Making sense of college basketball recruiting

Joey Hart will play basketball for the University of Kentucky next year.

Multiple years went into the recruiting of Linton grad Joey Hart and the road finally ended Saturday when he committed and moved into Kentucky the same day.

The recruitment of Hart was an up close example of how weird college recruiting is, especially college basketball.

I must say I have been a Kentucky fan since I was a kindergartener in Lexington, Kentucky. I cried actual tears every time Kentucky lost in the NCAA Tournament until… longer than I care to admit.

The idea that a basketball player I covered for three years, who played games just down the street from me is going to Kentucky is amazing. It’s something I will be telling people about for years. Hart is talented and is deserving of the scholarships he received.

At the same time, this is odd. Kentucky and the John Calipari coaching staff only invested about two months into Hart’s recruitment. Other schools invested years and plenty of travel expenses.

I thought it was great how coaches from the University of Central Florida were at several of Linton’s games this year. Meeting UCF Coach Johnny Dawkins at the state finals game was a treat. My interaction with him after Linton’s loss to Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian was something positive to remember after seeing the Miners show difficult emotions after a loss. I walked away thinking Hart had a great fit at UCF.

A month later he had reopened his recruitment. All the time Dawkins and the UCF coaching staff had put into Hart was all for not. It was another example of how weird college recruiting is. No one can blame Hart for changing schools but it is still strange.

A year ago, the schools I kept hearing for Hart were on the mid-major level in Ball State, Toledo and Evansville. Kentucky was not even on the radar. The same Kentucky fans who were waiting to see where Hart would go this month have probably had never heard of him until a month ago. I’m willing to bet most Kentucky fans in Lexington think Linton is part of Chicago or Indianapolis. To my knowledge, Coach Calipari or anyone from his staff never saw Hart play a game in person while in a Linton uniform and I am usually pretty good with spotting Kentucky clothing in a crowd.

However, recruiting is different now. The transfer portal and NIL (name, image and likeness) have transformed college recruitment into NBA free agency.

College basketball reporter Jon Rothstein refers to the transfer portal as “portal kombat” as a fifth of all Division-1 players put their names in after the season to find a new home. It’s a play on words with the Mortal Kombat video game. Kentucky did not fare well in portal kombat this offseason and will have to resort to a young team of freshman.

The result was a benefit to Hart. Kentucky will be able to offer more in endorsement opportunities through name, image and likeness and not to mention the national exposure that comes with UK hoops. Kentucky’s Oscar Tshiebwe will enter the NBA draft but this past season, it was reported he made two million through name, image and likeness deals. The opportunity for Hart to cash in at Kentucky is clearly there. Even as a reserve player, you can bet Hart will earn more money through NIL than almost everyone in Linton over the next year. If he becomes a consistent starter for four years at Kentucky… well… he could buy up most of Linton.

As for Johnny Dawkins and Central Florida, they picked up a player in the transfer portal from New Mexico State on the same day Hart committed to Kentucky. Portal Kombat on full display.

Hart might have the discovered the best way to handle recruiting. Wait till June and find the programs who are in the most need.

I’m just glad Linton’s own found a way to navigate the hot mess that is college basketball recruiting. At least for the moment… until “portal kombat” fires up again next year.

Until then, I have an excuse to wear more Kentucky shirts in Indiana.

Nathan Pace is the Sports Editor of the Greene County Daily World and can be reached at npace@gcdailyworld.com.