Photo by UK Athletics
Sometimes the best recruiting tips can come from unexpected sources.
I’ve heard about athletes who have put together their own highlight tapes to send to colleges that led to scholarship offers. I’ve heard about fans sending a recruiting tip to a coach that led to a scholarship offer. Or I have even had coaches tell me they read or heard about a player because of a media report and ended up recruiting the athlete.
However, I have to admit that recent Kentucky women’s basketball signee Zennia Thomas, a 6-2 forward from Cleveland, surprised me when I asked her about her recruitment with Kentucky.
“A referee is good friends with coach (Kyra) Elzy’s husband. He had reached out to him and said that Kentucky should check out this kid. That got their attention,” Thomas said.
That was about the middle of her season at Warrensville Heights High School where she averaged 30.6 points and 14.5 rebounds per game to lead her team to its first regional final berth in program history.
The referee’s tip led to a visit to Kentucky that made a big impression on Thomas, who also seriously considered Purdue, Arizona, Ohio and Murray State.
“I was able to practice with the team and get a feel for the players and coaches and they did the same with me,” Thomas said.
The future Wildcat said her recruitment taught her a valuable lesson.
“It made me realize you never know who is watching you and who that person may know,” Thomas said.
