Kris Wilkes to UCLA: Bruins Land 5-Star SF Prospect

Kris Wilkes has been one of the nation's most coveted small forwards for some time, and the 5-star recruit announced Sunday he has committed to the UCLA Bruins. 

Per ESPN.com's Paul Biancardi, Wilkes' pledge to UCLA gives the program four top-100 prospects going into 2017. 

ESPN's Jeff Borzello noted UCLA has been the favorite to land Wilkes over the last month, with Indiana and Illinois among the teams also on his short list. 

Wilkes said during the press conference announcing his decision that his official visit to UCLA sealed the deal.

"When I took my official visit there it just felt right to me," he said, per Brian Snow of Scout. "I just felt it was the perfect spot, and it felt like home. All of the schools recruiting me did a great job, and I thank them very much for their interest, but I was more comfortable with UCLA."

Not only is Wilkes a 5-star talent, but he's the 18th-ranked player overall and fourth-ranked small forward among all 2017 recruits. He also grades out as the top-ranked player at his position in the entire Midwest region, per Scout. 

At 6'8" and 190 pounds, Wilkes has size that coaches look for in prototypical modern small forwards. As those measurements indicate, he is long enough to be one of the most disruptive defenders at the collegiate level.

According to DraftExpress, Wilkes' wingspan clocked in at 6'10 ½" during a U18 training session with USA Basketball in the summer. 

That sort of raw physical skill set gives him a stellar foundation to build upon, and some added weight could allow him to toggle between guarding 3s and 4s as he matures. 

But if Wilkes is going to grow into a superstar, he'll have to expand his offensive arsenal in a big way. As DraftExpress noted, his jumper "is a major work in progress" because he "doesn't get great balance underneath him" and "kicks his legs out on the release."

UCLA head coach Steve Alford has not had a great run with the program to this point. After winning 28 games in the 2013-14 season, the Bruins fell to 22 wins in 2014-15 and missed the NCAA tournament with a 15-17 mark last season. 

With a loaded incoming class next season, Alford is moving the Bruins in the right direction. His biggest task will be turning that talent into results, but it's been a long time since UCLA has felt this relevant on a national stage. 

Snow noted Wilkes' commitment moves UCLA into the top spot of the national recruiting rankings. He joins a class that also features 5-star prospect Jaylen Hands and 4-star standouts Jalen Hill and Cody Riley.

The standout swingman still has plenty to work on as he gets set to transition to the college spotlight, but he should have a great opportunity to evolve into a multidimensional threat. 

Recruit information courtesy of Scout.