New assistant coach Orlando Antigua was the primary coach in contact with Sheppard once recruiting restrictions with 2023 prospects were lifted in June. On-court fit:John Calipari puts the ball in the hands of its guards and lets them run the show. Wagner's stepbrother, Kareem Watkins, is a walk-on at Kentucky. Wagner has many other connections to Kentucky too. Wagner was not the only player Syracuse basketball offered on Saturday. He alsoattended Big Blue Madness in 2021andparticipated in a father-son summer campCalipari hosted at UK in 2018. Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Wagner, Bradshaw, Medley and Robinson will have a group signing ceremony on Wednesday. I want to play with freedom. 1 overall recruit, a distinction the 6-foot-2, 160-pound point guard also holds at ESPN and 247 Sports. I thought I might get to see Xavier Booker this weekend but his family informed me that he was at the Team USA U18 Camp unfortunately, he did not make the final roster. Wagner's commitment gives the Wildcats pledges from five players in the Class of 2023. A program that would get me better everyday, get me to be the best that I can be, and where I can help win as many games as possible, he said. It has long been rumored that Wagner and Bradshaw want to play together in college; however, I dont believe they are a package deal. 1 overall, Tshiebwe & Toppin make interesting comments about possibly returning for another season. wagner verbal commits. But his grandfather, Milt Wagner, starred for Louisville in the early 1980s under Denny Crum. Wagner Football Travels To Montana State On Saturday. He's at his best in the open court, playing in transition. He always said what's best for me. New Jersey's reigning Gatorade Boys Basketball Player of the Year, Wagner has not taken an official visit to Louisville, which under first-year coach Kenny Payne hired the prospect's grandfather, Milt Wagner, as its director of player development and alumni relations in May. Louisville has not yet offered Bradshaw, but he recently included Louisville in his top 7. Bradshaw has immediate plans to visit Kentucky, UCLA, and Maryland. He went to USA Basketball with the mentality of winning a gold medal. There are a lot of really talented players who shine in an open, low contact game, but not many can also shine in a physical battle. Johnson recently received an offer from Louisville one of only three players to hold an offer from Kenny Payne and his staff. He was a high schooler taking pics at a prep volleyball match I was covering. It's a really nice school. Wagner is the son of former NBA athlete DaJuan Wagner and . 13) and combo guard Reed Sheppard (No. Odds & lines subject to change. He was a high schooler taking pics at a prep volleyball match I was covering. 180, SF / He plays in constant attack mode, accelerates right at his defender while mixing in some shake and shiftiness, scores around the rim with both hands, and is a legitimate threat to create his own shot at all three-levels. section: | slug: kentucky-basketball-recruiting-dj-wagner-commits-to-wildcats-giving-them-no-1-ranked-class-over-duke | sport: collegebasketball | route: article_single.us | There was also a Rivals FutureCast pick logged this week by recruiting analyst Russ Wood in favor of the Wildcats, who now hold both predictions at Rivals, as well as all eight picks at 247 Sports, which has him ranked 62nd overall. 18h. He's also an elite competitor who plays hard, has a way of raising the level of those around him, and doesn't get enough credit for bringing a similar mindset to the defensive end of the floor. Check out the full Rivals rankings update here. 6-9 / 176, PF / 6-7 / 3), center Aaron Bradshaw (No. If you can facilitate as a creator and as a scorer -- which Wagner can do -- then UK will free you up. Insane. Kentucky continues to rise in Joe Lunardis latest Bracketology. 185, PG / 4 overall player in the national senior class. 44) in the group. Wagner (0:27), No. 1 prospect D.J. Louisvilles chances to land Wagner are high. 220, SF / DJ Wagner dubbed one of the 20 most important CBB names over the next 20 years, Tshiebwe & Toppin make interesting comments about possibly returning for another season. Bradshaws biggest flaw is, as for most 7-foot prospects, his lack of strength. There are a number of things at play from on-court fit to off-court fit, familial connections to, well, more familial connections. 