Rod Strickland, G-League recruiting Kentucky signee Terrence Clarke with lucrative deal
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IG: tclarke[/caption]
Kentucky will have to fight to keep one of its top basketball signees in the class of 2020.
Sources tell KSR that 2020 five-star guard Terrence Clarke is being recruited by the NBA G League - led by former UK assistant coach Rod Strickland - to bypass the college ranks and sign a professional deal.
The G League approved new Select Contracts back in 2018 that would allow recruits to make $125,000 in a five-month season starting in 2019-20, though sources tell KSR that the updated number being thrown around with this current crop of talent is as high as $500,000 per season, including endorsements.
Clarke is included in a group of multiple high-major 2020 recruits such as Jalen Green, Jalen Suggs, Makur Maker, and Isaiah Todd being courted by the G League. Makur and Todd have already announced they would be bypassing college to go pro, while sources tell KSR that Green is also expected to do so when he makes his decision on Thursday afternoon.
Despite the news that the G League is doing its best to recruit Clarke, there is a cautious optimism within the Kentucky basketball program that the top-five prospect will follow through on his commitment and make it on campus for the 2020-21 season.
In fact, one source told KSR's own Matt Jones that it remains "very likely" the Kentucky signee still ends up in Lexington.
"Just got a text from a source I trust a lot saying, "I still think it is very likely Terrence Clarke goes to Kentucky,"' Jones said in a tweet.
Sources tell KSR that the Kentucky coaching staff was in positive communication with the five-star signee regarding his future in Lexington in recent days.
Clarke, a 6-foot-7 shooting guard out of Boston, MA, is considered the No. 4 overall recruit and No. 1 shooting guard in the 2020 247Sports Composite Rankings.
The five-star guard announced his commitment to Kentucky back on September 14 before signing with the school on November 14.
IG: tclarke[/caption]
Kentucky will have to fight to keep one of its top basketball signees in the class of 2020.
Sources tell KSR that 2020 five-star guard Terrence Clarke is being recruited by the NBA G League - led by former UK assistant coach Rod Strickland - to bypass the college ranks and sign a professional deal.
The G League approved new Select Contracts back in 2018 that would allow recruits to make $125,000 in a five-month season starting in 2019-20, though sources tell KSR that the updated number being thrown around with this current crop of talent is as high as $500,000 per season, including endorsements.
Clarke is included in a group of multiple high-major 2020 recruits such as Jalen Green, Jalen Suggs, Makur Maker, and Isaiah Todd being courted by the G League. Makur and Todd have already announced they would be bypassing college to go pro, while sources tell KSR that Green is also expected to do so when he makes his decision on Thursday afternoon.
Despite the news that the G League is doing its best to recruit Clarke, there is a cautious optimism within the Kentucky basketball program that the top-five prospect will follow through on his commitment and make it on campus for the 2020-21 season.
In fact, one source told KSR's own Matt Jones that it remains "very likely" the Kentucky signee still ends up in Lexington.
"Just got a text from a source I trust a lot saying, "I still think it is very likely Terrence Clarke goes to Kentucky,"' Jones said in a tweet.
Sources tell KSR that the Kentucky coaching staff was in positive communication with the five-star signee regarding his future in Lexington in recent days.
Clarke, a 6-foot-7 shooting guard out of Boston, MA, is considered the No. 4 overall recruit and No. 1 shooting guard in the 2020 247Sports Composite Rankings.
The five-star guard announced his commitment to Kentucky back on September 14 before signing with the school on November 14.
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