Kentucky landed a big commitment on Monday, when five-star wing Justin Edwards picked the Wildcats over Tennessee live on CBS Sports HQ. Ranked as the No. 2 player in the class of 2023 by 247Sports, Edwards is UK’s third top-30 commit in the class and the second five-star commit along with guard Robert Dillingham.
Amid the reclassification of No. 1 overall prospect GG Jackson to the class of 2022, Edwards has become one of the top candidates to claim the top spot in the class of 2023. Among his top competitors for that honor are has another Kentucky target in guard DJ Wagner.
Regardless of where he ends up in the final rankings, Edwards is a big hit for the Wildcats as they leapfrog UConn and move up from No. 3 to No. 2 in the 247Sports Team rankings for the class. Duke remains atop the standings for now, but a Wagner commitment could change that.
Before narrowing his list to Kentucky and Tennessee, Edwards also considered Auburn, Kansas, Maryland, Villanova and the G League Ignite. The 6-foot-7 star out of Philadelphia’s Imhotep Institute is considered the No. 1 small forward in the class and owns a .9980 rating in the 247Sports Composite rankings.
Edwards as a player
Edwards averaged 18.3 points and 8.3 rebounds per game while leading Imhotep to the city and state titles as a junior. His strong performance with Imhotep helped him jump from No. 12 to No. 3 in the 247Sports player rankings for the 2023 class in May.
In the summer circuit, play in the Team Final. See the article : Letter: Forget politics, let’s have a drink. Here’s a recent Edwards evaluation from Travis Branham of 247Sports:
“Edwards is the most complete player in the class when he’s firing on all cylinders. He’s a 6-foot-7 wing with length and athleticism who can dribble, pass and shoot with a polished offensive package capable of going out and creating his own offense at any point and can rebound and defend at a high level.”
Kentucky’s brand
If there were any concerns about UK coach John Calipari’s continued resources on the recruiting trail after the Wildcats’ stunning first-round NCAA Tournament exit at the hands of No. 15 seed Saint Peter’s, that should quell it. It was a horrible end to the season, especially after a 9-16 record in 2020-21, but Edwards’ commitment shows how strong the Big Blue Nation brand remains in recruiting.
Kentucky’s 2022 class was headlined by five-star prospects Cason Wallace and Chris Livingston, but finished No. 14 overall in the 247Sports team rankings. See the article : Miami Football Recruitment: Four-Star EDGE star Jayden Wayne, helping Canes to become the top 10 in the rankings. With Edwards, Dillingham and No. 28 overall prospect Reed Sheppard committed, the Wildcats are firmly in the hunt to finish with the top-ranked class this time around.
