Ranking the Contenders: Travis Perry
Travis Perry, a 2024 scoring guard, has had a terrific junior season up to this point. He’s on pace to become the state of Kentucky’s all-time leading scorer by the time he graduates, and his ability to put the ball in the basket has caught the eyes of numerous college programs.
Perry isn’t looking to make an announcement anytime soon and still wants to visit some additional programs before cutting his list down. Upcoming visits could really impact the current list, and programs that are lower on the list are making big pushes and could climb the leaderboard in the coming months.
Today, Rivals.com national analyst Travis Graf ranks the contenders for the skilled junior guard as he enters postseason play.
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2023 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team | Position
2024 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team
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1. Purdue
Perry took unofficial visits to Purdue on back-to-back weekends in January as he watched a couple of matchups featuring the Boilermakers. He also took an official in September. Matt Painter and his staff have really made the four-star guard a priority. West Lafayette isn’t too far from Perry’s home state of Kentucky, so proximity works in Purdue's favor, also. Stylistically, the four-star guard is a fit in the Boilermakers' system.
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2. Indiana
The Hoosiers were the last team on this list to offer Perry, extending one on Jan. 13, but they’ve made their presence felt. They’ve been recruiting Perry long before the offer came, and ever since they’ve been making a huge push. Perry was on the Indiana campus twice last year, taking a visit in May and participating in the Hoosiers' team camp in June. Assistant coach Brian Walsh has been a key factor for the Hoosiers here, and he's a big reason they’re gaining significant traction.
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3. Missouri
Perry also took an unofficial visit to Missouri in January for its matchup with Iowa State, and the Tigers have done a great job of courting him in the recruiting process. Coach Dennis Gates loves Perry’s ability to shoot from the outside, and Perry really enjoys the freedom that Missouri’s guards play with. Assistant coach Kyle Smithpeters has taken the reins as the lead man in this recruitment, and he has made Perry feel wanted.
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4. Cincinnati
Cincinnati and head coach Wes Miller have done a great job of recruiting Perry and making him feel like a priority. They also have every Rivals FutureCast prediction currently for five-star big man Flory Bidunga, Perry’s running mate with Indiana Elite. There’s a chance that those two could opt to play together at the next level, and Cincinnati will be in the mix for both.
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5. Michigan
Perry took an official visit to Michigan back in the fall and really enjoyed his time there, hitting it off with the Wolverines’ head coach Juwan Howard. Perry is one of the focal points for Michigan in the 2024 recruiting cycle, and the Wolverines have really made inroads with the scoring guard throughout the process.
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6. Dark horses
Virginia is another school that has been making a push for Perry, and sources tell Rivals that Virginia is going to be one of the first official visits that the four-star guard looks at taking after the high school season is over.
Kentucky is in an interesting situation in this recruitment. Perry’s a home-state kid who will likely hang up his high school jersey for the last time as the all-time scoring leader in the state's high school history. However, the ‘Cats have really been keeping him warm more than making a significant push. If Kentucky really turns up the heat things could get interesting.
Western Kentucky has been recruiting Perry as long as any school and he would be the Hilltoppers’ crown jewel in the 2024 class. This is another school that will play up the in-state angle in addition to its long relationship and comfort level.