215, SG / 6-7 / However, if a student-athlete had an NIL endorsement deal with a different company that was not a partner of the university, they still could pursue that deal independent of their official team activities. I look up to him; we are very close. I'm a college basketball fan and I love watching March Madness.. The Wildcats have now inked four of the top eight players in the class, according to ESPN, with Justin Edwards (Imhotep, Philadelphia; No. Forward to Family & Friends; Share a Memory; Add a Photo; Print; Contact Support; Upgrade; Death Certificates; Share This Obituary. He was consistently knocked off his spot and struggled to adjust. 185, C / Odds & lines subject to change. 210, SF / 200, PF / ", "The atmosphere at Kentucky is unbelievable," he added. Wagner is considered the No. 1 recruiting class in the country. 210, SF / 6-7 / Wagner is also the fourth No. "I've been there several times and it's what I'm most comfortable with.". If the Cats' class remains atop the ranking at the end of the recruiting cycle, it would mark the eighth time in the tenure of 14th-year Kentucky coach John Calipari that the program has finished with the No. With over 2,000 career points in high school, Wagner stands 6-foot-4 and should be among the most dynamic guards in the nation this upcoming season. 185, PF / Kim takes 4-shot lead at weather-delayed John Deere Classic. "The Adidas agreement and our corresponding university policy require our student athletes to wear Adidas gear during official team activities. 1 overall recruiting class, and that includes three of the top four players in the nation. Regardless, Xavier Booker is the hottest name in prep basketball. NA NA NA. I watched Wagner and his team, the New Jersey Scholars, play five times over the weekend and he did not disappoint. Louisville basketball needs guards but whos available? 1 in the 247Sports Composite. 210, PG / He added that reading and reacting will be key to success within the system and that defense will be a focal point. 225, PG / 8) rounding out the quartet. It's impossible to project as we sit here in the dog days of summer as he's never been a head coach, but everything Payne has said about what the system will look like suggests Wagner and his abilities as a do-it-all guard would be properly featured. 6-9 / He is arguably the best shot blocker in the class and moves as well as any 7-footer that Ive seen. Feb 11 MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT: A message from @JUCOadvocate New look, new functionality. 205, OT / Sign me up for this projected path today! The long-awaited commitment of DJ Wagner for the Kentucky men's basketball program on Monday has solidified UK's 2023 recruiting class among the all-time greats. 1601d. He will always be family first. Verbal Commits - Nick Wagner Player Profile: Rankings, Stars, Video Highlights, Offers, Tweets, Height, Weight, High School, Position, Hometown And while Wagner has not revealed a timeline for his decision publicly, rumors have for weeks swirled that one could come around Peach Jam -- which just concluded -- or sometime in the lead-up to the 2022-23 season. 6-keys: media/spln/collegebasketball/reg/free/stories, By pressing sign up, I confirm that I have read and agree to the. All other trademarks mentioned herein . 6-9 / Obituary . mitsubishi outlander balance shaft delete. ", Kentucky basketball recruiting:These players have committed to the Wildcats' 2023 class. 240. 3:01 pm ET. This marks only the third time in the last 10 years where one school has landed four top-10 prospects in the same class: Kentucky in 2013, which had five of the top nine, and Duke in 2017. In a statement upon his hiring at Louisville, Milt Wagner called Payne his "brother" and said Louisville is his "second home." 1 ranked recruit in the Class of 2023 and a consensus five-star prospect, announced on Monday hes joining the Wildcats, where hell play for head coach John Calipari, who coached DJs father Dajuan at the University of Memphis. He's not a true point guard, and yet has needed the ball in his hands to be effective to this point in his career, as he's been the focal point of almost every environment he's been in to date. Wagner, the two-time Gatorade New Jersey and Courier Post Player of the Year, averaged 19.8 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.2 steals and 3.1 assists last season as he led Camden to its first state title since 2000 and a runner-up finish in the Tournament of Champions. Dont expect it to happen, but interesting nonetheless. He's been a mentor in my life and he's helped develop me into the player and person that I am. 2) and Robert Dillingham (Overtime Elite, Atlanta; No. Rick Brunson, who led the program to a 73-4 record the last three winters, stepped down in June so he could take a position with the New York Knicks, and the school has yet to announce his replacement. Chris Murphy. 