Travis Perry targeting early November for college commitment

Kentucky high school basketball’s all-time leading scorer is nearing a college decision. After a handful of visits over the course of the next few weeks, 2024 four-star guard Travis Perry will make a commitment ahead of the early signing period in November.

And the Kentucky Wildcats remain firmly in the mix.

Coming up on a college decision

Ramping up the visit process again after a busy summer, Perry started with an official visit to Purdue on September 2, then an official to Missouri on Sept. 15 and Ole Miss on Sept. 29. He snuck in a quick trip to Lexington to watch Kentucky practice last week and will be making a return trip for Big Blue Madness and the football game against Mizzou.

Follow that up with back-to-back trips to Cincinnati and Michigan to close out October and Perry will then turn to decision mode.

“Right now I’m thinking early November,” he said on Sunday AM Sports Talk. “That’s when the Michigan visit is, right around that time. A little after that probably (is when I’ll announce).”

Prioritizing relationships and playing style

What is the Kentucky Gatorade Player of the Year looking for in a college? And what will separate that school from the pack when he is ready to sit down and finalize a decision in the coming weeks?

It starts with the relationships and feeling at home while also factoring in playing style and the program’s collective desire to win.

“I’ve always been about the relationships, going somewhere and having a good relationship with the head coach and coaching staff, all of the people there involved. That’s something that’s really big,” Perry said. “You’re going to be spending every day with the staff and this group of players, so just knowing you’re going to be comfortable there. The style of play is important for me, how they play and approach the game. I want to go somewhere where the coach and players want to win as bad as I do, have that drive and work willingly every day toward that goal.

“For me, the thing I’ve kind of realized is it’s got to be somewhere you feel at home. My parents keep telling me, ‘It’s going to be you staying there by yourself the rest of the year, the rest of your college career.’ So I’m looking at it like that, going somewhere I’m comfortable and will wake up every day happy being there. Those are the main things.”

Schools standing out

Perry singled out his official to Ole Miss and the relationship he has with head coach Chris Beard; they’re firmly in the mix.

“That was a great environment, good atmosphere,” he said. “I got to spend some time with Coach Beard up there and I like the way he does things. Really enjoyed my time up there.”

Purdue has been around from the beginning, as has Cincinnati with Michigan not far behind. And then there are the home-state Wildcats, offering Perry last June and hosting the four-star guard for several unofficials while visiting him at his school and games. John Calipari made it clear early the Lyon County star is wanted in Lexington.

“Every Kentucky kid wants to be recruited by Kentucky, that’s what everybody wants. Kind of just building that relationship with Coach Cal and learning a lot of things they’ve done to be successful, his track record speaks for itself,” Perry told KSR. “They’ve had a lot of high-level players do a lot of big things for the state and the basketball program. Just kind of going up there, spending time with them and leanring more about their program. They stay in contact, reaching out. I realize a lot of the fans want me to go up there.

“Kentucky is a great place, I’m a big fan of everything they have going on. Seeing that unfold first-hand is pretty good, just building that relationship and seeing how everything works, knowing that’s a possibility is good.”

Watching Reed Sheppard at Kentucky

He’s been watching Reed Sheppard’s time in Lexington closely, his development and likely impact from day one. A former KHSAA superstar in his own right, the freshman guard is presenting a potential blueprint for success should Perry decide to follow in his footsteps.

And the intrigue is there.

“Reed has gone in there and made an immediate impact. I kind of knew Reed would go in and do that, he’s the kind of guy who fits in anywhere,” the Eddyville native said. “He plays the game the right way, that’s what keeps you on the floor. Reed is going in there, making an immediate impact, playing hard. He’s going to be playing a lot of minutes, I assume, with the way he’s played this summer.

“Going to Kentucky, you realize there are going to be a lot of high-level guys, five-stars, future first-rounders and lottery picks, competing aginast you every day. That’s something that works both ways. You can compete and make a way, make plays, get a lot better from it or you can go in there and lay down. I’m not the kind of guy who would go in there and lay down. You want to go there and compete against the best competition, that’s something Reed has embraced.

“That has made me realize, if he can do it, why can’t I do that? That’s something that’s obviously intriguing to me. Some see it as a downside, I see it as intriguing to go in there and compete against those high-level guys every day.”

A practice report from the Joe Craft Center

He saw it firsthand last week inside the Joe Craft Center, attending practice on Tuesday. His early impressions? Quite impressive, the Wildcats competing hard and proving their value as blue-chip recruits and high-impact transfers.

“The first thing I notice about a lot of the guys, they’ve gotten a lot bigger and stronger, been in the weight room. Reed looks completely different than he did even last year,” Perry told KSR. “That’s something, going into the SEC, they’ve got a lot of freshmen that were highly coveted. They’re definitely going to be able to go out there and win a lot of games.

“One of the main things I noticed was how hard they all competed in practice, from the top all the way down to the bottom. They’re going as hard as they could and enjoying each others’ company. That’s something that can really drive a team, going out there and enjoying playing with each other. That was really good to see and I think they’ll be be very successful this year.”

Perry has already earned his status as the state’s all-time leading scorer. And he’s got state championship dreams with Lyon County to close out his historic high school career, pushing to return to Rupp Arena for the KHSAA Sweet Sixteen in March.

But first, it’s time to make a decision.

“I’m just enjoying it,” he said. “What I’ve tried to keep at the forefront of it is the basketball, staying in the gym and working on the craft. But I’m also taking my time to appreciate the recruiting process, talking with the coaches and considering my options. It’s not something everyone gets to experience. I’m very thankful and very blessed.”