Thon Maker gets Kentucky offer

It what seemed inevitable, the University of Kentucky has made a scholarship offer to five-star Class of 2016 power forward Thon Maker.

Maker's guardian confirmed to the ZagsBlog that UK made an offer Sunday - the first day recruiters can contact juniors-to-be on an unlimited basis - to Maker, the highly skilled 7-footer from the Carlisle School in Virginia. He is ranked No. 1 in his class by ESPN.com.

UK has been recruiting Maker for some time, and now the Wildcats have officially joined a race that also includes Louisville, Indiana, Kansas, Duke, Florida and many others.

Maker's guardian Ed Smith, who brought him from Australia to the U.S., said in January that UK is an appealing option because John Calipari has experience coaching multiple elite prospects.

""They've driven the Ferrari," Smith said then. "Of course if you are a high-level kid like Thon, you're going to look at the experience of the coach in working with that type of player."

Maker, a native of Sudan who grew up in Australia before coming to the United States in middle school, has been pondering skipping a grade and joining the 2015 class. Smith has told ZagsBlog that a decision on that move will come by January.

UK has also made offers in the 2016 class to North Carolina power forward Harry Giles, California power forward M.J. Cage and St. Louis guard Jayson Tatum.

In in-state recruiting news for the Class of 2016, four-star point guard Quentin Goodin of Taylor County received an offer from Michigan.