Connection with Players was a Big Reason Grace Mbugua Committed to Louisville

Tonia Witt/Rise Up Sports Photo

LSU, Kentucky and Louisville all did great jobs making Danville Christian Academy star Grace Mbugua feel wanted according to DCA coach Billy Inmon. However, Louisville was where Mbugua had the best connection with other players and that led her to commit to the Cardinals Friday.

“You can never tell why chemistry between some kids works better but I just think she made special connections with those kids at Louisville,” Inmon said. “Nobody did anything wrong in her recruiting. I am sure (LSU coach Kim) Mulkey will be in the Hall of Fame and she was great. The Baylor coaches were really great and their facilities are all brand new which shocked me.

“(Kentucky) Coach (Kenny) Brooks was great. He’s an incredible guy and his staff is great. They did  a great job making her feel wanted and believing in her. He is a girl dad and I think he will do great things at Kentucky.”

Louisville coach Jeff Walz made numerous trips to Danville every time he was allowed to visit Mbugua to make sure she knew how much the Cardinals wanted her. Walz actually saw her play in the state tournament at Rupp Arena last year and was impressed before the game even started.

“He saw her in the layup line and the ball got loose and somebody jumped in front of her,” Inmon said. “She did a Euro step around the player and finished with her left hand. He said he was up in the stands and then moved down closer to the floor because he knew then he wanted her and he’s made her a priority.”

Mbugua ranked among the top 10 in the state in scoring (25.7 points per game, fifth), rebounding (15.4 per game, second) and field-goal shooting (61.8 percent, seventh) during her junior season when she also averaged 6.6 blocks per game. She has led the state in rebounding three straight years and has 1,527 career boards along with 2,007 career points.

“She was not going to go wrong with any of the coaches or schools on her final list,” Inmon said.

Mbugua’s recruitment was drawing a lot of interest and obviously coaches were calling and checking on her regularly. She was at Kentucky’s Big Blue Madness last weekend.

“She kind of wanted to stop all the questions about her recruiting,” Inmon said. “She was ready to have it done and a major reason she also wanted to announce was that we got the impression other people (players) were waiting to see what she was going to do. She wants to win and wants other great players around her.”

Mbugua injured her knee at a basketball camp in Tennessee in early June but her recovery is ahead of schedule and Inmon says there could be a chance she’ll be able to play in January.