Chris Livingston is committed to Kentucky, giving Wildcats three five-star basketball class in 2022

Five-star striker Chris Livingston committed to Kentucky on Wednesday, giving the Wildcats their third five-star prospect in the 2022 class and the lead in No. 1 recruiting class.

Livingston chose John Calipari’s program over Georgetown and Tennessee State, after removing Memphis from his list earlier this month.

“The history of the school and the basketball program attracted me,” Livingston told ESPN. “What coach Cal has done to previous players has been awesome. He’s a man of the land. For a coach legend, it’s easy to talk about. I like how he stays connected with his former players.”

Livingston, whose aunt Lisa ran on track in Kentucky in the 1990s, paid a visit to Kentucky in June and also traveled to Georgetown and the state of Tennessee in August. After Memphis boosted Livingston in August, Kentucky regained momentum and has been the clear favorite in recent weeks.

And Wildcats fans made it known.

“They have a crazy love for their show,” Livingston said. “They have the strongest fans of college basketball. Since I narrowed down the list, the amount of tagging on social media has shown me love.”

A small 6-foot, 6-foot forward from Ohio who recently moved to Oak Hill Academy, Virginia, Livingston ranks 12th in the ESPN 100 for the 2022 class. Livingston scores best in the transition, attacking the edge and finishing the plays. You get to the defenses downhill in the middle of the court and you should get a lot of second chance points and points in the paint.

It has the engine to be an active bounce both in and out of its area at both ends of the ground. With explosive rebounds, quick feet, speed and effort, he has all the tools to be a versatile defender. You can change the top screen or change an off-ball screen and not give up space.

According to Synergy, Livingston’s remote filming is advancing. He got 38% of his 3, but tried twice as many as 3 and made only 29% of those attempts. The quality of the dam will be important to move forward. He is the strongest in the mid-range at this point in his career.

Livingston is Kentucky’s second-most significant engagement in the last two weeks, after No. 1 general prospect Shaedon Sharpe picked the Wildcats earlier this month. Sharpe and Livingston join a class that already included five-star guard Skyy Clark, who got engaged last fall.

Calipari is poised for a possible No. 1 class in 2022, with No. 2 prospect Dereck Lively and five-star prospects Cason Wallace and Adem Bona at the helm of Kentucky.

“I’m excited,” Livingston said. “I played American basketball with other talented players and won a gold medal. If you know each other, it’s not a problem.”