By ADAM ZAGORIA
NORTH AUGUSTA, S.C. — On the first day that college coaches could watch prospects at Peach Jam, Louisville head coach Kenny Payne and assistant Josh Jamieson were on hand for Class of 2023 NJ Scholars stars D.J. Wagner and Aaron Bradshaw, while Kentucky assistant Chin Coleman also sat courtside.
Kentucky head coach John Calipari, who just spent a week in Malaga, Spain at the U17 World Cup watching Wagner, was back at campus hosting Class of 2023 big man Ugonna Kingsley Onyenso on a visit.
The 6-foot-3 Wagner, the No. 1 prospect in the Class of 2023, had 11 points on 5-of-18 shooting with 5 assists and the 7-2 Bradshaw posted 13 points, 7 rebounds and 3 blocks in the Scholars 62-49 win over the PSA Cardinals. Duke-bound wing Mackenzie Mgbago added 18 points, 9 rebounds and 3 assists in the win.
The Wagner Sweepstakes remains cloudy and is seen as a battle between Kentucky and Louisville. Before Payne was hired in March, Kentucky had long been seen as the frontrunner, in part because Calipari coached Dajuan Wagner in his one-and-done season at Memphis and they remain close. Then the narrative flipped and Louisville was seen as the leader after Payne’s hiring and Milt Wagner’s addition to the staff. Louisville assistants Nolan Smith and Danny Manning were in Spain at the World Cup. “I will say it’s been good,” Payne told Louisville Report Thursday of his recruiting approach since coming over from the Knicks. “I think that, without going into detail about players, the overall view of our program has been pretty remarkable. Young people from all over the country are wanting to heal from us, wanting to know that we have an interest, and so that’s been good.” Still, some rival coaches believe Kentucky is the team to beat for Wagner. “I’m betting on Kentucky,” said one high-major coach who was in Spain and is not recruiting Wagner. Wagler recently told Sports Illustrated he’s “open to all schools at this point” and remains in constant contact with Louisville, Kentucky, Auburn, Arkansas and others. “I’m gonna take more visits, but I’m not sure where to just yet,” Wagner told SI. As for Bradshaw, he recently told ZAGSBLOG he’s in no rush to make a decision. “I just have to take my time,” he said. “I pushed it back a little bit. Not too far, but I pushed it back.” Follow Adam Zagoria on Twitter Follow ZAGSBLOGHoops on Instagram And Like ZAGS on FacebookKenny Payne of @LouisvilleMBB front And Center for DJ Wagner, @bradshawaaron25 And @new_scholars pic.twitter.com/UUUaWEWv24
— Adam Zagoria (@AdamZagoria) July 20, 2022
