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.
Kentucky Hosting Three Projected Top 10 Draft Picks; Duke, Georgetown, Syracuse, St. John’s, Maryland Host Madness
One week after their second annual NBA Pro Day, Kentucky will host three players projected in the Top 10 of the 2017 NBA Draft for their Big Blue Madness tonight (Friday).
Harry Giles (No. 1), De’Aaron Fox (No. 6) and Malik Monk (No. 7) are projected to go early in 2017 by DraftExpress.com.
Kentucky will also host 2016 big man commit Sacha Killeya-Jones and is expected to host 2017 prospects Trae Young, Gary Trent Jr., Wendell Carter Jr. and Kris Wilkes. Wenyen Gabriel, another 2016 Kentucky commit, won’t make the trip.
Among the 2016 guys, the 6-foot-10 Giles is also considering Duke, North Carolina, Kansas and Wake Forest, with Duke considered the favorite. But until he commits, anything is possible.
The 6-5 Fox is also considering Kansas, Louisville and LSU but could end up being the next player to commit to Kentucky as he had high praise for them during a recent USA Basketball event, and even said he would like to play with Monk in college.
The 6-3 Monk, meantime, is also considering Arkansas, Kansas, Florida State, North Carolina and Oregon, with his decision expected to come down to Kentucky and home-state Arkansas.
DUKE SET FOR COUNTDOWN TO CRAZINESSDuke also has a big weekend with Countdown to Craziness set for Saturday night. The Blue Devils will host two of their 2016 pledges in wing Jayson Tatum, the projected No. 2 pick behind Giles in the 2017 Draft, and forward Javin DeLaurier. (If the Devils end up landing Giles, they would have the players projected at 1-2 in the 2017 Draft.)
Duke will also host 2017 prospects Trent Jr. and Carter Jr., who will hit both Kentucky and Duke and are actively discussing a package deal together.
They are also expected to host 2018 prospects Tre Jones and Immanuel Quickly and 2019 big man Wendell Moore.BIG CROWD FOR HOYA HOOPS MADNESS
For its Hoya Hoops Madness, Georgetown will host 2016 commit Jagan Mosely along with 2017s Joshua Carlton, Parker Stewart, Nate Watson, Blake Harris and Aamir Simms, 2018 Keldon Johnson and 2019 Joshua NickleberryORANGE MIDNIGHT MADNESS
For their Orange Midnight Madness, Syracuse is expected to host 2016 pledges Tyus Battle and Matthew Moyer, along with Khalif Battle, Tyus’ brother and a Class of 2019 prospect. Taurean Thompson, a 2016 power forward from Brewster (N.H.) Academy will also visit, his mom said.
JOHNNIES RED STORM TIP-OFFSt. John’s will host several commits and prospects for Red Storm Tip-Off, including 2016 commit Shamorie Ponds and Sports U players Luther Muhammad, Atiba Taylor, Jahvon Quinerly and Louis King, as well as Roselle Catholic wing Andre Rafus and Delaware guard Myles Cale.ELSEWHERE:
**UConn will host the entire Putnam Science Academy team Friday night, which includes 2016 commit Mamadou Diarra and 2016 wing Chuba Ohams, as well as 2017 guard Hamidou Diallo , 2018 guard Eric Ayala and 7-2 2018 big man Manny Umoffia.
**On Saturday, Providence hosts 2017s Sedee Keita, Chuba Ohams, Hamidou Diallo and Christian David.
**Notre Dame hosts 2017s D.J. Harvey and Zach Kent and 2018 Sean Good.
**Maryland will host 2016 small forward Mario Kegler, who has also visited Arizona State, Baylor and Mississippi State and will visit Indiana next weekend. The Terps are also expected to host 2016 pledge Anthony Cowan, 2017 center Dajour Dickens and 2018s Chauncey Sterling, Ajiri Johnson and Antwuan Butler.
**Indiana hosts Vermont Academy guard Bruce Brown, who will hit Miami next weekend.
**St. Joe’s hosts 2016 St. Benedict’s Prep power forward Arnaldo Toro.
**Georgia Tech hosts Oak Hill power forward Khadim Sy.
**South Carolina hosts big man Dewan Huell.
**Arizona hosts 6-10 Lauri Markkanen after he visited Utah and North Carolina this week.
**LSU is hosting 2016 commits Skylar Mays and Wayde Sims, and 2017 commit Cedric Russell along with 2016 Lee College big Branden Jenkins and 2017s Josh LeBlanc, Josh Alexander, Galen Alexander and Brandon Rachal, per Corey Evans.
