KSR Today: Las Vegas Summer League begins; Avery Stuart is a 'Cat

Good morning, folks! Smell that? That’s the fresh scent of a brand new football commitment. It’s potent, but the Big Blue Nation doesn’t mind a little nostril burn when it means a four-star defensive back picked Kentucky. Could more future ‘Cats be on the way? Let’s dive into the news and notes on this beautiful Thursday morning to find out.

YAHTZEE!! Avery Stuart picks the ‘Cats

Kentucky is getting its groove back on the football recruiting trail. Top 250 prospect Avery Stuart announced his commitment to Kentucky on Wednesday. He chose the Wildcats over Florida State and Auburn.

110% Locked in🔵⚪️ pic.twitter.com/DUSa8JJGsF

— avery "chaos" stuart ✪ (@avery8stuart) July 6, 2022

Four-star safety @avery8stuart of Alabama Christian Academy is committing to @UKFootball!

More tonight in sports on @wsfa12news! @tarullotweets pic.twitter.com/SSfcDjri8P

— Rosie Langello (@RosieLangello) July 6, 2022

Stuart is a massive addition to UK’s ’23 recruiting class, which was in desperate need of some fresh commitments. The 6-foot-2, 175-pound Montgomery, AL product is considered a four-star safety ranked No. 222 in the country by the On3 Consensus.

“I got a chance to visit Kentucky and was surprised that they have all that in Kentucky,” Stuart told On3 earlier this month. “Coach Buff (Frank Buffano) always keeps in contact with me. The players love their coaches just as much as the coaches love their players.”

With Stuart in the fold, Kentucky jumped 16 spots in On3’s national class rankings, moving from No. 58 to No. 42 as a result. The ‘Cats could be on the verge of jumping even higher, too. Three-star offensive lineman Koby Keenum is expected to announce his decision at noon EST this Saturday where UK is the overwhelming favorite. Additionally, four-star WR Anthony Brown will make his decision on July 16 — Kentucky is considered the favorite there, too. The ‘Cats also cracked the top four for four-star EDGE Neeo Avery, as did Oregon, Maryland, and Ole Miss.

There was a possibility that the Big Blue Nation would receive another Yahtzee on Thursday in the form of four-star DL Kendrick Gilbert. However, the top 400 recruit announced through Instagram that he is not committing today. Kentucky is still viewed as one of the frontrunners in his process, along with the likes Iowa, LSU, and Purdue.

Back to Stuart for a moment, he’s an incredibly explosive athlete that stars on offense and defense for Alabama Christian Academy. A man of many talents, he can play centerfield as a safety and he has the size Kentucky desires in its cornerbacks. An instinctual talent that’s not afraid to create contact in the box, Stuart brings a lot of eye-opening tools to the UK secondary.

To learn more about his game, check out Adam Luckett’s Film Room. We’ve also got a fresh episode of 11 Personnel loaded into your podcast feed that you’ll want to listen to.

Las Vegas Summer League action begins today

A total of 14 former Kentucky Wildcats will be in Las Vegas for the next 11 days to participate in the 2022 Las Vegas Summer League.

Vegas is actually the third stop on the NBA’s Summer League tour. The first two stops, San Francisco (July 2-5) and Salt Lake City (July 5-7), were brief, three-day stints before Las Vegas takes control as the premier event. Officially dubbed the NBA 2K23 Summer League, Las Vegas will play host from July 7-17 where all 30 NBA teams will bring a roster.

All games will be available to stream live on the ESPN app or on NBA TV. The final two days of the camp, July 16 and 17, will feature a tournament for the top teams from the event. Below is a list of all the one-time ‘Cats on Summer League rosters.

Nick Richards – Charlotte Hornets
Ashton Hagans – Cleveland Cavaliers
Kellan Grady – Denver Nuggets
TyTy Washington Jr. – Houston Rockets
Isaiah Jackson – Indiana Pacers
Brandon Boston Jr. – LA Clippers
Sacha Killeya-Jones – Los Angeles Lakers
Mychal Mulder – Miami Heat
Kahlil Whitney – Minnesota Timberwolves
Olivier Sarr – Phoenix Suns
Shaedon Sharpe – Portland Trail Blazers
Nate Sestina – Sacramento Kings
Johnny Juzang – Utah Jazz
Davion Mintz – Washington Wizards

For a more in-depth preview of each player and when you’ll be able to watch them play, check out the link here.

BBN taking over the SEC Network

All day Thursday, the SEC Network is playing the best of the best when it comes to Kentucky athletics. Beginning at midnight and running throughout the following 24 hours, some of the biggest Wildcat moments from the last couple of years will replay on the SEC Network. If you’re reading this article right as it’s published, you still have some time to watch Kentucky beat Louisville on the gridiron by 76 points during last year’s matchup.

The final three games of the day are the big ones though. Kentucky men’s basketball obliterating Kansas on the road is at 5:00 p.m. EST; Kentucky women’s basketball shocking the world by beating No. 1 South Carolina in the SEC Championship is at 7:00 p.m. EST; and Kentucky football’s most recent Citrus Bowl victory over Iowa closes out the takeover at 9:00 p.m. EST.

Devin Booker’s NBA 2K23 cover unveiled

Thursday morning, Devin Booker was officially announced as the cover athlete for the upcoming basketball video game NBA 2K23.

The Phoenix Suns All-Star guard recently signed a four-year, $214 million max extension to stay with the Suns, when it was first teased that he would be the cover athlete. Booker is just the second-ever former Wildcat to grace the front of the popular video game, joining Anthony Davis, who was on the cover of NBA 2K20 and was one of three cover athletes on NBA 2K16.

AHHHHHHHHH @NBA2K @2K pic.twitter.com/Hxg9gDGiFx

— Book (@DevinBook) July 7, 2022

A well-deserved honor for one of the league’s best players.

Jacob Toppin joins the Sources Say podcast

KSR’s Jack Pilgrim is joined by Kentucky’s Jacob Toppin in episode 194 of the Sources Say Podcast to discuss the standout forward’s busy offseason, expectations for 2022-23 and players to keep an eye on.

Among the highlights:

• Players First Satellite Camps, Fantasy Experience and other NIL opportunities
• Looking ahead to the Bahamas
• The NBA Draft process and receiving feedback from teams
• Individual growth and expectations going into his senior year
• What does the team look like?
• Who is standing out in practice?
• Moving on from St. Peter’s
• Advice to his younger self
• Dating advice and pick-up lines

You can find all past and future episodes of the show by subscribing to the official Sources Say Podcast feed on iTunes right here. Not an iTunes listener? You can also subscribe to the show on Spotify.

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That’s all the news and notes I have for you this Thursday morning. We’ve got Matt Jones and the crew taking over the radio in an hour, so make sure to tune in. And while you’re here, also make sure to wish KSR’s Jack Pilgrim a very special 25th birthday. They sure do grow up fast…