Jerry Tipton on UK basketball

UK Coach Billy Gillispie welcomed the latest recruit, junior college forward Josh Harrellson, to the fold.

In a news release on Wednesday, Gillispie said:

“We’re extremely happy to have Josh become a part of our basketball family. He’s a guy who continues to improve and will fill a need for us next year. My excitement is growing about the prospects of next year’s team.

“Josh has a ton of potential, and possesses a great basketball IQ. One of the most appealing things about him is that he has three years left coming out of junior college.

“When he came on his visit to Kentucky, he loved it here. It went unbelievably well because our current players did a great job of making him feel a part of our family, and Josh meshed with them immediately. He kept talking about the fans and the exposure. I like having guys who look forward to accepting the challenge of playing at a place like Kentucky.”

NCAA rules prohibited Gillispie from speaking about the other player who committed to UK on Tuesday, high school sophomore Dominique Ferguson of Indianapolis. NCAA rules do not allow coaches to comment on players until a national letter of intent arrives on campus. Ferguson cannot sign until the fall of 2009.

Harrellson joins three other recruits who will join the UK team in 2008-09. The three are Darius Miller of Mason County, DeAndre Liggins of Chicago and Kevin Galloway of the College of Southern Idaho.