and the Longhorns.
"I don't really know anything about it," said Wynard of Texas. "I know that it is pretty hot in the summers. I will probably just ask the same questions.
"I will ask how their football team impacts them and do they have the same support for their football team as they do their basketball team. And strength and conditioning, that's the main one."
Currently, Wynyard is considered a member of the class of 2016. However, there is a good chance that he could reclassify and come to the States as a member of the class of 2015.
No specific timeframe for a decision has been set and Wynyard hasn't ruled out making another trip to check out a few more schools.
"I'm thinking about coming back and visiting Virginia," said Wynyard. "I'm not very sure. I will talk about it with my parents.
"Or maybe somewhere on the West Coast because I haven't been there and I'd like to maybe experience another college."
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