INTEL: I have raised my Recruiting Prediction Machine confidence with 5-star Ugonna Kingsley

It was July 21 that Andrew Slater officially broke the news that Ugonna Kingsley would reclassify into the 2022 class. Before this announcement, Kingsley was the No. 5 ranked player in On3’s 2023 class.

As I said in my previous ranking the contenders article, the reclass was anticipated for Kingsley, but the official announcement from Slater put the recruitment on the fast track.

On3’s Joe Tipton announced Kingsley would publicly announce his commitment on August 1. The schools the 6-foot-10 center took official visits to were Oklahoma, Kentucky, and Oklahoma State.

On3 moved Kinglsey into the 2022 class, where he is the No. 18 ranked player. Kingsley remained a five-star.

On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine

In the aforementioned ranking the contenders piece, Kentucky was the leader. I put my expert pick into On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine (RPM); at that time, I put a 60-percent confidence level on that selection. Kingsley still had official visits left.

Through continued intel and sourced information, I have moved my confidence level in this recruitment to 95-percent for Kentucky.

With Jack Pilgrim’s and my expert picks in for Kentucky, On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine gives Kentucky a 97.6-percent chance of getting Kingsley.

What is Kentucky getting

You immediately see the size, length, and fluidity in how Ugonna Kingsley moves. The hips are loose, the feet are quick, and the leaping is explosive. On the defensive end, he is a natural. The timing is excellent at the rim and in the passing lanes. He can also fluidly move his feet when he switches onto a perimeter player. His defense is ahead of his offense at this point. At Putnam, they use him a lot from the high-post and elbows as a screener and ball-mover.

Kingsley has touch but will need to continue developing confidence in the shot. The ball skills and vision will have to continue to tighten, but he runs the floor very well, changing ends at the drop of a time. There is touch at the free throw line, and he shows more comfort finishing with his back to the basket. He has finished with double-figure blocks in multiple games we have live scouted this season. The defense is high level.

Kentucky’s final 2022 class

Five-star PG Cason Wallace
Five-star C Ugonna Kingsley
Four-star F Chris Livingston
Three-star SF Adou Thiero