Rick Pitino cites Joel Embiid as the most impressive recruit he's seen in the Class of 2013.

Embiid committed to Kansas and is joined by Andrew Wiggins.

“I think Kansas could have the No. 1 and No. 2 picks in the draft with [Andrew] Wiggins and Embiid. [Embiid] does everything,” Pitino said.

Embiid, a seven-foot center, is projected as the 12th overall pick in the 2014 Mock Draft by Draft Express.

Kentucky had the two top picks in the 2012 NBA Draft in Anthony Davis and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist.

Julius Randle doesn’t want to be defined by conventional position.

“I just like to be defined as a player,” Randle said. “Anywhere you put me on the court, I feel like I can be very effective. I definitely pride myself on being able to do a lot of different things, making my weaknesses my strengths, and just not being able to stop one thing.”

Randle believes he’ll develop further under the structure and tutelage of John Calipari.

“Ultimately I wanted to win,” Randle said. “That was the biggest thing. I wanted to be developed. I feel like this was the place that I could be developed. I feel like the system, how coach Cal plays … I feel like it fit me way too well.”

Travis Ford was asked where Marcus Smart would've been selected in last month's NBA draft.

"Two," Ford answered quickly. "Orlando was picking him no matter what."

Smart has drawn high praise from just about anyone who has ever seen him play.

"I've never been around another player in my whole life -- not when I was a player and not since I've been a coach -- that is able to bring it EVERY SINGLE DAY," Ford said. "I don't care if it's two-a-days, three-a-days or five-a-days. I don't care if it's 6 a.m. I don't care if it's the day after a big win. It's ridiculous. I knew he was a great leader, but it's even been a shock to me. Everybody, at some point, has a bad day in terms of coming ready to play. But he never takes a day off. He comes everyday to win every drill. Everyday. Every drill. I don't care when it is or what it is. Everyday he's ready. It's ridiculous."

Smart was the only college player invited to the USA Basketball’s July minicamp.

Aaron Gordon leads Team USA with averages of 13.5 points and 6.8 rebounds through six games of the FIBA U19 World Championship.

Team USA coach Billy Donovan sees similarities between Gordon and Joakim Noah, who led Donovan’s Florida Gators to back-to-back national titles in 2006 and 2007.

"I don't mean to say he's the same kind of player, but in terms of coaching him, he reminds me in a lot of ways of Joakim Noah," Donovan said. "He's got that energy and that kind of passion."

Gordon averages 20.8 minutes per game, second most on Team USA.

"A lot of guys are really talented and athletic," Donovan said. "What makes him so different is his effort, his energy. … There are things he's got to get better on – he doesn't necessarily have this great scoring skill, in terms of a low-post game yet or he's not this great 3-point shooter.

"I think he's got such an incredible ceiling because the things I'm talking about, he can get better at those things. What you can't teach, and I think is so important, is an incredible motor. He really has an incredible motor."