UK preaches patience to Jeremiah Davis

Jeremiah Davis, one of the fuzzy-faced prospects former Kentucky Coach Billy Gillispie liked to recruit, is getting a different message from new UK Coach John Calipari’s staff.

“They tell me to wait,” Davis said Monday. The UK coaches are concentrating on prospects in the high school class of 2010.

Davis, who will be a junior next season, was a target for Gillispie. The process became public about the time Gillispie raised eyebrows by offering a scholarship to eighth-grader Michael Avery.

Calipari isn’t above pursuing uncerclassmen. He reportedly offered a scholarship to Perry Ellis, who will be a sophomore at Wichita (Kan.) Heights High School in the fall.

But Davis must wait, which suits him fine.

After noting that Memphis expressed a recruiting interest earlier in his career at Muncie (Ind.) Central High, Davis said, “Hopefully that will carry over sometime this summer.”

Meanwhile, Davis made an impression at Monday’s session of the Cincinnati-based It Takes 5ive camp.

For one thing, he wore a long-sleeved black shirt under his uniform for the Indiana Elite summer team. It was in tribute to Bonzi Wells, the former NBA player who had been a workout partner.

Another pro serves as Davis’ basketball role model.

“People tell me a lot I play like Deron Williams,” Davis said. “. . . It’s a great compliment.

“That’s my favorite player. He’s just smooth, calm and relaxed all the time.”

That’s how Davis played in helping the Indiana Elite team win its game Monday afternoon. Smooth, calm, relaxed. And productive.

Although he’s in the high school class of 2011, Davis is an old hand when it comes to recruiting. He’s received scholarship offers from Kentucky, Indiana, Tennessee, Purdue, Ball State, Cincinnati and Xavier.  He’s already visited all those schools except Cincinnati.

He said he’d like to visit Kansas and UNLV.

With a decision not expected for a year or more, patience will be a virtue for all concerned.