Thanks to alert blog commenter chukas14, who passes along that Adam Zagoria of Zagsblog is reporting that Birmingham, Alabama point guard Eric Bledsoe will visit UK this weekend.
The 6-foot Bledsoe is expected to visit Memphis on Thursday, then continue on to Lexington.
Bledsoe is thought to be second on UK’s wish list behind John Wall, but new coach John Calipari has visited Bledsoe and has kept in close contact. Rivals ranks Bledsoe as the 23rd best player in the 2009 class.
As for Memphis, Zagoria writes:
Meantime, despite the losses of Cousins (to Kentucky) and Xavier Henry (to Kansas) Josh Pastner’s Memphis club will feature Shawn Taggart, JUCO star Will Coleman and 6-10 forward Angel Garcia in the frontcourt with Wesley Witherspoon, Roburt Sallie and Doneal Mack on the wings, making them a formidable outfit.
Great! He has been my pick all along! I think wall has a problems, and will make the wrong the wrong decision.
Great! He has been my pick all along! Let’s shorten wall list, offer Bledsoe Scholarship now.
A Bledsoe in the hand is better than a Wall in the bush. Remember how UK got Rondo. RP was waiting on Telfair and ended up with nothing. Let’s not do the same thing. If Bledsoe wants to sign then sign him. He will be here for 4 years, so we may not make the final 4 next year but I bet we will go to 2 before he graduates. This is not a knock on Walls just my opinion. GO CATS
Great!
WWW (WE WANT WALL!!) Come on Calipari, don’t settle for #2.
Coach Cal
I am a huge fan of you, however; square something up for me. You told Valarino that you preferred bigger, taller, guards and then he committed to Gonzaga. Yet you offered Bledsoe whom I believe to be a potential great player at UK. He is not as tall as Valarino and does not have the vertical leap that V does. Please explain this to me. Both are quality players , but you elected to convience Valarino that he would not fit your system. Really or was it that Billy G is the one who signed him? Explain this one please!!!!!!!!!!
Remember Rich that he also signed Daniel Orton and John Hood and they are still here
Wow, Rich. You accuse Cal of being petty about Billy G’s recruits when he kept 2 of 3 and actively recruited Orton who was considering leaving? Not a strong case. Also, preferring taller more athletic doesn’t mean there aren’t exceptions. Bledsoe is much more highly ranked than V. I’m sure if V was the equal to Bledsoe in Cal’s eyes he would have encouraged him to stay as insurance for Wall.
My understanding is that we have already offered Bledsoe a scholarship. My sense is that the main thing holding him back is the possibility that even if he commits, Wall may still come here. He does not want to play behind Wall and I don’t blame him. I doubt Coach Cal will tell him he won’t take Wall in June if he decides to come. So this is a tough situation. Regardless of what happens,and I do want Bledsoe, I’m glad Coach Cal is in charge.
Bledsoe is taller than Valarino 2″s
Sometimes 2nd or #2 is a better fit than #1 Bledsoe is the way to go!
bldsoe and valarino r nowhere near the same bledsoe is wayyy better than valarino
My understanding is that we have already offered Bledsoe a scholarship. My sense is that the main concern is whether he will end up being a backup to Wall if he commits and Wall chooses UK as well. I doubt that Coach Cal would promise that we will stop recruiting Wall. So Bledsoe has to weigh the risk of being #2 here or #1 at Memphis. Coach Cal will handle this appropriately. As much as I want Bledsoe here, there are issues like this we will face each year with these elite recruits.
We need a PG in the worst way. Bledsoe is willing to come to UK and to take a visit and check us out. That is far more than what Wall has done, so far. Remember Wall is a Carolina native and they play the stall-ball down there. Well Wall is playing that now with UK. IF Bledsoe is a 5 star or a 4 star recruit, than we should be going hard after somebody that seems to be interested enough in us to come and visit…don’t you think, Coach Cal?!
I believe Wall previously visited unofficially.
I say go for Bledsoe….he apparantly wants to come to UK….Wall is one and gone….
Forget Wall, He’s an ego trip we don’t need