Sports Illustrated has been highlighting the most elite freshmen heading into the upcoming season, and they slotted Hagans at number 14, tagging him as a worthy replacement for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander:
If Hagans can help replace Gilgeous-Alexander’s production and contribute defensively, Kentucky should be all set. It’s got depth all across the court and Calipari is a gifted point guard creator. He’s coached five top-10 NBA draft picks at the point guard position and Hagans could easily be the next, with speed similar to the likes of Kentucky greats John Wall and De’Aaron Fox.
While comparisons to Wall and Fox might be lofty, and are certainly premature from a skill perspective, Coach Cal does have a way of molding old fashioned raw talent into a more refined style of play.