Best verbal commits to UK to never play

[Uk74tileyedie]

Tito Horford

I get this, that's funny.lol

 

[rabidcatfan]

1. Shawn Kemp - without question would have been dominant.
2. Ralph Sampson - heard Joe B. Hall was under the assumption that he was coming to UK, but then was blindsided when he publicly announced for UVa. I think Ralph committed to UK on the phone with Coach Hall, but then had a last second change of heart when he made the decision public and never bothered to call Coach Hall to let him know he changed his mind.
3. Tracy McGrady - I'v heard two stories here. One is he was going to commit to UK, but then Rick left for Boston and he decided to enter the draft, and two he had given Rick a verbal over the phone, but rescinded that when Rick left.
4. Draymond Green - committed to UK to play for OTS, but decommitted and committed to Izzo and MSU when Tubby left for Minny.
5. cant think of anyone else

 

[drbubba]

Tito Horford

Hey, I've been giving a secret verbal for 40 years!

 

[ALL IN YOUR FACE]

This thread sucks

 

[Caveman Catfan]

Elton Brand and Avery were committed until Pitino left.

Wow. I do not remember that.

 

[Caveman Catfan]

UK fans thought they were getting Tony Parker if he did not enter the draft. Who knows?

 

[white10]

Shawn Kemp hands down !!

 

[T75]

Shawn Kemp - The Beast

 

[BC_in_06]

Butch Beard

Being from Breckinridge County this is my pick.

 

[*Bleedingblue*]

Moses Malone was going to go Maryland if he had gone to college.
Willoughby committed, Tracy McGrady committed, the kid from Columbia SC would have gone to UK, cannot think of him, Most think Ralph Sampson committed because Joe Hall called local TV and radio to tell them that they needed to be in Harrisonburg Va., all changed the night before and morning. Apparently mother cried and held on to Ralph at breakfast.
Dawkins was rumored to be part of class with Willoughby or year before. Most think FSU with Hugh Durham was the destination point.

Dirk was going out West, he had person who was pushing him to Washington, Oregon or somewhere, can't remember. He wanted to visit UK but was getting late in process and UK was told he was going pro is what I heard. He blew up in game with college and NBA players.
Dirk is a big fan of big blue and follows them as if it is his team.

Jermaine O'Neil.

 

[*Bleedingblue*]

Draymond Green. You should have posted this on Rafters

Also that 7' was committed and ended up at Xavier. Was a decent big for them.

 

[*Bleedingblue*]

Allen Iverson was all but a cat until the bowling alley fight. After that hardly anyone wanted him except Georgetown of course.

 

[420grover]

Also that 7' was committed and ended up at Xavier. Was a decent big for them.

Kenny Frease

 

[Dirk2Bowie]

Moses Malone was going to go Maryland if he had gone to college.
Willoughby committed, Tracy McGrady committed, the kid from Columbia SC would have gone to UK, cannot think of him, Most think Ralph Sampson committed because Joe Hall called local TV and radio to tell them that they needed to be in Harrisonburg Va., all changed the night before and morning. Apparently mother cried and held on to Ralph at breakfast.
Dawkins was rumored to be part of class with Willoughby or year before. Most think FSU with Hugh Durham was the destination point.

Dirk was going out West, he had person who was pushing him to Washington, Oregon or somewhere, can't remember. He wanted to visit UK but was getting late in process and UK was told he was going pro is what I heard. He blew up in game with college and NBA players.
Dirk is a big fan of big blue and follows them as if it is his team.

Jermaine O'Neal: stud 250# 6'-11" center/forward with the face of a nine year old.

 

[Got8WeDue]

The RAIN MAN

 

[Philthy22]

My uncles' cousin is Donnie Morris, who was the coach. Rupp did recruit him a little but beard had no interest in being the one to break the "color barrier" there.

Butch is on Jerry Eaves radio show in Louisville. A quick call and we should know for sure.

 

[Philthy22]

Easy. Michael Avery

Marshall Tucker verballed to BCG.

 

[BankerCat12]

Was Kevin Garnett going to UNC or Depaul? I know he was recruited by UK but cannot remember how that recruitment went.

Jermaine O'neal and TMac were in the same class, correct?

 

[BankerCat12]

UK was Durants top school at the end of his sophomore year and then Tubby stopped recruiting him b/c that made a lot of sense.

Brandan Wright was ready to commit but Tubby told him to take the UNC visit to make sure b/c that made a lot of sense.

 

[akers65]

Was Kevin Garnett going to UNC or Depaul? I know he was recruited by UK but cannot remember how that recruitment went.

Jermaine O'neal and TMac were in the same class, correct?

Kevin McKale who was GM of the team that drafted Garnett asked him where he would have went to college if he’d not went pro. McKale stayed Garnett said Kentucky without hesitation.

UK missed several recruits to them jumping straight to pros from high school.

 

[jameslee32]

Dakotah Euton

 

[kingt1]

Charles Barkley would have come if offered as well.

