'He's a dog' Ashton Hagans' AAU coach talks about the newest Cat

Five-star point guard Ashton Hagans committed to UK on Tuesday morning and his Game Elite AAU coach Chris Williams joined Kentucky Roll Call with T.J. Walker and Nick Roush shortly following Hagans commitment.

Williams discussed why the timing was right for a commitment, what Hagans will bring to Lexington and whether or not he will stay in the class of 2019 or move to 2018.

(Also, if you don’t like reading we have the audio below)

On why he committed to UK on Tuesday:

Chris Williams: Basically they came in on Thursday night. Coach Cal, Joel (Justus) and KP (Kenny Payne) and they basically sat down with Ashton and his father and gave him the spiel. They told him why they wanted Ashton and how they would use him.

After talking with me, Ashton’s dad and Ash over the weekend when we were in Arkansas, Ashton made the decision that’s where he wanted to go. He has friends that are going there this year, that would be E.J. (Montgomery), Tyler Herro, Immanuel (Quickley) and Keldon (Johnson). He just thinks he can come in and that style of play fits his game and that Coach Cal, KP and Joel can get him to the next level.

On why it is a good fit:

Chris Williams: Just the style of play. Ashton likes to get up and down. He plays defense 94-feet. For a lack of better wording he’s a dog on both ends of the court. He has pieces around him that he can compliment their game. Whether it’s this year or next year with D.J. (Jeffries) and those guys. He can compliment whoever he’s playing with and their games.

He grew up being a John Wall and a Rondo fan. His dad always wanted Ashton to be that typical type of point guard where he’s a dog on defense but a pass-first point guard on offense.

On why Ashton wasn’t afraid of what looks like a loaded backcourt:

Chris Williams: That’s one thing that you’re never going to see Ashton do is back down from competition. He just doesn’t have that in him. He’s cut from a different cloth. He doesn’t care who’s on the other side of the table or in front of him. He will take it as a challenge. He likes taking challenges. He’s going to be there to compete regardless of who’s there on the roster.

On his reclassifying process and what he brings to the table:

Chris Williams: As of right now Ashton is still 2019. By the end of the summer we’ll have the option to do 2018 or do 2019. But as of right now he’s a 2019 kid.

But he can step on campus right now on any Division I campus and lead the team with no problem. That’s just the type of kid he is. Since I’ve had him since 8th grade he’s matured on the court and off the court, in the classroom and out of the classroom. He’s ready to step on campus whether it’s UK or any DI team he can lead right now with the talent he has.

He does need to get better like all kids and develop more. He feels like Coach Cal can get him where he needs to be to have that goal of his which is to make it to the NBA.

On if Chris thinks he reclassifies: 

Chris Williams: He’s just focusing on getting his schoolwork done. That’s it. If he gets his schoolwork done he will be able to make that decision in maybe July.

On if Ashton will play AAU this summer:

Chris Williams: He will continue to play. We just got back from Arkansas this past weekend. He had a stellar weekend there and he will continue to play. He will be in Dallas in two weeks as well.

Tuesday Hour Two 04-10-18 edition of Kentucky Roll Call w/ @TJWalkerKSR & @RoushKSR https://t.co/wpyad4gNyL

— Big X | 1450 WXVW/96.1 (@BigXSportsRadio) April 10, 2018

(The interview starts around the 9:30 mark)

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