With Justin Edwards on board, Kentucky is halfway to "Dream Team" class

On3 imageby:Zack Geoghegan07/25/22

ZGeogheganKSR

Prior to Justin Edwardscommitment to Kentucky on Monday night, Robert Dillingham and Reed Sheppard had been talking about the possibility of a “Dream Team” class coming to Lexington for the 2023-24 season. In particular, five-star recruits DJ Wagner, Aaron Bradshaw, Ron Holland, Matas Buzelis, and KJ Evans have been constantly linked to the Wildcats over the previous months, and even years in the case of a few.

A couple of those options have dropped off the board with Buzelis choosing the G League Ignite and Evans trending heavily toward Arizona, but the remaining three are still very much in play. The currently committed Kentucky trio of Edwards, Dillingham, and Sheppard gives the ‘Cats argubaly the top class in the country. It has the potential to get way better, though.

“The Dream Team would definitely be DJ (Wagner), Justin (Edwards), Aaron (Bradshaw), maybe a few more people. We already know Reed (Sheppard) is there,” Dillingham told KSR at Peach Jam last week. “Honestly not a super team, but a team that can win a national championship because Kentucky hasn’t won it in a minute. That’s what I hope to bring there, that’s my goal.”

Go ahead and mark Edwards off that list. Kentucky head coach John Calipari took personal control of his recruitment as it came down the final stretch, which proved too much in the end for Tennessee to overcome.

Despite Louisville hiring Kenny Payne and DJ Wagner’s grandfather, Calipari has the ‘Cats in a favorable position with Wagner’s recruitment as it winds down. At this point, we probably shouldn’t count out Kentucky with Holland either, who is hearing plenty from Arkansas and the G League.

It’s been more than a few years since Kentucky truly dominated a recruiting cycle, but Calipari now has a pair of top 10 prospects along with the best player from the Bluegrass State. Wagner, arguably the most talented of any ’23 hooper, is still available, too. But some questions still loom. Will UK be able to flip Bradshaw — who was believed to be on the cusp of a commitment to Kentucky just a couple of weeks ago — back into good standing with the ‘Cats? Snagging Holland away from Arkansas will likely be an even more challenging task.

Aside from the players mentioned above, the staff isn’t doing much entertaining of players elsewhere at this stage. Newly-minted five-star power forward Xavier Booker was briefly hearing from the ‘Cats during the spring, but his top 10 list of schools (which was released on Monday) didn’t include them. Four-star wing Mookie Cook is back on the market after de-committing from Oregon, although Kentucky hasn’t been seriously linked since that news broke nearly a month ago.

Another potential ’23 prospect, 6-foot-11 center Ugonna Kingsley, was recently announced as a reclassification to ’22 with Kentucky seen as the heavy favorite. Speaking of reclassifications, what about five-star ’24 guard Ian Jackson being linked to the ’23 class? New possibilities arise all the time in recruiting.

But until news of more reclassifications emerge or a hidden prospect pops out from the blue, the Wildcat staff has its main targets moving forward. With Dillingham, Sheppard, and Edwards in the fold and Wagner, Bradshaw, and Holland still on the board, Kentucky is halfway there to the “Dream Team” recruiting class.

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2024-03-28