If the good folks at the Maui Invitational have any kind of a sense of humor, they will put Kentucky and Washington in the same bracket this year.
At least that’s what Isaiah Thomas hopes for.
“I hope we play KENTUCKY n[e]xt yr [i]n the Maui classic. All I gotta say is ITS BOUT TO GO DOWN,” Thomas, a sophomore guard for the Huskies, wrote on his Twitter.
You see, Kentucky now has not one, but two former Washington commits.
First, 6-foot-9 Turkish big man Enes Kanter, the No. 3 prospect in the Class of 2010 according to Rivals, switched his allegiance to Kentucky from Washington.
Then on Wednesday night, the final night of the NCAA late signing period, word came down that 6-9 forward Terrence Jones of Portland (Ore.) Jefferson — the No. 13 player in the Class — signed scholarship papers with John Calipari’s team after verbally committing to Washington April 30.
At a press conference.
Before his family, friends and God himself.
“Ha Im not mad,” Thomas Tweeted. “There no reason I should be mad. I respect Tjones n the wildcats. I jus want 2 play them so please people who hatin fall back.”
Speaking of hated, Jones isn’t exactly Mr. Popular in the Northwest right about now.
“Either way 1 fan base was gonna hate me ….sooo how much wud u care,” Jones Tweeted.
He added: “Yeah most hated player n 2010 goes 2 me.”
So there you have it.
If ESPN and the good folks in Maui want some, ahem, good theater and a healthy dose of controversy, they’ll see to it that the Cats and Huskies find their way onto the same basketball court in November.
Here’s hoping they do.
(Photo courtesy Washington Athletics)
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