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.
One week after their second annual NBA Pro Day, Kentucky will host three players projected in the Top 10 of the 2017 NBA Draft for their Big Blue Madness tonight (Friday).
Harry Giles (No. 1), De’Aaron Fox (No. 6) and Malik Monk (No. 7) are projected to go early in 2017 by DraftExpress.com.
Kentucky will also host 2016 big man commit Sacha Killeya-Jones and is expected to host 2017 prospects Trae Young, Gary Trent Jr., Wendell Carter Jr. and Kris Wilkes. Wenyen Gabriel, another 2016 Kentucky commit, won’t make the trip.
Among the 2016 guys, the 6-foot-10 Giles is also considering Duke, North Carolina, Kansas and Wake Forest, with Duke considered the favorite. But until he commits, anything is possible.
The 6-5 Fox is also considering Kansas, Louisville and LSU but could end up being the next player to commit to Kentucky as he had high praise for them during a recent USA Basketball event, and even said he would like to play with Monk in college.
The 6-3 Monk, meantime, is also considering Arkansas, Kansas, Florida State, North Carolina and Oregon, with his decision expected to come down to Kentucky and home-state Arkansas.
DUKE SET FOR COUNTDOWN TO CRAZINESS
Duke also has a big weekend with Countdown to Craziness set for Saturday night. The Blue Devils will host two of their 2016 pledges in wing Jayson Tatum, the projected No. 2 pick behind Giles in the 2017 Draft, and forward Javin DeLaurier. (If the Devils end up landing Giles, they would have the players projected at 1-2 in the 2017 Draft.)
Duke will also host 2017 prospects Trent Jr. and Carter Jr., who will hit both Kentucky and Duke and are actively discussing a package deal together.
They are also expected to host 2018 prospects Tre Jones and Immanuel Quickly and 2019 big man Wendell Moore.
BIG CROWD FOR HOYA HOOPS MADNESS
For its Hoya Hoops Madness, Georgetown will host 2016 commit Jagan Mosely along with 2017s Joshua Carlton, Parker Stewart, Nate Watson, Blake Harris and Aamir Simms, 2018 Keldon Johnson and 2019 Joshua Nickleberry
ORANGE MIDNIGHT MADNESS
For their Orange Midnight Madness, Syracuse is expected to host 2016 pledges Tyus Battle and Matthew Moyer, along with Khalif Battle, Tyus’ brother and a Class of 2019 prospect. Taurean Thompson, a 2016 power forward from Brewster (N.H.) Academy will also visit, his mom said.
JOHNNIES RED STORM TIP-OFF
St. John’s will host several commits and prospects for Red Storm Tip-Off, including 2016 commit Shamorie Ponds and Sports U players Luther Muhammad, Atiba Taylor, Jahvon Quinerly and Louis King, as well as Roselle Catholic wing Andre Rafus and Delaware guard Myles Cale.
ELSEWHERE:
**UConn will host the entire Putnam Science Academy team Friday night, which includes 2016 commit Mamadou Diarra and 2016 wing Chuba Ohams, as well as 2017 guard Hamidou Diallo , 2018 guard Eric Ayala and 7-2 2018 big man Manny Umoffia.
**On Saturday, Providence hosts 2017s Sedee Keita, Chuba Ohams, Hamidou Diallo and Christian David.
**Notre Dame hosts 2017s D.J. Harvey and Zach Kent and 2018 Sean Good.
**Maryland will host 2016 small forward Mario Kegler, who has also visited Arizona State, Baylor and Mississippi State and will visit Indiana next weekend. The Terps are also expected to host 2016 pledge Anthony Cowan, 2017 center Dajour Dickens and 2018s Chauncey Sterling, Ajiri Johnson and Antwuan Butler.
**Indiana hosts Vermont Academy guard Bruce Brown, who will hit Miami next weekend.
**St. Joe’s hosts 2016 St. Benedict’s Prep power forward Arnaldo Toro.
**Georgia Tech hosts Oak Hill power forward Khadim Sy.
**South Carolina hosts big man Dewan Huell.
**Arizona hosts 6-10 Lauri Markkanen after he visited Utah and North Carolina this week.
**LSU is hosting 2016 commits Skylar Mays and Wayde Sims, and 2017 commit Cedric Russell along with 2016 Lee College big Branden Jenkins and 2017s Josh LeBlanc, Josh Alexander, Galen Alexander and Brandon Rachal, per Corey Evans.
