John Calipari provides P.J. Washington medical update
By ADAM ZAGORIA Kentucky freshman PJ Washington decided to return
By ADAM ZAGORIA Kentucky freshman PJ Washington decided to return
By NICK MEDLINE
CHICAGO — At times, the McDonald’s All-American East Team practice would look something like a sneak preview of next year’s Kentucky squad.
Wildcat commits P.J. Washington, Quade Green, Jarred Vanderbilt and Nick Richards are all playing for Team East this week in Chicago. And during practice scrimmages, many were often part of the same lineup, providing the group with an extra opportunity to play alongside each other. Washington said this experience has been useful, and that the recruiting class — which also includes Canadian guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander — will be able to gel quickly in Lexington.
“There’s a lot of chemistry, and we all know each other’s games,” Washington said. “Quade, with the way he runs the floor, he gets everyone involved and makes everyone happy. Jarred and I are very versatile. Then Nick blocks and rebounds everything. We see each other’s strengths and weaknesses, and we try to build off that.”
P.J. Washington, the 6-foot-8 forward from Frisco, Texas and Findlay Prep (NV), committed to Kentucky over North Carolina and UNLV on Thursday on ESPNU.
“Just the way [Coach John] Calipari uses his players and gets them to the next level,” Washington said. “And I thought that would be great for me.”
Washington is Kentucky’s second Class of 2017 commit, following 6-11 big man Nick Richards of The Patrick School (N.J.), who committed earlier Thursday. Those two can slot in in the frontcourt in case Bam Adebayo or other frontcourt players head to the NBA.
ESPN now ranks Kentucky with the No. 5 recruiting class in 2017.
Washington said Calipari compared him to other former Wildcats now in the NBA.
“He told me he’ll use me like Trey Lyles and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, play me with no positions and just dominate the game,” he said.
Washington attended Kentucky for an official visit in September, and was at Big Blue Madness in October along with fellow Class of 2017 stars Mohamed Bamba, Quade Green, Trae Young and Kevin Knox.
P.J. Washington, the 6-foot-8 forward from Frisco,
P.J. Washington, the 6-foot-8 forward from Frisco, Texas and Findlay Prep (NV), will take his final official visit to UNLV this weekend and is expected to decide during the NCAA early signing period.
Washington, who went for 25 points over the weekend in a 70-62 victory over Chino Hills (CA), is considering Kentucky, North Carolina and UNLV, after crossing Arizona and Texas off his list.
“P.J. will most likely decide during the early signing period,” Paul Washington Sr., the player’s father and the Findlay Prep coach said. “He could hold out but I think he’s ready to move forward with the process.”
Washington attended Kentucky’s Big Blue Madness following an official visit in September.
P.J. Washington, the 6-foot-8 forward from Frisco, Texas and Findlay Prep (NV), enjoyed his weekend unofficial to Kentucky for Big Blue Madness and is now focusing on four schools.
Kentucky, Arizona, North Carolina and UNLV remain under consideration, while Texas is out. UNC’s Roy Williams and Kentucky’s Kenny Payne were both expected to visit with Washington on Tuesday.
Washington attended Kentucky for a second time following an official visit in September, and was at Big Blue Madness along with fellow Class of 2017 stars Mohamed Bamba, Quade Green, Trae Young and Kevin Knox.
“It was an unofficial for him so we didn’t really spend a lot of time with coaches,” said Paul Washington Sr., the Findlay Prep coach and P.J.’s father. “It was good. The only thing we were looking for is the fans, that old Big Blue Nation. There was definitely a lot of people for sure.”
