Elite point guard from state of Washington picks Kentucky over Kansas, others
Nolan Hickman, a 6-foot-2, 170-pound senior point guard from Wasatch Academy in Mt. Pleasant, Utah, and originally from the state of Washington, has verbally committed to play basketball at Kentucky over Kansas and others, he announced Saturday on Instagram.
Hickman, the No. 76-rated player in the recruiting Class of 2021 by Rivals.com, had also been offered by Washington, Oklahoma, UCLA, Arizona, Oregon State and others.
The weekend commitment came as a surprise to recruiting experts, who did not know Kentucky had entered the recruiting sweepstakes for Hickman. KU, Arizona and UCLA were believed to be the leaders right up until his announcement.
“This was definitely under the radar,” Hickman told 247sports.com. “It was really hard to keep it in because Kentucky is a big deal.
“Kentucky has always been a dream school for me,” Hickman added. “I grew up watching them. I love the system. The second Coach Cal (John Calipari) and (Tony) Barbee reached out it just felt like I was wanted and it was home. It is where I need to be to get to the next level.”
He averaged 17.3 points, 3.4 assists, 3.7 rebounds, and 2.0 steals per game as a junior at Eastside Catholic High School in Sammamish, Washington last year, electing to transfer to Wasatch for his senior season.
Rivals.com’s Corey Evans said Hickman, “is respected for his sound facilitating abilities in the backcourt. He is a gritty defender that, thanks to his size, can check more than just one position along the perimeter. A decent shot maker to 22-feet, it is more about what he can do off the bounce where can score out of the mid-range and at the rim, but has the court presence to create for others as a true playmaking agent.”
Where does KU stand in recruiting?
As far as KU recruiting … coach Bill Self so far has landed verbal commitments from two frontcourt players in the recruiting Class of 2021.
They are: K.J. Adams, a 6-foot-7, 220-pound senior power forward from Westlake High School in Austin, Texas, who is ranked No. 83 in the recruiting class of 2021 according to Rivals.com and Zach Clemence, a 6-10 senior power forward from Sunrise Christian Academy in Bel Aire, Kansas, who is ranked No, 29 nationally. KU is bringing in a guard in preferred basketball walk-on/football signee Keon Coleman, a 6-4 senior from Opelousas (Louisiana) High School. He plays defensive back in football.
The Jayhawks have three scholarships to award in the Class of 2021, more if players turn pro or leave the program. KU is recruiting several guards in the Class of 2021 including Tamar Bates, formerly of Piper High School, now at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida; Hunter Sallis, Millard North High School, Omaha, Nebraska; JD Davison, Calhoun High School, Letohatchee, Alabama; Jaden Hardy, Coronado High School, Henderson, Nevada and Trey Alexander, 6-4, Heritage Hall High School, Oklahoma City.
The Jayhawks are still after several frontcourt players including Daimion Collins, Atlanta (Texas) High School; Sam Ayomide, Phelps School, Malvern, Pennsylvania; Michael Foster, Hillcrest Prep, Phoenix, Arizona; Franck Kepnang, Westtown (Pennsylvania) School; Efton Reid, IMG Academy, Bradenton, Florida; DaRon Holmes, Montverde (Florida) Academy; Arthur Kaluma, Dream City Christian, Glendale, Arizona and Sydney Curry, Logan Community College, Carterville, Illinois.
This story was originally published August 23, 2020 at 1:58 PM.
