If there were ever office pools in recruiting, it wouldn’t take long to fill them out.
Kentucky, Kentucky, Kentucky and Kentucky.
John Calipari added to his historic recruiting class on Wednesday, by gaining a verbal commitment from electric power forward Julius Randle of Texas. The 6-foot-9 star picked the Wildcats over Kansas, Texas and Florida on ESPNU, news that surely softened the blow for Big Blue Nation after Tuesday night’s NIT loss at Robert Morris.
Randle becomes Kentucky’s sixth McDonald’s All-American, a number that could conceivably reach eight if Calipari lands wing Andrew Wiggins — the consensus top prospect in the nation from Canada who some have said is the best high school prospect since LeBron James — and forward Aaron Gordon of California.
“[Kentucky’s] system was the best fit,” Randle said on ESPNU. “I trusted coach [John Calipari]. In my heart, that’s where I always wanted to go. I wasn’t going to go against my heart.”
Randle led Prestonwood (Texas) to a private school state title after missing most of the season with a foot injury. He averaged 28 points, 15 rebounds and four blocks in five playoff games.
Randle joins a loaded class that includes highly ranked All-Americans Andrew and Aaron Harrison, Dakari Johnson, Marcus Lee and James Young. Kentucky now has four of Scout.com’s top 10 prospects. Furthermore, after Kentucky’s loss to Robert Morris, forwards Alex Poythress and Willie-Cauley Stein and guard Archie Goodwin said they planned on returning to Lexington.
“They have a lot of great players going in there, so you’re going to have to battle,” Randle said on ESPNU. “I think like they did the year before the team’s been a unit. I play USA Basketball with a lot of great players so I think I’ll adjust well. I think it’s the best fit for me. It’s where I was in my heart, I wanted to be at Kentucky.”
Calipari’s toughest job next year may be managing egos and splitting up minutes rather than diagramming plays. Odds are, Kentucky won’t find itself in the NIT next year, that’s for sure.
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Brooklyn wing Richard Williams of Vermont Academy de-committed from Hofstra, he announced on Twitter. The Pride had Gill St. Bernard (N.J.) guard Chris Jenkins, a former Florida Atlantic commit, on campus on Thursday also, along with committed guard Iverson Fleming of New Brunswick Township (N.J.)
zbraziller@nypost.com