Adam Zagoria covers basketball at all levels. He is the author of two books and an award-winning journalist whose articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Sports Illustrated, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide.
Karl Towns Could Land at Kentucky in 2014 (UPDATED)
Karl Towns could land on Kentucky’s campus as early as the fall of 2014.
“It’s a done deal,” a source close to Towns’s recruiting process told BustingBrackets.com of the player’s intentions to pledge to Kentucky in his Dec. 4 announcement at St. Joe’s-Metuchen High School. “His decision has been made up and the announcement in three weeks is just a formality at this point.”
Kentucky is certainly considered the favorite because the 6-foot-11 Towns played for Wildcats coach John Calipari and assistant Orlando Antigua on the Dominican Republic National Team this summer, and the family has a strong bond with those coaches.
Towns also attended the Maryland-Kentucky game — won by the Wildcats — last Friday at Barclays Center.
“Everything points in that direction — as far as making the decision early and spending the summer playing with Coach Calipari,” Jerry Meyer of 24/7 Sports told Ben Roberts. “I would be extremely, extremely surprised if it’s not Kentucky.”
Still, Karl Towns Sr. told SNY.tv his son has strong relationships with all the coaches recruiting him.
The father said numerous schools are on the list, including Kentucky, Duke, Florida, Michigan State, N.C. State, North Carolina, Villanova, West Virginia, Rutgers and Seton Hall.
“Karl is comfortable with every coach that he met,” his father said. “There’s no difference level just because it’s Cal. Nobody’s jumping out. He has the same level of respect for every coach.”
Wherever he goes, Towns, who turned 17 Thursday, could move from 2015 to 2014 sometime after he announces his college choice Dec. 4.
“It’s something that he’s thinking about,” Towns Sr. said. “It’s something he’s considering.”
Jerry Smith, the AD at St. Joe’s, made similar comments to Ben Roberts earlier, pointing out that Towns is a 4.0 student and that the school has access to college courses which could expedite Towns’s course of study.
“I think it’s going to be this year, next year and gone,” Smith said.
Just this year, top prospects Andrew Wiggins (uncommitted), Dakari Johnson (uncommitted) Noah Vonleh (Indiana) and Wayne Selden (Kansas) reclassified to 2013 from 2014.
Now, Towns could be up next.
Adam Zagoria is a Basketball Insider who covers basketball at all levels. A contributor to The New York Times and SportsNet New York (SNY), he is also the author of two books and is an award-winning journalist and filmmaker. His articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide. He also won an Emmy award for his work on the SNY mini-documentary on Syracuse guard Tyus Battle.
A veteran Ultimate Frisbee player, he has competed in numerous National and World Championships and, perhaps more importantly, his teams won the Westchester Summer League (WSL) championships in 2011 and 2013.
He lives in Manhattan with his wife and children.
Karl Towns could land on Kentucky’s campus as early as the fall of 2014.
“It’s a done deal,” a source close to Towns’s recruiting process told BustingBrackets.com of the player’s intentions to pledge to Kentucky in his Dec. 4 announcement at St. Joe’s-Metuchen High School. “His decision has been made up and the announcement in three weeks is just a formality at this point.”
Kentucky is certainly considered the favorite because the 6-foot-11 Towns played for Wildcats coach John Calipari and assistant Orlando Antigua on the Dominican Republic National Team this summer, and the family has a strong bond with those coaches.
Towns also attended the Maryland-Kentucky game — won by the Wildcats — last Friday at Barclays Center.
“Everything points in that direction — as far as making the decision early and spending the summer playing with Coach Calipari,” Jerry Meyer of 24/7 Sports told Ben Roberts. “I would be extremely, extremely surprised if it’s not Kentucky.”
Still, Karl Towns Sr. told SNY.tv his son has strong relationships with all the coaches recruiting him.
The father said numerous schools are on the list, including Kentucky, Duke, Florida, Michigan State, N.C. State, North Carolina, Villanova, West Virginia, Rutgers and Seton Hall.
“Karl is comfortable with every coach that he met,” his father said. “There’s no difference level just because it’s Cal. Nobody’s jumping out. He has the same level of respect for every coach.”
Wherever he goes, Towns, who turned 17 Thursday, could move from 2015 to 2014 sometime after he announces his college choice Dec. 4.
“It’s something that he’s thinking about,” Towns Sr. said. “It’s something he’s considering.”
Jerry Smith, the AD at St. Joe’s, made similar comments to Ben Roberts earlier, pointing out that Towns is a 4.0 student and that the school has access to college courses which could expedite Towns’s course of study.
“I think it’s going to be this year, next year and gone,” Smith said.
Just this year, top prospects Andrew Wiggins (uncommitted), Dakari Johnson (uncommitted) Noah Vonleh (Indiana) and Wayne Selden (Kansas) reclassified to 2013 from 2014.
Now, Towns could be up next.
