(Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
2021 five-star guard Jaden Hardy is the top available prospect in high school basketball, but only for nine days. After hinting at a two-week timeline on a decision earlier this week, the standout sharpshooter confirmed that a commitment was coming on May 15, with the G League, UCLA, Kentucky and Oregon, among others, listed as finalists.
Hardy’s recruitment has certainly been an interesting one. UK quickly established itself as the overwhelming favorite early in the process back in 2019, but the G League has since emerged as the likeliest option for the dynamic scoring threat throughout 2020. With professional buzz growing, Kentucky took a backseat in the recruitment, with UCLA since emerging as the school to keep an eye on if he ultimately decides to turn down the pros.
In short, UK has been seen as the No. 3 option in recent months, as the majority of the basketball world has assumed Hardy will ultimately sign with the G League. As John Calipari once put it, he refuses to simply be a hat on the table for high-profile prospects anymore. If Hardy’s mind is made up, it’s made up.
But here’s the catch: Kentucky’s pitch now is completely different than it was over the course of the last year. Hell, it’s different today than it was to start the week.
Following arguably the worst season in Kentucky basketball history, Calipari hit reset on the program. He’s in the process of bringing in new faces on the roster, and he’s already overhauled the entire coaching staff, bringing in his most trusted confidant and ace recruiter Orlando Antigua, along with his Illinois coaching counterpart and guard guru Ron ‘Chin’ Coleman. The deals – rumored for nearly a month at this point – were officially announced Thursday morning.
“I am excited that (Antigua) wanted to be back here with us to get our program back to where we know it needs to be,” Calipari said. “… Coleman is in the same mold as Orlando. … Chin is a grinder, someone who relishes that time in the gym with the kids to help add value to your current players, yet he never takes his eyes off the lifeline of our program, which is recruiting.”
Calipari wants to “get our program back to where we know it needs to be.” The days where the UK head coach could hand-pick his roster, raking in top-five players with relative ease, stacking the deck with ridiculous talent from top to bottom en route to deep NCAA Tournament runs and great success in the NBA Draft. He did that with Antigua on staff the first time around, and he brought him back to bring that swagger and energy back to Lexington with him.
And what better way to reignite the fanbase and push Kentucky back to the top than pulling off the come-from-behind upset victory in Hardy’s recruitment?
It’s no surprise that Hardy, a consensus top-three prospect and widely seen as the best shooter and pure scorer in high school basketball regardless of class, is drawing interest from the G League. He’s a player that deserves to make money playing this game, sooner rather than later. He’s an effortless shooter with limitless range, drawing comparisons to NBA superstar Bradley Beal. If he wants to make a million bucks through salary and endorsements while training with NBA scouts and playing against league veterans with the G League, you can’t blame him.
But if there’s even a small chance Hardy is seriously considering the college route, it’s an opportunity Kentucky simply can’t pass on. And they need to do whatever it takes over the course of the next nine days to make that happen.
Looking for a small glimmer of hope? Look no further than 2020 five-star guard Jalen Green’s situation this past season.
Coming in as the No. 2 overall prospect with offers from everywhere in the country, Green opted to turn down the college route in favor of the G League. In his lone post-high school, pre-NBA season, he proved he was an elite player against former NBA veterans and players still fighting for a shot in the league, averaging 17.9 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.8 assists per contest. He was considered a contender for the No. 1 overall pick going into the year, and in terms of pure talent and production, he didn’t do anything to hurt his draft stock.
In ESPN’s latest update of best available prospects going into the draft, though, Green came in at No. 4 overall, sitting behind the likes of Cade Cunningham (OK State), Evan Mobley (USC) and Jalen Suggs (Gonzaga). In The Athletic’s latest update? No. 4 overall, behind those same three college standouts. NBC Sports? No. 4. Sports Illustrated? No. 4. CBS Sports? No. 4.
Green is still expected to be a top-five pick, but he’s projected to come off the board after three of college basketball’s biggest stars. And the former five-star pick has noticed the slight dip, taking to Twitter to acknowledge that there would have been a legitimate conversation about the No. 1 overall pick had he gone to college this past season.
“I know for a fact if (I) went to college it (would’ve) been a different talk about (who’s going) number 1,” Green said in a tweet that has since been deleted. “It’s good (though), I loved the G League. It prepared me ahead of a college move. I (ain’t) gone stop working.”
Probably a good endorsement for going to College pic.twitter.com/S2tzBfgFQh
— Matt Jones (@KySportsRadio) May 5, 2021
Leading up to the season, Green was extremely positive about his G League experience and hoped future high-profile prospects would follow in his footsteps.
“If you want to learn how to become a pro and your ultimate goal is to get to the league, then I think this would be the best choice for you, especially if you want to learn more and just get the knowledge of the game,” said Green, via Adam Zagoria.
Now that the G League and college basketball seasons have come to a close and the draft inches closer, though, it’s clear his tune has changed just a bit. Looking at the 2020-21 rookie scale salaries, you can understand his frustration a bit, as 2020 No. 1 pick Anthony Edwards is projected to make $44.27 million over the course of his four-year rookie deal, while No. 4 pick Patrick Williams is projected to make $32.10 million over the course of his four-year deal.
$32 million is still life-changing money, but in the eyes of someone who feels he is deserving of the No. 1 pick, it’s also $12 million left on the table that he could have had by going to college.
Interestingly enough, Hardy previously told Krysten Peek of Rivals.com that he would be keeping a close eye on Green’s G League experience and lean on him for guidance as he makes his own decision.
“I just want to see how [the G League] is and how this first year goes for all the top players that chose that route like Jalen Green and Daishen Nix,” Hardy told Peek back in September. “I’ll be asking them about how they like the team and the coaching staff and just get their feedback on the whole process before going to the NBA. I don’t know a lot about it, but it’s something that I’m definitely going to look into and keep an eye on.”
They’ve added shooters on the perimeter, a few anchors in the frontcourt, and bench pieces for depth, but Kentucky is still desperately looking for its superstar for the 2021-22 season. Want the ball in your hands? UK currently has zero point guards signed on for next season. Looking for shots or points? They’re there for the taking. Want exposure? The winningest program in college basketball history, one that plays on national television every game and participates in countless high-profile events throughout the season, isn’t a bad place to look.
“They say that their best shooters shoot the ball, and they see me as a shooter,” Hardy told KSR back in December of 2019. “They think I can come in there and make an impact right away. … Kentucky is recruiting me really hard.”
If Hardy considers himself to be a top-three draft pick with a shot at No. 1 overall in 2022 – and he should – it’s hard to argue with the results of this past season. If you’re truly the best of the best, college basketball’s spotlight is more intriguing than the early cash that comes with signing with the G League.
And for the next nine days, Calipari, Antigua, Coleman, Jai Lucas and Bruiser Flint will have to convince Hardy just that.
