Jerry Tipton on UK basketball

A native of Serbia who possesses the highly-prized skills of size and shooting ability.

Kentucky had such a player on a recruiting visit earlier this week. Nicola Kecman, a 6-foot-9 native of Belgrade, Serbia, made an official visit to UK Sunday to Tuesday.  His coach at Eastern Arizona College noted Kecman’s perimeter shooting ability, which figures to increase in value given the three-point line being extended farther from the basket next season.

“That’s an advantage he’s going to have,” said Tim Walsh, the interim coach at Eastern Arizona on Tuesday. “Given the line he’s used to shooting from, being an international kid, I don’t think it’ll effect him at all.”

Kecman made 59 percent of his shots this past season. He shot with about 46 percent accuracy from three-point range, the coach said.

Kecman averaged 13.3 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks for a team that finished with a 30-6 record. Kecman, who visited UK at the same time as high school point guard Paul McCoy of Portland, Ore., is also considering Ohio State and Ole Miss.

He is scheduled to visit Ohio State next weekend. Such schools as Nebraska, Iowa, Nevada, Kansas State, St. John’s and Fresno State also expressed interest, Walsh said. “He’s a very skilled player,”
“He shoots the ball very well,” Walsh said. “He’s a four-man (power forward) who can shoot the basketball. He can run the floor. He’s got a good feel for the game.

“And he’s a mature kid. With him, you can spread the floor and extend the defense.”

Kecman will have three seasons of eligibility remaining, provided his academic transcript passes inspection by the NCAA Clearing House.

Walsh vouched for Kecman’s ability to speak English.

“A language barrier was non-existent,” Walsh said. A college choice should come within two weeks, the Eastern Arizona coach said. Kentucky began recruiting Kecman about a month ago, Walsh said.

UK has a couple of connections: Walsh has known UK Coach Billy Gillispie “for a long time,” and one of Eastern Arizona’s assistants previously played for UK assistant Jeremy Cox. Meanwhile, another prospect on UK’s list, Juan Pattillo of Southern Idaho, committed to Oklahoma, his junior college coach confirmed.