Kentucky adds Rivals150 scorer Dontaie Allen

Kentucky quickly recalibrated its 2019 class with the commitment of Dontaie Allen. A four-star wing and the top prospect from the state, Allen gave his verbal commitment to the Wildcats following his visit to campus on Wednesday.

Allen became a much-talked-about name during the spring, but it wasn’t until the July evaluation periods that his recruitment really took off. Louisville, Florida and Texas were among the few that offered, joining Vanderbilt, Xavier and West Virginia as the top contenders for his commitment. However, upon his visit to Lexington, followed up by an offer from the Wildcats, the pledge became that much easier for Allen.

What made the Allen commitment so swift? A native of the state, Allen is among the group that has a certain affinity for the program.

“Growing up in Kentucky, you just have to be a Kentucky fan, so I have been a fan of them my entire life,” he told Rivals.com.

Allen is not just someone that John Calipari took to keep the locals happy. Rather, he is a good-sized shot maker who could have been have helped silence some of the questions regarding last year’s team, which failed to consistently make shots. During his time at the Under Armour Challenge last month, he led all scorers at over 26 points per game while displaying a polished skill set that should translate well to the college level.

The four-star wing becomes Kentucky’s second commitment in the 2019 class, joining five-star guard Tyrese Maxey. The Wildcats were hit with the decommitment of top-50 wing DJ Jeffries earlier this week, but Allen’s abilities might be better suited for Kentucky’s needs, thanks to his efficient scoring skills. UK may not be done this week as they will host five-star wing Kahlil Whitney for an official visit on Friday, and they are thought to be the heavy favorite for his services.