Jeff Borzello, ESPN Staff Writer 5y

Kentucky gets SF Clarke, No. 4 prospect in 2021

Men's College Basketball, Kentucky Wildcats

Top-five prospect Terrence Clarke announced his commitment to the Kentucky Wildcats on Saturday afternoon, giving John Calipari his second top-50 pledge in three days and his fourth in the past two months.

A 6-foot-7 small forward from Brewster Academy (New Hampshire), Clarke is ranked No. 4 in the 2021 class. However, he is expected to reclassify into the 2020 class, which would mean he could enroll at Kentucky for the 2020-21 season.

Clarke chose the Wildcats from a final six that also included Boston College, Duke, Memphis, Texas Tech and UCLA, although Kentucky had emerged as the heavy favorite down the stretch. Memphis coach Penny Hardaway was expected to visit with Clarke earlier in the week but changed plans after it became clear Clarke was Lexington-bound.

Playing for Expressions Elite on the Nike EYBL circuit during the spring and summer, Clarke averaged 16.2 points and 5.1 rebounds per game. He also contributed 4.3 assists in his first 13 games -- including four games of six or more assists.

Assuming Clarke does reclassify into 2020, he would join a Kentucky recruiting class that is the best in the country right now. Top-10 prospect B.J. Boston committed over the summer, as did top-50 wing Cam'Ron Fletcher. Top-50 forward Lance Ware picked the Wildcats on Thursday after Calipari visited him earlier in the week.

Clarke's expected reclassification likely takes Kentucky out of the running for five-star wings Jalen Green and Joshua Christopher, as the perimeter is crowded with Clarke, Boston and Fletcher. The Wildcats are still in need of a pure point guard and another forward in the 2020 class, though, with the likes of Devin Askew, Cade Cunningham, Greg Brown, Isaiah Todd and Scottie Barnes among the remaining targets.

Kentucky finished with the No. 3 recruiting class in 2019, the first time since Calipari took over in 2009 that the Wildcats didn't land the No. 1 or No. 2 group.

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