COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – James Wiseman has been a highly lauded and well-followed prospect for the past two years, but his time at the United States Basketball Trials this weekend showed just how much upside and talent that the Nashville native has in store. Arguably the top NBA prospect of the 54 participants in Colorado Springs, Wiseman’s recruitment is now at an all-time high, which has evolved into a blueblood affair.
A 6-foot-11 power forward sporting a 7-foot-5 wingspan, Wiseman is the ideal big man in today’s game. Capable of scoring from all three levels on the floor, the lefty has seen three name brand schools stand out.
“Kentucky, North Carolina and Kansas are the three schools that I am talking to the most,” he said.
IN HIS OWN WORDS
Kentucky: “They want me to come down for Big Blue Madness next week. They are just great. Coach (John) Calipari has a great tradition there. Hopefully I can join the team.
“I was very ecstatic about that offer. I was very happy. I had a meeting with Coach Calipari at my high school and he told me that he was going to offer me. It was amazing just to have a big time coach like him to come and see me.”
Kansas: “They are great. They are the same as Kentucky, where they want me to come to their program and just make it better.
“It is great there. Their facilities are great, especially their weight room. They have these scanners with platforms that can test your strength and stuff.”
UNC: “The tradition, and really their system, I like a lot. They are telling me a lot about their big man development. I am going to try and visit up there, most likely in a few weeks.”
WHAT'S NEXT
Wiseman, after enrolling this fall at Memphis East High School, has seen his stock soar. He will visit Kentucky this weekend for its Big Blue Madness and could visit Duke and North Carolina the following weekend, the former a program that will be hosting a throng of elite prospects for its Cameron Craziness event.
RIVALS' REACTION
A versatile, skilled and super-talented big man who can play either the power forward or center position, depending upon the type of lineup on the floor, the upside remains tremendous with Wiseman.
Kentucky, Kansas and North Carolina look to be the three to beat, and while KU and UNC will do their very best with the second-ranked prospect in the 2019 class, Kentucky may be the favorite at this point.
