Kentucky lands five-star point guard prospect Immanuel Quickley on Friday

ByJEFF BORZELLO
September 22, 2017, 6:44 PM

— -- Five-star prospect Immanuel Quickley committed to Kentucky on Friday.

Quickley announced the decision during a press conference at his high school.

The Wildcats were considered the clear leader for the last several months, with Quickley publicly declaring before the summer that Kentucky was the favorite for his commitment. Kentucky made Quickley its priority at the point guard position in the 2018 class early in the recruiting process, and hosted him for an official visit last weekend.

The 6-foot-3 point guard also visited Kansas and included Miami in his final three schools.

Quickley, a John Carroll School (Maryland) product, is ranked as the No. 3 point guard in 2018 and No. 12 overall in the ESPN 100. He was one of the best players on the Adidas Gauntlet circuit this past spring and summer. Quickley averaged 16.0 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists for the Team BBC AAU program, including a 23-point first-half effort against LaMelo Ball and the Big Ballers in July.

He played for Kentucky coach John Calipari on the USA Men's U19 World Cup Team in June, putting up 6.7 points and totaling 17 assists in seven games alongside mostly college players.

Quickley is the first commitment for Calipari and Kentucky in the 2018 class, and the 33rd five-star prospect to join the Wildcats since ESPN began using the star system to rank recruits in 2010. Calipari has reeled in a top-two recruiting class in all nine years he's been in Lexington, and he's gunning for another one in 2018.

Kentucky is hosting Zion Williamson (No. 2) for an official visit this weekend, while No. 1 prospect R.J. Barrett visited the Wildcats earlier this month. Other players on Kentucky's board include Bol Bol (No. 4), Keldon Johnson (No. 7), Darius Garland (No. 11), Quentin Grimes (No. 13) and Jaxson Hayes.