TheBasketballJunkie.com

Kentucky has landed big-time recruit John Wall, the top-ranked point guard in this year's recruiting class.

"Coach Calipari pushes his players and that's why his teams are successful," Wall said. "Some compare me to Derrick Rose and that's a compliment. In the last two years he's helped Derrick [Rose] and Tyreke [Evans] become top 10 picks in the NBA draft. He's helped them reach that level, but I'm reaching my goal of playing college basketball."

ESPN's Andy Katz says that if Wall were in this year's NBA draft class, he would be selected second overall behind Oklahoma's Blake Griffin. Earlier tonight, the Los Angeles Clippers won the draft lottery and will have the right to draft Griffin.

Katz projects Wall as being the top pick in next year's draft.

In addition to Wall, Calipari has brought in DeMarcus Cousins, who is also considered a top-ten recruit. Both Wall and Cousins would have gone to Memphis if Calipari didn't jump ship.

Both of Kentucky's two leading scorers from last season, Patrick Patterson (17.9 ppg) and Jodie Meeks (23.7 ppg), have declared for the NBA draft. However, Patterson has withdrawn himself from the draft and will return to Kentucky. Meeks hasn't hired an agent and may do the same.

If Meeks ultimately decides to return to Kentucky, they would have as talented of a backcourt as any team in the country.

Firing Gillespie and hiring Calipari is already paying huge dividends for Kentucky.