Wilkins staying patient with recruiting process
Staying patient is one of the challenges for any potential recruit. That’s certainly been the case of 2024 wing Caden Wilkins. With a host of schools that continue to circle him and staying in touch, the 6-foot-7 prospect from Bettendorf is playing a waiting game as far as offers heading into his final month of AAU basketball.
“It’s an interesting time,” he said. I kind of just want to know where I am with some of the schools. I’m not frustrated at all because I am getting to play basketball, but I kind of want to know who is interested in me and who is not”
One of the schools that appears to be picking up their level of interest is Marquette. He visited there this past week and came away impressed with their program.
“It was a good visit and I really liked what I saw up there. I got to tour the basketball facilities and I thought the coaches were great.”
The Golden Eagles had a coach at all four of Wilkins games last weekend at a high school event in Kansas City, but Coach Shaka Smart was unable to attend any of the games.
They called me before the visit and told that they couldn’t offer until Coach Smart sees me play and he hasn’t done that yet,” he said. “They said they liked what they saw last weekend, so now it’s about getting the head coach to see me in July.”
The Iowa Hawkeyes were another school that had an assistant coach at all four of his games last weekend in Kansas City. Iowa assistant Matt Gatens was front and center and head coach Fran McCaffery made it to the final game of the weekend.
“Coach Gatens liked what he saw and said I played great, but unfortunately my worst game was the last one that Coach McCaffery saw. Gatens was texting me on Thursday about Kris Murray getting drafted, so I think I am still in a good place with them.”
Also in attendance last weekend were head coaches from Eastern Illinois and Indiana State. Both those schools have offered a scholarship. In addition, Nebraska, Illinois, Drake, Bradley, and North Dakota State were there. Wilkins says he is also hearing from Western Kentucky.
This weekend he wrapped up the high school portion of his summer by playing with his Bettendorf teammates at the Justin Sharp Shootout. In July, Wilkins will be back with his Iowa Barnstormers AAU team for events in Houston and Omaha.
