Alright, everyone gather around for a Sunday evening update...
Let's get some housekeeping out of the way:
- El Ellis is headed to Arkansas as I reported in this thread. It will be official in the next 24 hours. Kevin Keatts thought he had Withers AND Ellis, due to their close friendship and he got neither. UNC really pushed hard for a commitment from Withers, they got it. With Arkansas, the NIL money is flowing. I'm told Ellis is likely to make $500k in his one season with the Hogs. Wal-Mart money hits different, I guess.
- Now, onto the good stuff. Mackenzie Mgbako. After chatting with a few people, it was made clear that this was never going to be something that gets wrapped up immediately following the Duke fallout. Mgbako committed to Duke over a year ago. He locked in with the Blue Devils early on, and never really got the enjoyment of a long recruitment. He wants that this time around.
- My confidence in it ultimately being Louisville hasn't changed, based on multiple conversations with several different sources. The caveat I will throw out there, and this isn't anything I've heard, it's just the reality, an out of this world bag thrown at him or any player for that matter could change things.
- Timeline with Mgbako? Again, this was never going to be a quick process. I was told we will know one way or the other in the next 10-14 days. So brace yourselves. The staff is not sitting around here, they have been in contact, and they have known it would be a couple weeks before anything was settled.
- What about the rest of the roster? One source told me that Churchill Abass is still wanted, another said that is on hold. So, not much clarity with that situation, and it may very well depend on someone from the current roster leaving.
- I can confirm that the last two scholarships are going to be used on guards. There is one in the portal that is at the top of the wish list, and there is one that I am watching that hasn't yet entered. Rest assured, it certainly sounds like two more guards intend to be added to the roster.
More, when I have it.
Let's get some housekeeping out of the way:
- El Ellis is headed to Arkansas as I reported in this thread. It will be official in the next 24 hours. Kevin Keatts thought he had Withers AND Ellis, due to their close friendship and he got neither. UNC really pushed hard for a commitment from Withers, they got it. With Arkansas, the NIL money is flowing. I'm told Ellis is likely to make $500k in his one season with the Hogs. Wal-Mart money hits different, I guess.
- Now, onto the good stuff. Mackenzie Mgbako. After chatting with a few people, it was made clear that this was never going to be something that gets wrapped up immediately following the Duke fallout. Mgbako committed to Duke over a year ago. He locked in with the Blue Devils early on, and never really got the enjoyment of a long recruitment. He wants that this time around.
- My confidence in it ultimately being Louisville hasn't changed, based on multiple conversations with several different sources. The caveat I will throw out there, and this isn't anything I've heard, it's just the reality, an out of this world bag thrown at him or any player for that matter could change things.
- Timeline with Mgbako? Again, this was never going to be a quick process. I was told we will know one way or the other in the next 10-14 days. So brace yourselves. The staff is not sitting around here, they have been in contact, and they have known it would be a couple weeks before anything was settled.
- What about the rest of the roster? One source told me that Churchill Abass is still wanted, another said that is on hold. So, not much clarity with that situation, and it may very well depend on someone from the current roster leaving.
- I can confirm that the last two scholarships are going to be used on guards. There is one in the portal that is at the top of the wish list, and there is one that I am watching that hasn't yet entered. Rest assured, it certainly sounds like two more guards intend to be added to the roster.
More, when I have it.
