Kentucky coach John Calipari and new Louisville coach Kenny Payne are both in hot pursuit of Camden High School star D.J. Wagner, the No. 1 recruit in the Class of 2023, and it figures to be a fascinating recruitment heading down the wire.
The 6-foot-3 Wagner is at the Nike EYBL stop outside Indianapolis this weekend with his New Jersey Scholars grassroots program and coaches from both schools watched him Friday night when he scored 25 points, including four 3-pointers, as the Scholars beat Mac Irvin Fire, 80-60.
Louisville was three deep with Payne and assistants Danny Manning, the former Kansas legend, and Nolan Smith, while Kentucky assistant Ron “Chin” Coleman was in attendance Friday and Calipari came Saturday to watch Wagner and 7-foot Class of 2023 big man Aaron Bradshaw, whom Kentucky recently offered as well.
Wagner, who led Camden to the New Jersey Group 2 state championship before coming up short against Roselle Catholic in the Tournament of Champions final on March 20, is not certain where he will be playing college basketball. Villanova, Syracuse, Auburn, Arkansas and Michigan are among others recruiting him.
Wagner’s family, of course, has ties to both Calipari and Payne. Calipari coached Dajuan Wagner, the all-time leading scorer in New Jersey prep history, at Memphis, while Milt Wagner, D.J.’s grandfather, won the 1986 NCAA championship alongside Payne at Louisville. The rumor mill has Payne -- a longtime Calipari assistant who spent the last two years as a Knicks assistant -- hiring Milt Wagner to his staff to help land D.J. Wagner for his presumably one-and-done year in college.
Speaking to reporters Friday, Dajuan Wagner said he did not like that narrative, with Louisville-based reporter Rick Bozich Tweeting that Dajuan “said his father is a Louisville legend and should have had a job at Louisville long ago.”
Kyle Tucker, who covers Kentucky for The Athletic, Tweeted that Dajuan said Payne is “my uncle” and Calipari is “like family.” He said Dajuan said his “his son can’t go wrong” at either Louisville or Kentucky.
Kentucky had been perceived as a virtual lock for D.J. until Louisville hired Payne, but now the Cardinals appear to be in strong position, especially if Milt Wagner is added to the staff.
Speaking to NJ Advance Media at a USA Basketball camp outside New Orleans during the Final Four, D.J. said Louisville hasn’t yet offered him or even begun recruiting him.
“I don’t really have a super-personal relationship with [Payne], I know he’s a great coach,” D.J. said then. “I know he’s a great coach, and getting that job, that’s going to be good for him.”
Asked if Louisville had reached out since Payne took over, Wagner said, “No, sir. They haven’t offered me as of right now, or anything like that.”
Calipari, meantime, was at Jersey Mike’s Arena when Wagner went for 23 points and 6 steals in a 61-58 loss to Roselle Catholic in the last T of C ever on March 20.
Calipari has built his career in part on pulling the best players out of New Jersey, including Dajuan Wagner, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Dakari Johnson, Karl-Anthony Towns, Isaiah Briscoe and Camden’s Lance Ware.
“It was great,” Wagner said of Calipari coming to watch him. “I’m always happy to see any type of coach from college coming to watch the games and stuff so it’s always a blessing.”
Wagner is looking forward to this spring and summer and competing with the Scholars on the Nike EYBL circuit. His ultimate goal, of course, is to win the Peach Jam in mid-July. Last summer, two New Jersey guards, Corey Floyd Jr. and Otega Oweh (Oklahoma), won the Peach Jam with Philadelphia-based Team Final.
“Most definitely, that’s definitely a goal for the whole organization, to win Peach Jam,” Wagner said.
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Adam Zagoria is a freelance reporter who covers Seton Hall and NJ college basketball for NJ Advance Media. You may follow him on Twitter @AdamZagoria and check out his Website at ZAGSBLOG.com.
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