RANKINGS: 2019 Rivals150 | 2019 Team rankings | 2019 Position rankings
We missed a few of your questions in #TwitterTuesday this week, but we wanted to circle back around to some of your other concerns in the recruiting world. In today’s Wednesday’s Leftovers, we address Kentucky’s situation at the small forward position, how Missouri adds to its 2019 class, the ongoing recruitment of Tre Mitchell and who the legitimate suitors are for Earl Timberlake.
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Despite Keion Brooks and Kahlil Whitney bringing similar size to the playing floor, there is not much of a chance that Brooks would cause Whitney to decommit. It should be noted that Whitney opted not to sign during the early period in November, which led to whispers that he could decide to look elsewhere. Just last month, though, he told Rivals.com that he plans on signing May 3 and that he is 100-percent committed to Kentucky.
Furthermore, while Brooks and Whitney do play the same position, each bring diverse skill sets to the playing floor. Both five-stars can slide up or down a position. John Calipari has been known for hoarding talent regardless of which position one would play and it would be safe to assume that he would love to jostle around the two five-star prospects into a variety of positions and roles next season in Lexington.
While there still is some work to be done on Kentucky’s front with Brooks, a commitment to UK will not prevent Whitney from heading to Lexington.
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I do not see it in the cards with Harlond Beverly. While Missouri has tracked the Rivals150 guard for the past year, Beverly has not included the Tigers on his college list in recent updates. Myron Gardner could be a potential addition, but it would seem that he is not in much of a rush to make a decision.
The best thing for Cuonzo Martin might be the grad-transfer route. Transfers have treated Mizzou well of late where, just last fall, it enrolled Dru Smith and Mark Smith. Getting old and staying old seems to be the way to go unless you’re built in the mold of Duke or Kentucky. Mizzou will have a budding group of underclassmen featuring Xavier Pinson, Javon Pickett, Torrence Watson, Tray Jackson and Mario McKinney next year; while Beverly or Gardner would infuse more talent into it, an older, more experienced, and already productive college prospect might be the avenue worth taking.
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Tre Mitchell has seen some of the top programs in the Northeast pick things up with him in recent weeks and rightfully so. Mitchell is one of the few remaining big man prospects in the 2019 class that should make for an immediate impact for a high-major program. He may reclassify to 2020, but it is likely that he will enroll in college in the fall.
Syracuse just jumped in with an offer. However, several others suitors remain in its way, including UConn as it hosted him for an official visit in the fall. The Huskies have needs in the frontcourt.
Others including Georgia Tech, Indiana, Providence, UMass and Virginia Tech have placed a priority on him. With three remaining official visits, expect for Mitchell to take a closer look at his college suitor list following his senior season, which would lead to a late signing.
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There is talk that Earl Timberlake could reclassify into the 2019 class, but speaking with the top-40 junior last week, he dispelled such notions as the majority of his attention remains on DeMatha Catholic's WCAC playoffs.
Beyond a possible move to 2019, the recruitment of Timberlake remains heated. He has taken one official visit, which was to Providence last fall. The Friars remain a heavy threat but to land his commitment, it will not come easy.
Pitt recently hosted Timberlake for an unofficial visit as the Panthers are definitely a contender, but so too is Cincinnati, Oklahoma State, Seton Hall, South Carolina and West Virginia. No other visits have been set, but expect Timberlake to be out and about this spring getting a grasp of those chasing him.
