No. 1-ranked recruit D.J. Wagner picks Kentucky over Louisville

D.J. Wagner, the No. 1-ranked highschool senior, introduced his dedication to Kentucky on Monday, selecting the Wildcats over Louisville.

Wagner’s dedication provides John Calipari and Kentucky the No. 1 recruiting class within the nation. If the Wildcats end the cycle on the high — and Wagner’s pledge probably seals that — it will likely be the seventh time since Calipari took over in Lexington that Kentucky has the top-ranked recruiting class. Wagner can also be the fourth No. 1 recruit to decide to the Wildcats below Calipari, following Shaedon Sharpe, Nerlens Noel and Anthony Davis.

“This was an especially tough determination that I went back-and-forth with for a very long time. That is why it took so lengthy,” Wagner instructed ESPN. “I am actual snug with my determination. Coach John Calipari was at all times simple and sincere with me. He stated he can be with me till the wheels fall off the automobile both method. And that meant a lot to me. After I watched him coach I may really feel the depth, how he disciplines his workforce and the way he breaks it down.”

“The ambiance at Kentucky is unbelievable,” he added. “I have been there a number of instances and it is what I am most snug with.”

Wagner was the topic of an intense recruiting battle between in-state rivals Kentucky and Louisville, with sturdy familial ties to each applications. Calipari coached Wagner’s father, Dajuan, at Memphis, and first-year Louisville coach Kenny Payne performed with Wagner’s grandfather, Milt, on Louisville’s 1986 nationwide championship workforce.

In Might, Payne employed Milt Wagner as this system’s director of participant growth and alumni relationship — an analogous transfer to when Calipari employed Milt at Memphis in 2000. Wagner’s stepbrother, Kareem Watkins, is a walk-on at Kentucky.

“My older brother Kareem is on the workforce,” he stated. “That made an enormous distinction. I look as much as him; we’re very shut.

“My grandfather was at all times my grandfather all through the method. He by no means tried to recruit me. He at all times stated what’s finest for me. He is been a mentor in my life and he is helped develop me into the participant and individual that I’m. He’ll at all times be household first. Nothing however love for him.”

A 6-foot-3 guard from Camden Excessive Faculty (New Jersey), Wagner has been thought-about the most effective prospect within the 2023 class since early in his highschool profession. He averaged 18.8 factors and 4.9 assists on the Nike EYBL circuit with the NJ Students grassroots program final spring and summer season, together with 9 20-point efforts in 18 video games. As a highschool junior final season, Wagner averaged 19.8 factors and led Camden to a New Jersey state championship.

Wagner additionally helped lead USA Basketball to a gold medal on the 2022 FIBA U17 World Championships, beginning all seven video games and averaging 9.0 factors, 3.1 rebounds and a pair of.9 assists.

He brings a real aggressive spirit to the sport; profitable is paramount to Wagner. He went to USA Basketball with the mentality of profitable a gold medal. He is at his finest within the open courtroom, enjoying in transition. He can rebound defensively after which push the ball up the ground in addition to anybody within the class. He places lots of strain on the protection along with his velocity to attain and his imaginative and prescient to make the help. He is a scoring level guard within the mould of Cleveland Cavaliers star Darius Garland.

When the sport slows down within the halfcourt, Wagner’s enchancment from the perimeter has been an asset. He is studying orchestrate in pick-and-rolls and he is at all times been efficient as a downhill penetrator, entering into the paint and ending with high-level physique management. He is decisive as soon as he will get into the paint, figuring out when to pull-up, jump-stop and use his floater or kick out to an open teammate for a shot. Defensively, he is efficient when guarding on the ball and in addition has good anticipation off the ball.

Wagner joins a Kentucky class that now contains 4 of the highest eight prospects within the 2023 class, with Justin Edwards (No. 2), Aaron Bradshaw (No. 5) and Robert Dillingham (No. 8) already within the fold. The Wildcats additionally signed No. 26-ranked prospect Reed Sheppard.

This marks solely the third time within the final 10 years the place one faculty has landed 4 top-10 prospects in the identical class: Kentucky in 2013, which had 5 of the highest 9, and Duke in 2017.

“I am coming there to win,” Wagner stated. “Successful comes first with me and I need to assist Kentucky win as a lot as attainable.”