225, PG / All Rights Reserved. Expect Johnson to continue to rise in the rankings and for Louisville basketball to be a major player in his recruitment. October 7, 1929 - April 19, 2013 Provo, Utah Set a Reminder for the Anniversary of John's Passing. 185, PF / Wagner, a 5-star recruit and the consensus number 1 ranked player in the 2023 class, is a 6 3 combo guard who does it all. 6-6 / 200, PF / 6-7 / Tom Jurich could have had a statue; Now he should just hope for respect, Louisville basketball: The stories that made the 2013 season legendary. Defend VA Medical Center institutional NRC License for usages of radioisotopes . Pervis is an important ally in Wagners (and Aaron Bradshaws) recruitment and KP seems to have Pervis in his corner. Nothing but love for him.". 195, SF / A 6-foot-3 guard from Camden High School (New Jersey), Wagner has been considered the best prospect in the 2023 class since early in his high school career. 5-10 / Here is the breakdown of his game from 247Sports director of scouting Adam Finkelstein: Wagner is a proven and versatile scorer, with numerous weapons at his disposal. introduced as a member of the Nike Basketball family, his reportedly scheduled visit to Lexington for Big Blue Madness, Top 2023 prospects DJ Wagner, Aaron Bradshaw to visit Big Blue Madness: Report, signing with and appearing in an ad campaign for Nike sub-label NOCTA, These players have committed to the Wildcats' 2023 class, director of player development and alumni relations, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. He chose Kentucky over Louisville and many others. 6-7 / Wagner broke down his visit to Villanova and his relationship with Kentucky with 247Sports. He puts a lot of pressure on the defense with his speed to score and his vision to make the assist. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Commissioner.com is a registered trademark of CBS Interactive Inc. site: media | arena: collegebasketball | pageType: stories | CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. SG / It's crazy the history of guards they have had over there. D.J. When it comes time to pick a college, Sheppard has said he wants to go, Somewhere that feels like family, feels like home. Josh Friedman has produced award-winning South Jersey sports coverage for the Courier Post, The Daily Journal and the Burlington County Times for more than a decade. 1 in the 247Sports Composite. Off-court fit: The Wagner family themselves don't have ties to Kentucky -- only to its coach. Updating the 2023 men's college basketball recruiting class rankings: See the full top 25. He is the younger brother of Jalen Green, the number 2 pick in the 2021 NBA draft and contender for NBA ROY. All rights reserved. Zaire Williams Eagle Academy For Young Men (Bronx, NY) 6-3 / 180. The Athletic's Kyle Tucker mentioned that some UK basketball folks may soon be rocking some NOCTA gear soon, too, which would in no way be a coincidence. Kentucky landed another huge commitment from the Class of 2023 on Monday, when five-star guard DJ Wagner committed to the Wildcats. It goes without saying that DJ Wagner is Louisvilles top target in the 2023 class. However, when an athletes recruitment blows up like Bookers has, no school is a true favorite Louisville fans have seen that movie. 200, PF / AJ Johnson is a 4-star point guard from Woodland Hills, CA. Dajuan Wagner, DJ' Wagner's father, called Payne in aninterview with ESPNhis "uncle.". I went into the weekend skeptical of Bradshaws high billing, but I came away thinking he may be underrated. I want to shoot the three, but I don't want to live by the three.". In general, I really just love college basketball so any coach I talk to is exciting. Wagner joins a Kentucky class that now includes four of the top eight prospects in the 2023 class, with Justin Edwards (No. "Winning comes first with me and I want to help Kentucky win as much as possible. Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Apr 1979 - Jan 19844 years 10 months. Duke's No. With top overall prospect GG Jackson reclassifying from the 2023 to 2022 recruiting class, all eyes now turn to DJ Wagner-- who was quickly elevated to the No. 1-ranked recruit Wagner chooses Kentucky, No. Tyrese Maxey. It was very exciting, and it was pretty cool to actually see them in person as they stood up there but I just came with the same approach of playing to win and staying prepared, he said. Trademarks - Verbal Commits, verbalcommits.com, and the Verbal Commits Logos are trademarks and property of Orange Wolf LLC. Heck, I even found myself standing next to Chane Behanen behind the Scholars bench. I agree to receive the "CBS Sports HQ Newsletter" and marketing communications, updates, special offers (including partner offers), and other information from CBS Sports and the Paramount family of companies. 2004-2023 CBS Interactive. KP, Nolan Smith, and Danny Manning have all recruited and developed top tier talent and they intend to do more of the same at Louisville. That's why it took so long," Wagner told ESPN. Barbee later went on to serve on staff at Kentucky under Calipari from 2014 to 2021 before taking the head coaching position at Central Michigan. at Wagner is both quick and strong. Even with Milt Wagner's presence at Louisville, the gravitational pull to UK -- which offers a bigger platform and a chance to play for a Hall of Famer -- might be too much for the Cardinals to overcome. Verbal Commits - Wagner Seahawks Basketball Recruiting Scholarship Chart: Roster, Offers, Commits, Targets, Rankings 220, SF / 175, SG / 215, SG / Once the summer AAU events began, John Calipari attended several of Sheppards games before eventually offering a scholarship to the son of former Kentucky stars Jeff Sheppard and Stacey Reed. 11/4/2021. 4/27/2021, Commit 2023 www.courierpostonline.com. Lived In Provo UT, Lincoln CA, Othello WA, Roseville CA . "My grandfather was always my grandfather throughout the process. In May, Payne hired Milt Wagner as the program's director of player development and alumni relationship -- a similar move to when Calipari hired Milt at Memphis in 2000. Updated February 21, 2023 11:36 AM. Right now I'm not really sure, I'm not focused on professional or things like that but when the time comes maybe I will consider that. He was showing off his whole arsenal. 175, SG / runner-up finish in the Tournament of Champions, Finally! 6-5 / With Wagner's father being a former first round draft pick, he has been a major part in DJ's game and recruitment. Wagner is considered the No. The Camden High School senior, ESPNs No. 5 and No. 305, PF / Defensively, he's effective when guarding on the ball and also has good anticipation off the ball. No Results for 2021 Basketball; Signed . 1 ranked 2023 recruiting class. As for other Kentucky targets in the 2023 class, Dajuan Wagner Jr. remains the No. pic.twitter.com/xROBjCgbfA. 5) and Robert Dillingham (No. Chances are Wagner only stays in college one season as hes primed to be among the top picks in the 2024 NBA Draft. 200, PF / "That's how I want to play. Instead, it appears Payne may have to do some heavy lifting in the transfer portal after this season to get the Cardinals back on track after what is shaping up to be a rough 2022-23 season. 5 prospect in the country, per ESPN. Verbal Commits - Sebastian Wagner Player Profile: Rankings, Stars, Video Highlights, Offers, Tweets, Height, Weight, High School, Position, Hometown 240. Here are more takeaway's from Wagner's announcement. 6-7 / Consistently knocked off his spot and struggled to adjust at play from on-court fit off-court... In his recruitment at Kentucky times over the weekend skeptical of Bradshaws high billing, but he recently Louisville... Spot and struggled to adjust / 8 ) rounding out the quartet a! The class of 2023 have seen that movie WA, Roseville CA be a MAJOR player his! Our student athletes to wear Adidas gear during official team activities of 2023, Roseville CA:,! Life and he did not disappoint from Louisville one of only three players to hold offer. 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