Andrew Wiggins, future Cats set for Jordan Brand Classic

By Matt Overing | @KyKernelSports

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The University of Kentucky will be well represented at the Jordan Brand Classic on Saturday.

Six high school seniors committed to play basketball for John Calipari next year will take the court at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. This is the first Jordan Brand Classic being played in Brooklyn.

Andrew Wiggins, the only undecided recruit at the event, will be playing for the East team beside UK signees Aaron Harrison and Julius Randle.

Andrew Harrison, Dakari Johnson, Marcus Lee and James Young will play for the West.

Wiggins played beside Randle and Johnson in the McDonald’s All-American game on April 3. Their East squad lost to the West, 110-99.

Prior to the McDonald’s All-American game, Wiggins participated in the POWERADE Jam Fest slam dunk contest, finishing third.

The 6-foot-8 Canadian-born forward is the  top prospect in the 2013 class according to every major recruiting service. He played high school basketball for Huntington Prep in Huntington, W.Va.

Wiggins won the 2013 Naismith Boys High School Player of the Year Award and the Gatorade National Boys Basketball Player of the Year Award.

He has yet to set a date for when he will announce his collegiate choice.

Wiggins has visited Florida State, Kansas, UK and North Carolina this winter.

Wiggins told Jason Jordan of USA Today that UK would contend for a national title if he chose to be a Wildcat.

“I do think that though,” Wiggins said. “I mean come on now; me, Julius (Randle), the Twins (Andrew and Aaron Harrison), James (Young), Marcus (Lee), Dakari (Johnson); who’s stopping that?”

No other school has more than two recruits playing in the 12th edition of the Jordan Brand Classic. If Wiggins committed to UK, that would make seven UK commits who will have played at the prep event.

UK has been well-represented at the Jordan Brand Classic in the past. Nerlens Noel, Archie Goodwin and Alex Poythress represented UK in 2012.

With this year’s participants, 24 UK recruits will have played in the Jordan Brand Classic since the game’s creation in 2002. That’s the most out of any school and nine more than second-best North Carolina.

Two future Cats did not make the cut for the Jordan Brand Classic. Derek Willis and recently-added

2013 Kentucky Mr. Basketball Dominique Hawkins were not invited to the event.

The game will be broadcasted live on ESPN2 Saturday at 8 p.m.