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In news that we all knew was coming, Kris Wilkes has finally made a decision regarding his recruitment:
2017 forward Kris Wilkes has committed to UCLA, he announced. HUGE get for Steve Alford and the Bruins.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) November 13, 2016
The writing has been on the wall for a while now, and Wilkes had let each of the coaches know his intentions a few weeks ago, so today’s commitment was pretty much just a formality at this point. The consensus feeling is that the decision came down to the appeal of staying home as the local hero for Indiana where he and his family are very comfortable, or head out west to Los Angeles to try and hone his skills for a year under the brightest of lights while trying to fulfill his dreams of being a top pick in the 2018 NBA Draft. Apparently, Wilkes thought his best chance at making this happen was out in Westwood under the tutelage of Steve Alford.
While it doesn’t make it hurt any less, Indiana is still positioned well with a number of other 2017 recruits as it tries to add to their current 3-man class of Justin Smith, Al Durham, and Clifton Moore.