LEXINGTON, Ky. _ For young backcourt players assessing their future college basketball options, what Kentucky has going this season is a sight to behold.
The three-pronged attack of Ashton Hagans, Immanuel Quickley and Tyrese Maxey _ all five-star point guard recruits before they got to Lexington _ is more on-the-court proof that John Calipari can utilize multiple backcourt talents in a way that both helps UK's team and furthers the players' professional aspirations.
Hagans, Maxey and Quickley are all starting. They're all getting between 33 and 34 minutes per game. They're all averaging double figures in points. They're all now projected in the top 60 for this year's NBA draft. Kentucky has won eight games in a row.
And recruits and their connections are paying attention.
"I think it's been phenomenal. Because you never know which one's going to have a monster game," Kenny Clark _ father of highly touted guard Skyy Clark _ told the Herald-Leader. "It seems like it's no jealousy, no competing against each other, all competing with each other trying to get to one goal, and that's the national title.
"They use them the right way, and they play the right way. I love it."
On Saturday afternoon, Clark and his son got an up close look at UK's trio of star guards. The family made the trip from Los Angeles to Lexington and sat directly behind the Wildcats bench for the victory over Auburn, their first experience of seeing a game in Rupp Arena.
Clark's father told the Herald-Leader on Monday that the entire visit was "phenomenal" and only heightened the family's already-lofty thoughts regarding Kentucky's program.
Before coming to Lexington, he talked about how well all three of UK's guards were meshing. Such a dynamic could hold even more importance in future recruiting cycles.
With UK's backcourt recruiting for next season largely set _ point guard Devin Askew and shooting guards Brandon Boston and Terrence Clarke have already signed _ the Wildcats' coaching staff has made major inroads with prospects in the 2021 and 2022 classes.
Kennedy Chandler _ the No. 1 point guard in the '21 class _ was in Lexington two weekends ago for a recruiting visit. Clark is one of at least a half-dozen highly touted guards in the 2022 class that have visited UK this season or have drawn serious early interest from the Cats.
And Kentucky is already seen as the favorite for shooting guard Jaden Hardy, the top-ranked backcourt prospect in the class of 2021.
With Askew not projected as a one-and-done NBA draft pick next season, the Wildcats' backcourt of the future could become crowded with point guard talent. And it's clear that could work just fine.
Clark's father told the Herald-Leader that UK assistant coach Joel Justus _ the lead on this recruitment _ compared his son to Maxey upon first seeing him last year.
"There's some similarities there," Kenny Clark agreed. "Maxey can fill it up on any given night. And he can handle the rock and slide over to the point. Or he can play the '2' and still not miss a beat.
"Skyy's been watching Maxey forever. He loves Maxey's game. He loves his style of play. And he loves the way they've plugged him into their system. And he's gone, man. He'll be a lottery pick this year."
Clark, a versatile 6-3 guard who could ultimately reclassify to 2021, is looking more and more like a Kentucky lean with each passing week. Those who follow UK recruiting closely are already looking ahead to the possibility of an Askew/Hardy/Clark backcourt for the 2021-22 season _ or two of those players and Chandler, or some other similar combination of three highly touted prospects _ and imagining the possibilities.
And the pool of players that UK is targeting are open to the idea of playing with other top guards. "That doesn't concern me," Clark's dad said. "That's why people label Skyy a combo guard _ he can play on or off the ball."
