Calipari told the ESPNU College Basketball podcast Tuesday that he spent his weekend on the recruiting trail trying to land seven different top-10 recruits from across the country — Harry Giles, Josh Jackson, Dennis Smith Jr., Malik Monk, Kobi Simmons and Miles Bridges.
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The recently inducted Hall of Fame coach wasn’t shy about the talent he’s looking to bring to Lexington.
“This year’s recruiting class, where we’re in the middle of right now, could be one of our best ever,” Calipari said. “The kids that I’m seeing, that we’re involved with, that I feel really good about. This could be our best class ever. And that’s a pretty scary statement coming from who we’ve been able to recruit over the last 25 years.”
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Calipari has another deep stable of players to help the Wildcats improve on their Final Four appearance just months ago. He said the program could see five or six players go in next season’s NBA Draft, including possible top overall pick Skal Labissiere.
“He’s got a ways to go,” Calipari said of the 6-10 center from Memphis. “Great kid, working hard. Gotta get into the mix of games, the toughness and all of that stuff, then he’s going to grow just like (Karl-Anthony Towns) did … (Towns) was never talked about, he was an afterthought.
“The other kid (Jahlil Okafor), was always going to be No. 1 (he went No. 3), it was never even close. It was a foregone conclusion, and by the end Karl just kept making strides, making strides and then he was like unanimous. No one could’ve taken anyone else. So, I see Skal on that same path. Early on you’re going to say, ‘Well, I really like him, but he …’ and then at the end of the year you’re gonna say, ‘This kid is ridiculous.’”
