The following article was published as a part of The Seminole’s 2014 April Fool’s issue! The information, quotations, and other content is completely fictitious and should not be considered a true representation of the school, the administration, or other governing entities.
University of Kentucky coach John Calipari has netted his youngest recruit ever. Sanford hoops star Rafael P. Key is the eighth-ranked player in the class of 2020 and the second-ranked shooting guard. Key’s commitment marks a milestone in college basketball history. While he is not the first player ever to commit to a college athletics program while still in middle school, Key is the first to commit to an out-of-state school.
Calipari has had a great track record wherever he has gone. Calipari has had some of the nation’s best recruiting classes in recent years, bringing in five top-10 players as recently as this year. At Memphis, he brought in superstar point guard Derrick Rose, Tyreke Evans, and a slew of other NBA-grade players. After taking a job at Kentucky, Calipari continued to have just as much pull on high school ballers, bringing in soon-to-be number-one pick John Wall, who many speculated would have committed to Memphis had Calipari not left for Kentucky.
“It’s amazing that Coach Cal can sign the nation’s top prospects wherever he goes,” commented senior Peter Patrickson.
While he is just another in a long line of top Calipari commits, Key is Calipari’s youngest recruit ever. Key is a home-schooled sixth grader who plays for Dwight Howard’s AAU feeder team, the D12 Young Warriors.
Junior Daniella Orton, whose brother plays for Key’s U14 team, remarked that she has “never seen a young player like [Key]. He makes kids that are a lot older than him just look lost on the court.”
Key is currently zoned for Markham Woods Middle School, but many top athletic recruits these days choose not to attend public schooling until high school. While Key should be in line to attend Seminole High School in three years, it would not be surprising to see him seeking a top prep school basketball program. For example, Lake Highland Preparatory School is one of many options. Lake Highland currently has Florida’s top-rated prospect in the Class of 2014, Joel Berry, and could be a good fit for Key.
Seminole students are hoping that Key will choose to play at SHS when he decides on his high school. Freshman Terrence James remarked, “I’d hope to get to see [Key] when I’m a senior. I’ve heard the hype about him, and that type of publicity would be great for the school.”
The area basketball talent has many locals excited for the future. Key could be the next in the line of NBA greats from Central Florida, such as includes Vince Carter and Amar’e Stoudemire, and the first NBA player from Seminole High School.