Momentum swinging back to Michigan State for Isaiah Stewart

by:TJ Walker•10/09/18

Easy come, easy go… maybe. After taking the lead in 247 Sports Crystal Ball just eight days ago, Kentucky now has zero picks after National Recruiting Analyst Brian Snow became the last expert to switch from UK. Snow has Stewart going to Washington.

UK was riding high in Stewart’s recruitment after he announced his second official visit would be to Kentucky after the Cats were able to jump back into his recruitment despite being cut in the spring. Stewart even cut his list again later in the summer and the Cats were still excluded.

But with Kentucky needing several frontcourt players for the 2019-2020 season the Cats reached back out to Stewart and were warmly received. John Calipari was able to conduct an in-home visit and shortly after Stewart announced he would officially visit Lexington on Sept. 28th. After the visit Crystal Ball picks flooded in for Stewart to commit to UK.

Since that visit Stewart hasn’t scheduled any other official visits, which seems like good news for Kentucky, but after the USA Junior Minicamp over the weekend there has been almost no pro-Kentucky buzz.

I wasn’t in Colorado over the weekend, so I didn’t hear all the juicy rumors. I can tell you people close to UK still think they’re in a solid spot for Stewart. Surprisingly, the rumors are that Stewart’s family prefers Kentucky but others close to him prefer other schools. Lately in a few recruitments it’s been the other way around.

My guess is we hear of an official visit to Michigan State in the next couple weeks and that may be why the majority of former UK picks switched to the Spartans.

Stewart seems on pace to commit and sign in the fall, although there’s no guarantee his recruitment is wrapped up by November. For what it’s worth, Evan Daniels’ pick is still “foggy”.

He had a great showing in Colorado, so let’s hope the 247 analysts are wrong and UK can land the powerful center.