Tyus Jones, Jahlil Okafor among UK targets in Class of 2014

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By Kyle Arensdorf | @KyKernelSports

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After four straight seasons of recruiting supremacy, UK head coach John Calipari has once again sealed the No. 1 recruiting class in the nation.

With only Andrew Wiggins remaining undecided from the Class of 2013, attention now turns to the names at the top of the rankings in the Class of 2014, who Calipari is hoping to entice to Lexington.

Five-star center Karl Towns Jr., has already accepted Calipari’s offer of a scholarship at UK. But who will join him at Rupp Arena in the fall of 2014?

Calipari has offered scholarships to five of the top-10 soon-to-be high school seniors, and three of the top-25.

Let’s take a look at who the big guns are in the Class of 2014.

Jahlil Okafor

The consensus No. 1 prospect in the 2014 class among all of the top recruting services is Jahlil Okafor.

He fits the mold of a double-double every game sort of player and has developed post skills and an efficient mid-range shot to come at teams from every angle.

Okafor received MVP honors with Team USA at the FIBA U-17 World Championship in Lithuania and will be a star where ever he ends up.

Tyus Jones

Jones is one of the most polished players in the class of 2014. His decision making and leadership make him a top commodity for any program.

His speed is dazzling and, as of late, has developed quite the offensive arsenal. Jones and Okafor have made it known that they have plans to come as a package-deal.

“We’re most definitely excited to do (a package-deal),” Jones said to Twincities.com, “We’re very serious about doing it and think it’s going to happen.”

Jones was also with Team USA at the FIBA U-17 World Championship and won a gold medal with Okafor.

Emmanuel Mudiay

Mudiay has a comdination of speed and athleticism that is unmatched at the point guard position in the 2014 class.

He fits into the college landscape better than Jones in terms of his size but his mid-range and three-point shooting will have to improve.

Mudiay can get into the paint and finish through contact very well and would fit Calipari’s dribble-drive system nicely.

Trey Lyles

Top-ranked power forward Trey Lyles, who has made four trips to Lexington since September, seems to be in Calipari’s crosshairs.

Lyles decommitted from Indiana in the fall and was in attendance for Midnight Madness and again on March 9 when UK defeated No. 11 Florida.

The only knock against Lyles is that he is a little undersized to play the four.

His post game and face-up game are major strengths and he has the ability to pass out of the post as well.

Cliff Alexander

Alexander has high interest in UK and Michigan St. at this point and has been heavily recruited by both.

He is a hard worker on both ends of the floor and will ferociously go after every rebound that is in his vicinity.

His pick-and-roll game is above average, but he will struggle if he is forced to take a jumper from the elbow off of picks.

Alexander needs to vastly improve his offensive repertoire but he will flourish off of offensive rebounds and put-backs.

Chris McCullough

McCullough is an athletic big man and is a quick leaper which allows him to consistently get both offensive and defensive boards.

He needs to improve in areas such as back-to-the-basket scoring and mid-range scoring but he has the potential to be a dominant defender.

McCullough’s off-the-ball shot blocking will lend itself well to Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim’s zone defense.

Kevon Looney

Looney has an adept offensive game that includes a solid mid-range and three-point shot as well as the ability attack the offensive glass.

He is a very patient and unselfish player and sometimes it works to his detriment as he tends to go stretches where he disappears on the floor and defers too much to his teammates.

That being said, Looney’s shooting stroke and tenacity make him a strong prospect.

Karl Towns Jr.

The lone UK commit from the Class of 2014 announced that he would play his college ball in Lexington on Dec. 4.

Towns is ranked second among centers in the class and the No. 8 overall prospect.

He is an aggressive scorer with a shooting range that does not confine him to the paint and his touch and feel around the basket has impressed scouts although he needs to refine his post moves to be considered elite.

Towns re-classified to the 2014 class and will forego his senior year of high school.

He is one of three players in Scout.com’s list of Top-10 prospects to commit to a school.

Justise Winslow

Winslow plays above the rim, his finishing ability and presence in the paint sets him apart from other small forwards in the class.

He has a speedy first step that will leave defenders in their tracks.

The one area for improvement in his game is his shooting stroke, but his passing ability and overall basketball IQ far outweigh his offensive deficiencies.

Winslow will be a dominant player for any program he joins.

Justin Jackson

Jackson can handle the ball well for a small forward and has developed a very good pull up jumper and floater.

He has a slight, wiry frame and needs to add muscle to be able to compete against bigger small forwards but his ability to run an offense and shoot the ball makes him special.

Rashad Vaughn

One thing that you absolutely cannot teach is size, and Vaughn has great NBA-type size at the shooting guard postition.

He is a solid shooter especially when he can spot up, but his ballhandling could use some improving if he is to become an elite scorer at the next level.

With a little work on his off-the-dribble scoring and his size, he has the ability to become a prolific scoring in both college and the NBA.

Stanley Johnson

Johnson has a good skill set and a bruiser mentality thst has allowed him to dominate his high school competition.

He is able to use brute strength to get to the rim and deceive defenders with his ball skills and ability to shoot the three-ball.

Johnson will have to improve on his defensive skill set if he wants to affect the game in all areas and could get into some trouble when he faces college competition where defenders will step in and take a charge against him if need be.

Devin Booker

Booker announced via Twitter that he had been offered a scholarship by Calipari on Wednesday and became the second shooting guard in the Class of 2014 to be in UK’s sights.

Booker has a high basketball IQ that is rare among players his age. He is a good shooter, but the other aspects of his offensive game are lacking.

He will need to improve on his ability to get to the rim and his poise against on-ball defensive pressure.

With some more work on his mid-range shooting game, look for Booker to be a Doron Lamb-type player.