Q&A with top-10 junior Devin Askew
Devin Askew is one of the more talked about juniors in America and the top point guard prospect in the 2021 class. The five-star guard visited Arizona, Kentucky and Memphis all within the past two weeks and is not far off making his college decision.
The idea of a reclassification into the 2020 class has often been broached with Askew. Either way, the nation’s elite have come to covet his all-encompassing abilities and see him as a game-changer at the lead guard position.
Before settling in for another run at a USA Basketball Mini-Camp this weekend, we sat down with Askew and discussed such topics as what each of his finalists have to offer, when he might decide, if he will take another visit before doing so, and if he will reclassify or not.
Corey Evans (CE): Let’s start out with your recent visit to Arizona. How was that for you?
Devin Askew (DA): The visit there was cool, it was really cool. I liked it out there. It was a good environment and the coaches are cool out there. I am a little worried about the investigation with them, though.
CE: What has Sean Miller said about all of that? Has he talked to you about it?
DA: Yeah, he has just tried to sell that he is going to be fine through all of that and that he isn’t going to be going anywhere and all of that, basically.
CE: Has he discussed some of the Mater Dei and the West Coast connection there at Arizona? Does he bring it up at all?
DA: Yeah, he mainly brings it up about West Coast kids like the Stanley Johnsons and that it is basically home away from home. A lot of those kids from the West Coast have gone there.
CE: You went to Memphis next? I heard that it opened your eyes a little bit?
DA: Memphis, it was really cool. I like Penny (Hardaway) and Cody (Toppert), and all of them. It was really cool. Mike Miller and the game, it was really cool.
CE: What impressed you the greatest with those guys?
DA: Just having NBA personnel, it was cool. They’re all experienced playing in the NBA and at the highest level and they know all that it takes to get there. That was what I liked most about it.
CE: The next day, you went to Kentucky. How was that?
DA: That was wild. I liked it a lot out there.
CE: What has been the consistent pitch with you from them?
DA: Cal (John Calipari), and really, the whole coaching staff has really liked and loved me as a player and it is more than a want, but rather, it is a need for a point guard and I like it over there.
CE: Have you spoken with BJ Boston or Terrence Clarke about it all?
DA: I haven’t really talked to them about it all because I don’t want to give anything away.
CE: What has Cal said about what year he would take you in? Does it matter to him?
DA: No, it doesn’t matter at all?
CE: Beforehand, you visited Louisville. How was that for you?
DA: I liked it a lot at Louisville. Everyone was really cool and you can tell that it is really family oriented. I like it a lot over there.
CE: What has been their direct pitch to you? I believe their first two years they have taken a grad-transfer to fill their point guard need.
DA: Just that I would be their first real point guard recruit in their eyes. Someone that is atop of their priority list and someone that is not a grad-transfer and someone that they have been recruiting and have had their eyes on.
CE: Decision time, do you have a time in mind yet?
DA: I don’t. Not yet.
CE: Is it still going to be within the next few weeks?
DA: I think so, I am still thinking about it. I don’t know yet, though.
CE: Do you want to visit anywhere else before you decide?
DA: I don’t know, I am thinking about going back out to Memphis officially, but I don’t know if I have enough time before I decide.
CE: Reclassifying, where is your head at with that?
DA: I am not too sure. I am going to decide that toward the end of the season. That is when I will decide.