Brandon Knight
Photo by Lisa Yen
Kentucky head coach John Calipari has landed yet another elite guard to replace departed sensation John Wall.
Brandon Knight, a senior at Pine Crest (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) and the nation’s No. 3 overall player in the class of 2010, chose the Wildcats at a press conference broadcast live on ESPNU Wednesday. The 6-foot-3 scorer picked Kentucky over Connecticut, Florida, Kansas and Syracuse.
Knight averaged 32.5 points per game as a senior (finishing with 3,515 for his career) to go along with 8.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 2.5 steals. He earned first team All-America honors from MaxPreps.
For Calipari, Knight’s decision likely guarantees his team will feature a NBA lottery pick in the backcourt for the fourth year in a row following Derrick Rose and Tyreke Evans at Memphis and Wall at Kentucky.
Jacksonville Providence wing Stacey Poole Jr. and Turkish big man Enes Kanter committed to the Wildcats prior to Knight. Calipari could sign as many as two or three more players regarded among top 25 in the 2010 class by MaxPreps.
McCallum, Zeigler to join fathers
Several media outlets reported in recent days that Ray McCallum, the No. 13 overall player nationally, would play for his father, Ray McCallum Sr., at the University of Detroit Mercy.
McCallum confirmed the whispers just minutes after Knight during a signing day special on ESPNU. The 6-1 point guard was also a first team All-American selection by MaxPreps following his senior season at Detroit Country Day (Beverly Hills, Mich.) – Michigan’s Class B state champion.
McCallum posted 21.2 points, 7.0 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game en route to Mr. Basketball honors.
Zeigler’s announcement took on a similar theme as he followed McCallum on air and selected Central Michigan, where father Ernie Zeigler is the head coach.
Trey Zeigler, a MaxPreps All-American this winter, picked the Chippewas over Arizona State, Michigan, Michigan State and UCLA.
