Three UK MBB Signees Selected to Jordan Brand Classic Roster
BEAVERTON, Ore. – Kentucky men’s basketball signees Daimion Collins, Bryce Hopkins and TyTy Washington were among the 30 players selected for the 2021 Jordan Brand Classic roster this weekend.
No game will be played in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic but the Jordan Brand Classic is recognizing the high school athletes who would have otherwise been chosen to play in the game.
UK has had multiple players compete in the Jordan Brand Classic during the John Calipari era, including six in 2013. Since Calipari’s arrival, 47 total Kentucky signees have been selected for the game. That mark is the best the country.
The three UK players selected this season is tied with Duke and Gonzaga for the most of any college program. A full list of JBC alumni can be found at jordanbrandclassic.com/history/.
Collins was also named to the 2021 McDonald’s All American 24-player roster earlier this year. Like the JBC, the game was not played this season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. UK has signed 39 McDonald’s All Americans out of high school during the Calipari era, more than any other school in the country during that time period.
The Allen Iverson Roundball Classic was played this spring and featured all three Kentucky freshman signees. Washington highlighted the weekend by scoring a game-high 22 points and winning the 3-point contest.
With the recent addition of Washington, UK is going to be in the mix for one of the top classes in the nation yet again. In every season in the Calipari era, the Wildcats have signed a top-three recruiting class according to the Recruiting Services Consensus Index, which tallies major recruiting rankings and plugs them into a formula to calculate a consensus ranking. Kentucky has now signed 62 top-50 recruits, 47 top-25 players and 26 top-10 players (according to Rivals) in what will now be Calipari’s 13 recruiting classes at Kentucky.
Recruiting Class Rankings under Calipari
| 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | ||
| Rivals | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | TBD | |
| 247Sports | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | TBD | |
| ESPN | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 | TBD | |
| RSCI | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | TBD | |
Daimion Collins
Collins had a monster senior season at Atlanta High School in Atlanta Texas. He averaged 35.2 points, 14.4 rebounds. 7.0 assists and 6.2 blocks per game and was named to the Naismith All-America Third Team and the MaxPreps All-America First Team.
Ranked the No. 10 overall player in the 2021 class by Rivals and 247Sports, Collins is a five-star prospect. With a 7-foot-4 wingspan, the forward is an explosive athlete, an exceptional shot-blocker and has the athletic ability to defend on the perimeter.
In addition to making the McDonald’s All American roster and the Allen Iverson Roundball Classic, Collins was named to the Sports Illustrated All-America Third Team, made the Texas 3A All-State Team and was tabbed the MaxPreps Texas Player of the Year.
Bryce Hopkins
Hopkins will come to Kentucky out of Oak Park, Illinois. The 6-7 forward averaged 24.4 points, 12.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.8 steals and 1.5 blocks per game this past season at Fenwick High School.
A versatile combo-forward who can score on all three levels, Hopkins is considered a four-star prospect and was ranked as high as No. 25 overall by ESPN’s recruiting services.
Following his dominant senior season, Hopkins was named the MaxPreps Illinois Player of the Year. He was also tabbed to the Chicago Land Prep Hoops All-State First Team, is a two-time Chicago League Lawless Player of the Year and was chosen for the Allen Iverson Roundball Classic.
TyTy Washington
Washington was a key pickup for the Wildcats in the spring recruiting period. A highly coveted guard out of Compass Prep in Chandler, Arizona, Washington averaged 24.0 points, 7.0 assists and 6.0 rebounds per game this past season to lead Compass to a 30-2 record. He connected on 48% of his shots and 41% from 3-point range.
Considered a five-star prospect by ESPN and 247Sports, Washington is ranked as high as the No. 12 overall player in the class of 2021 and second at his position by ESPN.
Washington was tabbed the MaxPreps Arizona Player of the Year. One of the nation’s fastest risers in the recruiting rankings, he really garnered attention at the GEICO Nationals in early April when he registered 22 points, 10 rebounds and five assists in the quarterfinals and had 15 points and five assists in a loss to No. 1 Montverde Academy in the semifinals.
For the latest on the Kentucky men’s basketball team, follow @KentuckyMBB on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, and on the web at UKathletics.com.
