[Strikeout King]

JR Power Forward Derek Willis of Bullitt East is expected to announce his college decision Friday at Bullitt East High School at 4 PM. Willis is choosing between Kentucky, Louisville, Indiana and Purdue. Most expect Willis to bring his game to Lexington and play for Kentucky.

Willis is a 4* Recruit.

Ranked 23rd player in the Country

Willis about the best player to ever come out of Kentucky.

This is a MUST GET for Kentucky.

Kid can flat out ball

[Strikeout King]

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/...lis-126480



Derek leads his Bullitt East Chargers into Montgomery County on Saturday to face Adam Wing and Rowan County. Game time is at 5:30

[Strikeout King]

Here's some video's of Derek (Link goes to youtube where they're several videos)



http://www.youtube.com/results?search_qu...rek+Willis

[vundy33]

lol, the kid isn't as good as people act like he is. I just didn't see the explosiveness I've heard about him, it was actually the opposite. Might've just been a bad stretch of games, but I don't know. I don't think he'd get much playing time at Kentucky, kind of like Kyle Wiljter this year. Definitely not a must get, in my opinion.

I think he'd be a great roleplayer because his size and speed would be tough to handle for anyone, especially if he's playing the 3, but he's just not the recruit people are making him out to be. The biggest thing with me though is the lack of teamwork I noticed...kind of pissy if a teammate missed him. I just get a bad vibe from him. Never know, could be wrong, but I really don't think he'd be even close to a gamechanger, and not close to the best player to come out of the state. Just my .02 cents.

Plus, he's a Louisville fan, and publicly talked shit about us before. That's not a great way to win the hearts of Kentucky fans, lol.

[Strikeout King]

where did you hear that at Vundy? I hadn't heard anything about that, I know he has been a Louisville Fan all of his life.

[vundy33]

Seen it on KSR quite a long time ago...pretty sure it was right when he started to become an important recruit for Kentucky. I seen part of the interview and a Tweet...but that's what fans do, they talk shit. But don't know why he'd want to come play for us if he's quite a big Louisville fan. UK's history and all that doesn't really impress him much...just doesn't seem like our type of player.

If he commits to us, hopefully I'm wrong.

[Strikeout King]

I was going by what the news was saying.

[RunItUpTheGut]

If he wants to be a star and be a starter and get good playing time, he better not come to UK.

[Strikeout King]

If he wants to be a star and be a starter and get good playing time, he better not come to UK.

If he comes to UK (Which a lot of people expect him too) he would be here for the 2013/14 Season since he's just a Junior




Chatter out of Kentucky on Sunday night is that Derek Willis, the talented 6-9 junior center from Bullitt East High School near Louisville, is scheduled to make his college choice public at 4 p.m. Friday at his high school.

Willis, who committed to Purdue in the spring only to back off that choice in August, is expected to select from among Kentucky, Louisville, Purdue and Indiana.

The whole Willis recruiting saga has been a unique one, to say the least. The Willis family drove from Louisville to West Lafayette for the opening day of fall practice, at which time Derek, and his father, Del, said that they had learned a valuable lesson about the recruiting process and planned to wait until this coming summer or early fall to make Derek’s decision final.

So much for that claim.

They left West Lafayette and drove to Bloomington, where they were on hand for Indiana’s version of Midnight Madness. That session was set up so that Hamilton Southeastern’s Gary Harris — also a football player — could attend the gathering in Bloomington.

Harris went on to select Michigan State over Purdue, IU and Kentucky.

Now, Willis appears to be ready to make his choice official, at least that’s what Bullitt East coach Troy Barr — a really sharp guy who knows his stuff — has told the Louisville Courier-Journal.

In recent weeks, IU’s Tom Crean, Kentucky’s John Calipari and Louisville’s Rick Pitino have watched Willis in person.

With Willis, who can not sign an official letter of intent until November, anything is possible, but because he is announcing now and because he will make the announcement at his high school — right in the heart of Kentucky and Louisville fans — the choice would appear to be Kentucky-based.

The Willis family likes Purdue. The Boilermaker program and the university culture would fit Willis’ quiet nature perfectly. That’s why I think Purdue has continued to be in the running.

Yet if Kentucky and Louisville have offered, I’m convinced it’s one of those two, more than likely Kentucky. Willis’ father told me there has been a lot of pressure on Derek to stay in-state.

Logic tells us that if he was going to re-commit to Purdue or pick IU, he would do it in a much less high-profile setting and at a later date. If he verbals to Purdue again — or to IU — you know the Kentucky and Louisville fans won’t let the kid get a moment’s rest with 10 months to go before the national signing date.

I think the almost-shy kid just wants all of this over with, and he probably is going to select Kentucky. UK message boards, which always are hopeful, have lots of chatter pointing in the direction of Willis becoming a Wildcat.

He probably would be more comfortable in the long run at Purdue, but Kentucky is Kentucky, and Derek Willis lives in the Bluegrass State.





http://blogs.indystar.com/purdue/2012/01...-decision/

[Strikeout King]

It's pretty much down to Kentucky and Louisville. He committed to Purdue a while back but de-committed. I don't think he would have a big press conference to announce going to Purdue, Indiana or somewhere else besides Louisville or Kentucky

[vundy33]

I've heard the same stuff about him leaning towards UK. I just have a gut feeling he's going to Louisville, don't know why, lol. I think I would go to my favorite school...but, of course, I'm crazy when it comes to my favorite teams, so I'm probably way off, haha.

Definitely not Purdue or Indiana like SK said..but it'd be a great pickup for Indy for sure. I definitely wouldn't mind him coming to UK though, no way.

[Aslan]

I know it's highly unlikely, but I have a weird feeling he's going to IU.
IDC how good this kid is, we have to get him to protect our home turf from out of state competitors.
I'd say he's a 3-4 year player.

[Axel Foley]

If he continues to develop, he would be able to play at Kentucky.