No, Kentucky doesn’t have numerous home run signings in the works at the point guard position, a string of moves designed to load up the depth chart and ultimately push 2021 signee Nolan Hickman Jr. out the door. No, John Calipari didn’t cut ties with the five-star guard after the coaching departures of Tony Barbee and Joel Justus, Hickman’s two lead recruiters. The senior guard standout decommitted from Kentucky on Friday for several key reasons, none as complicated as you may think.
On the surface level, yes, Barbee’s move to Central Michigan to take over as the program’s head coach hurt, just as it did when Justus signed on to become Bobby Hurley’s top assistant at Arizona State.