The No. 1 player in the class of 2023 is D.J. Wagner. The beginning of the story
D.J. Wagner, the top-ranked high school senior in the country, chose Kentucky over Louisville.
Kentucky has the top recruiting class in the nation. It will be the seventh time in the last eight years that Kentucky has the top-ranked recruiting class, if the cycle ends at the top. Wagner is the fourth No. 1 recruit to commit to the Kentucky team.
It was an extremely difficult decision that I had to make. The reason it took so long was because of that. I'm happy with my decision. The coach was straightforward and honest with me. He was going to be with me until the wheels fell off. That means a lot to me. I felt the intensity when I watched him coach.
He said the atmosphere at Kentucky is amazing. I've been there many times and it's what I'm most comfortable with.
Kenny Payne was on Louisville's 1986 national championship team and Calipari was on Memphis' 1986 national championship team.
The program's director of player development and alumni relationship was hired by Payne in May, just like when Calipari hired him at Memphis in 2000. He is a walk-on at Kentucky.
He said that his brother was on the team. It made a big difference. We are very close to each other.
Throughout the process, my grandpa was always my grandpa. He didn't try to get me. He told me what was best for me. He has helped develop me into the player and person that I am by being a mentor. He's going to be family first. Love for him, nothing but that.
Since early in his high school career, the 6-foot-3 guard from Camden has been considered the best prospect in the class. He averaged 18.8 points and 4.9 assists while playing for the NJ Scholars grassroots program last spring and summer. Camden won a New Jersey state championship as a result ofWagner's 19.8 points per game as a high school junior.
At the FIBA U17 world championship, he started all seven games and averaged 9.1 points, 3.1 rebound and 2.9 assists.
He brings a competitive spirit to the game and it's important to win. He wanted to win a gold medal. He is at his best in the open court. He can push the ball up the floor if he wants to. He puts a lot of pressure on the defense with his speed and vision. He's a point guard similar to the one in Cleveland.
Wagner's improvement from the perimeter has been an asset when the game slows down. He has always been effective as a downhill penetrator, getting into the paint and finishing with high-level body control. Once he gets into the paint, he knows when to pull up, jump-stop and use his floater or kick out to an open teammate. He has good anticipation off the ball and is effective defensively.
Four of the top eight prospects in the 2023 class are already in Kentucky's class. Reed Sheppard is ranked 26th in the nation.
This is only the third time in the past 10 years that one school has landed four top 10 prospects in the same class, the other being Kentucky in 2013).
"I'm going there to win," he stated. I want to do everything I can to help Kentucky win.
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