Kentucky: 5-star center Jalen Duren cuts down favorites list to Top 5

Jalen Duren, the No. 1 prospect in the class of 2022, is down to five finalists, including Kentucky basketball among his favorites.

The race to sign the top player in college basketball recruiting is heating up.

On Saturday, five-star center Jalen Duren announced his Top 5 options for continuing his basketball career after high school with Kentucky, Memphis, Miami and two professional options in play.

Along with the college programs, Duren is considering joining the NBA G-League or Australia’s National Basketball League.

Duren made his official visits to Kentucky, Memphis and Miami in June. It’s now a waiting game to decide if he opts to join the college ranks.

The 6-foot-10, 230-pound center ranks No. 1 in the class of 2022 coming out of Montverde Academy in Florida, per 247Sports. Recruiting analyst Brandon Jenkins compared Duren to Bam Adebayo while noting his “NBA-ready frame.” When he is eligible to put his name in for the NBA Draft, he is expected to be a contender for the No. 1 overall pick.

John Calipari hopes he makes that NBA leap after a season with the Wildcats, especially since Duren’s Montverde teammate Skyy Clark is already committed to Kentucky. Clark is also a five-star prospect at point guard. Adding that pair would put Kentucky on the path to contend.

Outside of Clark, there are no other Wildcat commits set for 2022. The class of 2021 has come together nicely with five-star point guard TyTy Washington and five-star power forward Daimion Collins looking to bring Kentucky back into the college basketball spotlight after an off year.

Four-star forward Byrce Hopkins and several key transfers are also due to help give the Wildcats a boost.

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