Chuck wanted to come badly but Hall thought he was just a wee bit too large.

 

[bthaunert]

Kevin McKale who was GM of the team that drafted Garnett asked him where he would have went to college if he’d not went pro. McKale stayed Garnett said Kentucky without hesitation.

UK missed several recruits to them jumping straight to pros from high school.

Garnett himself is quoted as saying he would have gone to Maryland.

 

[Creed Bratton]

rumor or not. Rank the players that consider d UK but never got here. I've always heard about Allen iverson but I wann hear more

I am the best I know of. I verbally committed to Rick Pitino but he hadn't offered and didn't accept my verbal commitment. I guess I was the first silent verbal.

 

[mdlUK.1]

Gunther Benke

 

[fredmanthecatfan]

W
T
K

All committed to UK at the same Taco Bell, or so it was told.

 

[ncaaky]

One of these days, if I can narrow down what game it was, I'll have to check and see if UKBasketballLive has a replay on file. I'd get a kick out of finding it and hearing Dick V. say it again!

Vitale said it during the opening season game Nov. 1996 against Clemson. UK played awful and lost in OT. During the game Vitale said for UK fans not to worry because we were going to McGrady.

 

[dezyDeco]

Vitale said it during the opening season game Nov. 1996 against Clemson. UK played awful and lost in OT. During the game Vitale said for UK fans not to worry because we were going to McGrady.

Cool... thanks for the reference. Unfortunately, UKBBLive's collection is no longer available.

How did you come to recall that... your collection, or a video clip somewhere?

 

[KYHomeBoyinNC]

Willoughby and Kemp are who absolutely verballed and/or signed(hell, I saw Kemp playing flag football in the fall of his freshman year on campus) and are the two best.

Draymond Green committed but de-verballed when OTS left. A couple of others are Gunther Behnke and Vince Sanford, both in the early-mid '80s. Lawrence Funderburke is committed but got caught up in the Eddie Sutton fiasco.

The other names are rumor or hearsay.

I played flag football at UK back then and yes, Kemp was there. I was surprised when he went pro, but he was definitely ready.

 

[Ocornett]

Ralph Sampson, pretty sure he told Joe B. he was coming!

He did.

 

[sluggercatfan]

Moses Malone

Shawn Kemp...the Poodles Willoughby

 

[sluggercatfan]

Butch Beard never committed to U.K. -- ever .

Coach Morris was a fine man,but I interviewed Unseld at UL for my school newspaper and Wes told me that Butch had really been interested in playing for UK.Unseld is my High School's All Time Scorer and his Brother George was my Coach I think I may be closer to this story..

Mike Redd best player to ever play at Seneca...

 

[wildcatglenn]

The great Hunter McClintock. Billy G's pride and joy

 

[Sawnee Cat]

UK was Durants top school at the end of his sophomore year and then Tubby stopped recruiting him b/c that made a lot of sense.

Brandan Wright was ready to commit but Tubby told him to take the UNC visit to make sure b/c that made a lot of sense.

Thank God and Greyhound Tubby Smith is gone. That makes a lot of sense

 

[awf]

Who was the big kid from KY that passed away before he could attend UK.......it was during the Tubby era......had a heart attack or something of the sort......

 

[jauk11]

We won the Independent league when I was there, very competitive league. Our QB went to Colorado on a QB scholarship but came to UK on a pitching scholarship, big lefthander that liked to try to throw the ball through you, big and slow but what an arm.

 

[jauk11]

Hey, I've been giving a secret verbal for 40 years!

Keep trying, and let me know if you get an offer! I would try by lying about my age.

 

[stoneycat_20]

Who was the big kid from KY that passed away before he could attend UK.......it was during the Tubby era......had a heart attack or something of the sort......

You're thinking of John Stewart.. he was from Indiana, not Kentucky

 

[jauk11]

I played flag football at UK back then and yes, Kemp was there. I was surprised when he went pro, but he was definitely ready.

Were freshmen ineligible then? I watched the UK freshmen football team demolish Thug U's freshmen team 73-0, thought we were on our way but Charlie ran too many players off and injuries killed us in 65. We still had Rodger Bird, Rick Norton, and Sam Ball picked at the top of the draft, with Kestner, Davis, and some others drafted later.

 

[kingt1]

Willoughby and Kemp are who absolutely verballed and/or signed(hell, I saw Kemp playing flag football in the fall of his freshman year on campus) and are the two best.

Draymond Green committed but de-verballed when OTS left. A couple of others are Gunther Behnke and Vince Sanford, both in the early-mid '80s. Lawrence Funderburke is committed but got caught up in the Eddie Sutton fiasco.

The other names are rumor or hearsay.

Kemp was a Prop 48 his freshman season is why he didn't play, then he pawned Sean Sutton's gold chain and well he had to go and ended up at St Catherine's, then to the draft. Johnathon Pittman was another big Prop 48 committed that never suited up. He eventually surfaced at Ok. St