Photo | Courtesy of McDonald’s
Kentucky fans barely had enough time to wake up and grab their coffee before learning that John Calipari had landed five-star forward E.J. Montgomery for the 2018 class. 247 Sports Evan Daniels broke the story at 8 a.m. ET. this morning, followed by an Instagram post from Montgomery.
Montgomery averaged 25.6 points and 13.6 rebounds per game as a senior at Wheeler High School in Wheeler, Georgia. Additionally, he averaged a double-double during last summer’s Adidas Gauntlet with 14.1 points and 11.0 rebounds. His strong senior season led to him being named a 2018 McDonald’s All-American, where he got to know Kentucky signees Immanuel Quickley and Keldon Johnson.
The talented Wheeler, Georgia native was supposed to join Mike Krzyzewski and their pool of five-star forwards, not Calipari’s trio of guards. However, Duke wasn’t the presumed “frontrunner” like everyone believed. Wheeler High School basketball coach, Larry Thompson spoke with Go Big Blue Country on Monday morning about Montgomery’s decision to play in Lexington.
“That never came from E.J.’s camp that Duke was a favorite or whatever that means,” said Thompson. “People have their speculation about how things are going here, how things are going there but I think it ultimately came down to comfortability with the guys that are coming in and about E.J. being utilized the most.”
The biggest reason Kentucky was able to land one of the top uncommitted players in the country is that they have nobody like him. The Wildcats need a versatile presence in the post, someone that can be used in different ways.
“He (Calipari) told him he was not a wanted piece but a needed piece. E.J. is so versatile and skilled at that typical stretch four position, a position that a lot of guys like to play offense out of. He can do a lot of things from that point-forward position. I think that’s one of the things that Cal wanted to get more skilled at is that four spot.”
Kentucky sophomore forward Sacha Killeya-Jones announced Monday afternoon that he will transfer and UK granted him a full release with no restrictions. Meanwhile, freshman forward P.J. Washington has already announced that he is testing the NBA waters but along with Jarred Vanderbilt, Wenyen Gabriel, and Nick Richards, he is expected back at Kentucky next season. As for how that all fits together, it remains to be seen.
“I just know that coach Cal gets guys that are similar, or different to buy into playing a certain style. E.J. is different from Jarred (Vanderbilt) and P.J. (Washington) in that E.J. is a kid that can play multiple positions. He’s just so versatile at that four spot. E.J.’s skillset translates to a team that wants to play fast. His skill set meshes with those guys because they’re all different and bring something different to the table. E.J. is a kid that’s not going to demand a whole bunch of touches because he can get his in a variety of ways.”
The 6-foot-10 Montgomery met with Calipari on Sunday night and felt comfortable pulling the trigger on a decision that he had been thinking about for a while. According to Coach Thompson, the decision wasn’t made based on that visit. This was something that Montgomery had on his mind for quite some time.
“I don’t think it was a last night decision. I think it has been in the works for a while. E.J. and I talked several weeks ago and it was Duke and Kentucky in no real order. I know Kentucky has been very, very heavy on his mind. The kid did his homework and he didn’t rush to any conclusion or decision.”
The Big Blue Nation is getting a tremendous talent for the 2018-2019 team but as good as he is a player, his personality off the floor is something people will like most about him. Coach Thompson continued to sing his praises about how his personality and character match his game.
“They are getting one of the most humble kids I’ve ever had the pleasure of coaching. To have all the accolades that come along with being a McDonald’s All-American and a five-star kid, he’s learned what it means to really work. Kentucky is getting a humble kid that wants to be good.”
Montgomery is ranked the No. 6 overall player in the 2018 class by 247 Sports, bumping Kentucky up four spots to the No. 2 class in the country, trailing only Duke’s class of R.J. Barrett, Cam Redish, Zion Williamson, and Tre Jones. If Kentucky can land a commitment and reclassification from 2019 No. 1 point guard Ashton Hagans, Calipari’s group could dethrone Duke for the top spot in the 247 Sports rankings.
