Kahlil Whitney believes John Calipari can mold him into a basketball "legend" like LeBron James, Michael Jordan, and Kobe Bryant

Courtesy of McDonald’s

After committing to the University of Kentucky in March of 2018 and repping the school for over four months, 2019 five-star small forward DJ Jeffries became the first recruit to ever decommit during the John Calipari era at UK on July 31.

Just over a week later on August 8, the Wildcats turned around and snagged a commitment from five-star small forward Kahlil Whitney, three days after he officially visited Kentucky.

At the time, many saw Whitney’s addition as a simple, yet solid replacement for Jeffries. He was the No. 19 player overall and the fifth-best small forward in the nation (247 Sports) at the time, fitting the mold of players Calipari has fallen in love with over the course of his time here in Lexington. An athletic freak with a knack for putting the ball in the basket in transition, he’s a perfect fit.

And according to Whitney, the feeling is mutual.

“The relationship I have with Coach Cal (is what sold me on finally committing), but Kentucky has always been my dream school since I was about seven or eight years old,” Whitney told KSR. “Coach Cal really coaches guys and gets the best out of them.”

But for the 6-foot-7 wing out of Roselle Catholic (NJ), he wants to prove he’s more than just a replacement for Jeffries. His dreams are infinitely larger.

He doesn’t just want to be a college star and a solid NBA draft pick. Whitney wants to become one of the greatest players to ever touch a basketball, and he feels Coach Cal is the coach to help him reach that level.

“I went to Kentucky to make my dreams come true,” he said. “Since I was a kid, I wanted to be a McDonald’s All-American. I made that happen. I’m just looking forward to the future because I want to make it to the NBA, but not just make it, I want to be an All-Star, a legend like LeBron, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, all those guys. I knew what Coach Cal has done in the past, and I’m confident in him, and I’m pretty sure he’s confident in me and we can get that job done.”

So what does he bring to the table? Elite athleticism, a strong midrange game, and defensive intensity.

“Over the last year or so, I’ve been working a lot on my midrange game, shooting off the dribble, and getting my speed up,” Whitney said. “My athleticism is there, and I feel that my ballhandling, shooting the midrange off the dribble, and defending (are my best traits). Defending gets me going, when I take the ball from the opposing player, getting deflections and steals, and stopping them from scoring, that’s what gives me more confidence elsewhere.”

And what is currently holding him back from becoming the superstar player he wants to become in the future?

“Ball handling in tight spaces, reading screens, and being a better playmaker,” he said. “Those are the things I probably need to work on the most.”

To get a better feel on Whitney’s game, I asked his future Kentucky teammate, Tyrese Maxey, to give a scouting report.

First, what would he do to slow down the New Jersey native?

“If I was guarding Kahlil, I would make him take tough shots,” he said. “I think he likes taking tough shots for some reason, so I’d get up on him and contest it. You don’t want him running downhill because that’s when it gets ugly for you.”

But according to Maxey, the positives significantly outweigh the negatives. At Kentucky, he’ll be able to show off an extremely versatile game that his future point guard believes will separate him from the pack at the college level.

“He’s freakishly athletic and he’s very versatile. This week at (McDonald’s All-American) practice we’ve had him playing the four, and other times we had him at the two. That’s really good, man. He’s really strong and athletic, and he shoots it pretty well. I’m really excited to play with him.”

For Whitney, it’s not about being arrogant or setting the bar too high. He just doesn’t want to settle for average when he knows he’s capable of more.

“It’s just my competitive spirit,” he said. “I always want to win and I hate losing.”

He just has to get to Lexington first.

“Yeah, I’m definitely ready to get to Kentucky ASAP.”

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