Attention college basketball fans:

The University of Kentucky’s incoming freshman recruiting class for next season might be BETTER than last season’s class.

That’s right - Kentucky’s star-studded class of 2009 featured 4 super-duper recruits that all split after 1 season, and all have chances of being drafted in the LOTTERY of the 2010 NBA Draft. And it might not be as good as the crew that’s coming in for next season.

John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins, Eric Bledsoe, and Daniel Orton. The lock for #1 NBA Draft pick, a consensus top-5 pick, and two more exceptional talents expected to go top 20. These guys carried Kentucky to a 32-2 record in the 2009-’10 season, including a #1 seed in the NCAA Tournament and a trip to the Elite 8. They put the Wildcats back at the top of the college basketball totem pole, at least in terms of publicity and highlight reel time.

Then, all 4 of these freshman college superstars declared for the 2010 NBA Draft. And given the enormous talent and upside of each one of them, they all stayed in the draft. All of a sudden, it seemed like Kentucky was back to the drawing board for next season.

Well, think again. A lot of great things have transpired for UK in the last month. With Wednesday night’s announcement that top-10 recruit Terrence Jones (6’8”, from Portland, Ore.) will be attending Kentucky, that means that the Wildcats once again have the #1 recruiting class in the nation for next season.

John Calipari has done it again.

Despite losing all five of last year’s starters to the NBA, including each and every one of his top-ranked freshman players, and amidst speculation of his bolting for a job coaching in the League, John Calipari has managed to secure several top-ranked high school players as part of the best recruiting class for 2010.

Kentucky’s incoming class includes three 5-star recruits, two 4-star recruits, and a top Junior College transfer. Let’s take a look at each one of the 2010 recruits:

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ENES KANTER, Stoneridge Prep (Merced, Cal.) - #1 Center, #3 National Player, 6’9”, 240 lbs.

BRANDON KNIGHT, Pine Crest School (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.) - #3 Point Guard, #6 National Player, 6’3”, 180 lbs.

TERRENCE JONES, Jefferson High (Portland, Ore.) - #3 Power Forward, #9 National Player, 6’8”, 220 lbs.

DORON LAMB, Oak Hill Academy (Brooklyn, NY.) - #6 Shooting Guard, #26 National Player, 6’4”, 175 lbs.

STACEY POOLE, Andrew Jackson High School (Jacksonville, Fla.) - #11 Small Forward, #63 National Player, 6’5”, 195 lbs.

ELOY VARGAS, Miami Dade Community College (Miami, Fla.) - Center, Top-ranked Junior College transfer, 6’11”, 220 lbs.

Kanter is an elite power forward/center prospect that hails from Turkey. People are just starting to get to know him. Scouts say he is an extremely polished big man, with great hands, tremendous footwork, and a high basketball IQ. While he is not a very athletic player, he is a solid rebounder and has a good touch around the basket. Good size at 6’9”, and very mature for his age. Kanter should be an immediate consistent post player, as long as he is deemed eligible right away. There is speculation that he may not be eligible until second semester, but that’s unlikely as we stand today.

Knight has superstar written all over him. One of the big names of high school basketball, Knight is a great point guard prospect. His size (6’3”), skills, and athleticism have already put him on the NBA radar for the 2011 draft. He averaged 32 points and 8.5 rebounds per game as a high school senior at the point guard position. He’s very physical, and is a good shooter and rebounder for a point. He’s also noted for his lock-down defensive intensity and great passion for the game. While he is not the athlete that Rose or Wall was, all of these attributes make Knight a top-ranked point guard.

Jones is a versatile left-handed power forward prospect. He is a smooth lefty with good size (6’8”) that can shoot from the outside just as well as he scores inside. He’s a true playmaker in the open floor, as he has a great handle for his size. Scouts say he has the vision and skills to be a great passer, but needs to work on his decision-making. His size and length will allow him to become a great asset on the defensive end that can guard several positions.

Lamb hails from high school basketball’s biggest powerhouse, Oak Hill Academy. Although he is from New York City (Brooklyn), Lamb chose to finish his career at Oak Hill in Virginia. He is a big-time scorer at the shooting guard position with good size for the 2, at 6’4”. He is a true scorer that knows how to get his buckets, scouts say. He is not too explosive or athletic, and can improve his overall fitness. But his feel for the game is exquisite for a scoring guard, something that cannot be taught.

Poole is a truly gifted athlete that is fairly raw as a player. He lacks the skills of a refined wing player, but Poole is a strong small forward prospect because of his athleticism. Scouts say he is explosive at the rim, can finish with contact, and knows how to use his body to score easy baskets. His outside shot needs much improvement, as does his passing ability. While he lacks great size (6’5”), his strength and athleticism make him a strong rebounder and defender for his position.

Vargas was a top-50 high school recruit in his class that committed to Florida. He played just 9 games as a Gator before transferring to Community College in Miami. He did not play much as a freshman at Florida, and was hampered by an ankle injury. He is considered a 4-star recruit when graded as a player for the 2010 incoming class. He appears to be a good athlete for his size and is a good rebounder. He averaged 25 points and 15 rebounds for Miami Dade C.C.

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So, there you have it for the recruits. It’s obviously far too early to compare this recruiting class to the last one, in terms of performance. It would be nice to see them hit the floor together as teammates at UK next season before we call them a National Champion caliber squad.

You never know how a group of individuals will mesh as a team. Last season’s Kentucky squad was clearly united in all the right ways. They had fun, played together, were unselfish, and won many games as a result of their chemistry.

This year’s group has yet to prove anything on the court. But in terms of talent, in terms of potential, and in terms of skilled basketball players, this incoming class of freshmen could be just as good, if not better, than last year’s.

At 11:36 AM on Thursday, John Calipari posted the following message on his Twitter account (@UKCoachCalipari): “Ok folks, you're losing it again. Don't start comparing signing classes from year-to-year. Just think back to how u enjoyed going thru 09-10”.

Well, I’m sorry, Coach. That’s our job. We’re going to compare this year’s class to last one, and it makes you look like a genius for getting so many great players, so be happy about it.

This year, Coach Cal brings in the top center, a top-3 point guard, a top-3 power forward, the #6 shooting guard, and the gifted athlete #11 small forward. That’s a full lineup of top recruits, and definitely expect to see them all playing together on the floor at once. I’m sure that they won’t all start, and they won’t all get great playing time, but they should make their presences known early on for a Kentucky team lacking bodies next year.

Wall, Cousins, Bledsoe, and Orton were the rave of the 2010 college basketball season. Two of them became household names, and a third was quite popular, as well. The fourth was a productive player as the season progressed.

Knight, Jones, Lamb, Kanter, and Poole doesn’t have the same kind of ring as last year. But that’s because they haven’t even played yet. And I have a feeling that Knight, Jones, and Lamb are going to become serious household names like last year. Kanter could be the most consistent one on the floor of them all.

Another plus for this year’s class is that only Knight and Kanter are considered top-notch NBA prospects that will likely leave after the season. There’s a good chance that 3 or 4 of these guys will be playing at Kentucky for more than one season.

Does that mean that they’re not as talented as the 2009 class, which boasted 4 immediate NBA players? We will soon find out. On paper, this class is just as good as last year’s. That’s all we know for now, and the rest will be decided when the games are played.

Kentucky’s 2010 recruiting class might be better than last year’s. It’s a scary thought, and the college basketball world better be prepared. Be on the lookout for these names next year, as the Kentucky Wildcats make another charge for a National Title under Coach Calipari.