4-Star Junior SF D.J. Jeffries Commits to Kentucky over Alabama, Mississippi St.

D.J. Jeffries, a 4-star small forward from Olive Branch, Mississippi, committed to Kentucky on Monday night, per Jeff Borzello of ESPN.com.

According to 247Sports' composite rankings, Jeffries is the No. 1 recruit from the state of Mississippi, the No. 8 small forward and the No. 26 player overall in the class of 2019.

Brian Snow of 247Sports described Jeffries as "a versatile forward who can slide between the small forward and power forward positions. Jeffries is capable of scoring both inside and out, and is someone who has a lot of upside left in his game given his length and impressive skill set on the court."

At 6'7" and 185 pounds, Jeffries has the length and athleticism to be versatile for the Wildcats next season.

"I like his energy and how hard he plays," 247Sports recruiting analyst Evan Daniels said of Jeffries (h/t Joe Mussatto of SEC Country). "I think he's a really good rebounder. I also like his versatility in terms of being able to play as a face-up four, but also out on the perimeter as a three man. It’ll be a great start to Kentucky’s class."

Jeffries will be Kentucky's first commit in the class of 2019, though hardly its last. Head coach John Calipari regularly brings in top classes, with the 2018 edition ranking No. 6 overall, per 247Sports, and featuring two 5-star players in shooting guard Keldon Johnson and point guard Immanuel Quickley.

Jeffries is certainly a good start. And his commitment to Kentucky shouldn't come as a surprise, as he hinted in the past the Wildcats were atop his list.

"People in Kentucky, they love their basketball team," he said in December, per Mussatto. "I feel like that's something I probably want to be a part of."

And his commitment could pave the way for Kentucky to land the top player in the 2019 class, center James Wiseman, who has played with Jeffries on the Nike circuit's Team Penny.

"James, he's a great player. He's got a nice little jump shot, great feel for the game. He's a good all-around player," Jeffries said in December, per Ben Roberts of Kentucky.com. "Playing with James, he gets me better and I get him better. It’s a blessing being able to play with one of the top players in the country."

Kentucky will be hoping the pair continue playing together in the 2019-20 campaign.