KSR Today: Kentucky MBB is on commitment watch

ZGeogheganKSR

Good morning, folks! Happy Saturday to all of our loyal readers. Today is actually my last day of blogging before taking a week off to go visit family and just enjoy some time away before football talk really kicks in. The busy season is almost upon us, but even in the “slow” times, the show still goes on. That seems to be especially true when it comes to John Calipari.

The Kentucky men’s basketball head coach could be on the verge of adding a unique talent from overseas. 7-foot-2 Croatian center Zvonimir Ivisic is being recruited by the Wildcats and the scuttlebutt surrounding this situation is a commitment could be imminent. Does that mean he’ll pop today? We’re working to figure that out, but whenever he does, you can bet you’ll be able to read about it first here on Kentucky Sports Radio.

So what should you know about Ivisic? Well, the potential first-round draft selection in 2024 is known for his playmaking and ability to stretch the floor. A member of SC Derby (Studentski Centar Podgorica) of the ABA League, Ivisic averaged 7.1 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks in just 14.5 minutes per contest in 33 games in 2022-23.

Ivisic exploded in the Adriatic League playoffs, though, putting up 15.7 points and 8.3 rebounds per contest before falling in the quarterfinals series to eventual champion Partizan. The 19-year-old standout followed it up by averaging 11.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.4 blocks in just 19.4 minutes per contest in the U20 European Championships.

I'm hearing we better all learn how to pronounce this guys name. https://t.co/nx50Niej1h
— Ryan Lemond (@ryanlemond) July 28, 2023

If Kentucky is able to ultimately land Ivisic for the upcoming season, he would immediately contend for playing time. This isn’t a situation where Calipari is looking for backup insurance with the injuries suffered by fellow big men Aaron Bradshaw and Ugonna Onyenso — Ivisic is a future NBA player and would come to Lexington with the intention of seeing the floor early and often.

That’s enough to get excited about, in my humble opinion. Now let’s dive into the rest of today’s must-know news and notes. While you’re here, check out our Fall Camp Sale for KSR+. It will only cost you a single American dollar for one month of exclusive content. Get in here.

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La Familia Autograph Tour rolls on

Friday was the first of three opportunities the Big Blue Nation will have at receiving an autograph from a current Kentucky men’s basketball player. Kroger locations in Somerset and Morehead kicked off the three-day La Familia Autograph Tour, which will continue throughout the rest of the weekend.

Today, the team will travel to Kroger locations in Louisville and Shelbyville (10AM-Noon) before heading back to central Kentucky on Sunday for stops at Krogers in Lexington and Versailles (2PM-4PM). Go ahead and make a plan now to squeeze these trips into your schedule — and make sure to bring something to be signed.

Tickets cost $60 per person. Check out the full schedule below.

Another MBB opponent for the ’23-24 schedule

Kentucky men’s basketball’s 2023-24 non-conference schedule is slowly leaking out. The ‘Cats will host St. Joe’s at Rupp Arena on Monday, Nov. 20, according to St. Joe’s website. It will be the third meeting between the two schools, the first coming in 1939 and the second in the 1997 NCAA Tournament Sweet 16. The ‘Cats won both, the latter en route to an NCAA Tournament Runner-Up finish.

Here is Kentucky’s 2023-24 non-conference schedule as we know it, with more dates coming soon.

Nov. 14: vs. Kansas | Champions Classic | United Center, Chicago, IL
Nov. 20: vs. St. Joe’s | Rupp Arena, Lexington, KY
Nov. 28: vs. Miami | ACC/SEC Challenge | Rupp Arena, Lexington, KY
Dec. 2: vs. UNC Wilmington | Rupp Arena, Lexington, KY
Dec. 16: vs. TBD | CBS Sports Classic | State Farm Arena, Atlanta, GA
TBA: vs. Gonzaga | Rupp Arena, Lexington, KY
TBA: at Louisville | Yum Center, Louisville, KY

Smith twins on #FlipWatch?

Blue-chip prospects Jacob Smith and Jerod Smith have returned home to the Bluegrass State for their final season of high school football. The two Michigan commits will suit up for the Corbin Redhounds this fall, but this recruitment might not be over yet.

The top 300 prospects took a surprise unofficial visit to Kentucky earlier this week, and now there is some other buzz building surrounding the recruitment of these four-star prospects. On Friday, KSR’s Matt Jones stated on the radio that some recent scuttlebutt tells him that Kentucky is a real player for the twin brothers despite the current verbal commitments to play for Jim Harbaugh’s Big Ten program.

“Kentucky might be about to flip these guys in the very near future,” Jones said. This one is far from over…

More football recruiting buzz

It was an unexpectedly busy week as a whole for Kentucky football recruiting. Three-star Class of 2025 QB Stone Saunders set his commitment date for Friday, August 4 at 6:25 p.m. EST. The announcement will air live on ABC27 News (WHTM-TV). Saunders is down to a top five that includes Kentucky, Georgia, Michigan, Nebraska, and Miami (FL), but the Wildcats are trending as the heavy favorite.

Meanwhile, four-star Class of 2024 WR Hardley Gilmore took a surprise visit to nearby Miami (FL). Like Saunders, Kentucky is still in the driver’s seat with this recruitment, but him making a trip to the Hurricanes is certainly noteworthy. Gilmore will announce his commitment on Friday, August 25, choosing from a pool of UK, Penn State, and Central Florida.

That was just a sample of the football recruiting news that broke this week. You can read more here.

Tim McGraw is coming to Rupp

Rupp Arena is on a roll. Days after announcing shows by Dave Chappelle (Sept. 12) and Tyler Childers (Dec. 30 and 31), the venue announced another big artist Friday morning. Country music superstar Tim McGraw will bring his “Standing Room Only” tour to Rupp on Saturday, June 15, 2024. Carly Pearce will join him as a special guest. Pearce, a Taylor Mill, Kentucky native, sang the national anthem at the Kentucky Derby in May.

The show may be a year away, but tickets go on sale next week on Friday, August 4 at 10 a.m. on timmcgraw.com, according to Live Nation. You can buy VIP packages that day as well, including options to meet McGraw, who last came to Rupp Arena in June 2018 for a concert with his wife, Faith Hill.

Rupp has a pretty packed upcoming schedule. Here are just a few of the top acts coming to the home of Kentucky basketball over the next year: