mmmm... no. Kemba was a cream of the crop top tier recruit. I am thankful down to my veins as a college basketaball fan that UConn got him.
#12 overall in 247 rankings and #14 overall in ESPN rankings.
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Yes, I know he was ranked in the teens. I said that above. Did you even read what I wrote? He was not ranked that high when he committed to UConn. Anyone who followed recruiting back then should remember that. He wasn't even ranked by most coming into the spring of his junior year. He was generally top 100 by the middle of the spring but he was not top 10-20 until later that summer, after he committed to UConn, when he showed all spring/summer how good he was. Kemba rocketed up the rankings very quickly so Calhoun was a good judge of his talent.
I found the Hartford Courant article from June 17, 2007, the day after he committed to UConn, written by Mike Anthony (can't find a link) which gives his ranking from Scout.com and Rivals.com. Rivals.com still had him at #118 at the time he committed to UConn. Also, here's the Scout.com article when Kemba committed where Telep says he wasn't even ranked coming into the spring of his junior year. Below are the 2 articles.
New York Point Guard Commits
By MIKE ANTHONY
Courant Staff Writer
June 17 2007
Kemba Walker, a point guard from Rice High School in New York, made an oral commitment to attend UConn Saturday.
Walker, 6 feet 2, chose the Huskies over Cincinnati and St. John's.
Walker is said to be a player with rising stock. He has been impressive in recent AAU tournaments such as the Cactus Classic in Phoenix, where he led the New York Gauchos to the championship and was named MVP.
Scout.com rates Walker the No. 4 point guard and No. 36 overall player in the Class of 2008.
Rivals.com has him as the No. 20 point guard and No. 118 player.
The feeling at UConn is that Walker is, or will become, one of the elite players in the class.
Walker joins guard/forward Nate Miles from Notre Dame Prep in Fitchburg, Mass., as high school seniors-to-be who have committed to UConn.
For the Class of 2009, the Huskies have commitments from Alex Oriakhi, a 6-8 post player, and Jamal Coombs, a 6-6 guard/forward, both juniors at the Winchendon School in Massachusetts.
Walker made an unofficial visit to UConn June 6 and will likely make an official visit once his senior year begins. Walker and Rice coach Maurice Hicks could not be reached Saturday.
UConn sophomore forward Curtis Kelly played at Rice.
____________________________________________________
| Walker Makes His Pick | | |
By Dave Telep
National Recruiting Director
Posted Jun 16, 2007
Kemba Walker, Scout.com’s No. 36 prospect in America, is no longer uncommitted. On Saturday, Walker became the 7th Top 10 point guard to make up his mind and offer a commitment.
| | |
Kemba Walker matched his rapid ascension up the point guard charts by making a very quick collegiate decision. The 6-foot point guard out of Manhattan (N.Y.) Rice committed to the Connecticut Huskies this week. He considered Cincinnati, St. John’s and a host of high level programs.
UConn moved swiftly on Walker. After being named the MVP of the Cactus Classic in May, Jim Calhoun’s crew immediately brought him to campus, offered a ride and ended the process.
It was almost like Walker was sitting on one particular program. “Actually, it was the school I was waiting for,” Walker said. “It’s probably my dream school.”
Walker’s proof that dreams do come true. Unranked prior to the spring, the tough leader went from Top 20 at his position to No. 36 nationally. Presently, he’s the No. 4 ranked point guard in the Class of 2008.
“I know they got a couple of guards already,” Walker said. “But, they said none of them are true point guards and they need a true point guard. Some of the other guys are scorers and they want me to come in and run the team.
“I’m a tough player. I’m not afraid of anybody and I love challenges. All my life I’ve always been told that I’m not good enough so that made me work harder.”
Now that he’s a Husky, Walker is ready to hand out his first assist. The Huskies had Scout.com’s No. 2 prospect on campus last week and Walker is ready to help out if he can.
“(I want) Ed Davis. I like the way he plays. I really don’t play with many big men. This is my first year playing with bigs and I know in college you need them. I played against Ed Davis in the Memorial Day Classic and he plays hard. He plays like me but he’s bigger and he plays hard.” | | |
