CHARLOTTE, NC -- Nerlens Noel, the top recruit in the nation, has chosen to play basketball next season for the Kentucky Wildcats rather than the Syracuse Orange.

The 18-year-old made the announcement live tonight on ESPNU, deciding to play for the current NCAA National Champions, rather than the other college teams on his final list which included SU and Georgetown. In a unique way of making his decision known, Noel  turned around to reveal the UK logo shaved into the back of his head. 

"I just thought it was the best fit for me personally," said Noel on ESPNU shortly after the announcement, "I talked to my Mom, she liked it as well, she liked all three of the schools, but when it came down to it she liked Kentucky. She met Coach Orlando (Antigua) and Coach Calipari. Just from watching them on TV what they did with Anthony Davis, she thought it was the best fit for me and I did too, so we went with that."

Many Orange fans were disappointed with the decision, knowing that SU was under serious consideration by Noel. The 6 foot 11 center out of The Tilton School in New Hampshire had visited the SU campus back in February and attended the UConn game on February 11th.

His elite shot blocking skills would have been a welcome addition to the talents of incoming freshman Dajuan Coleman out of Jamesville DeWitt. Instead Noel is headed to the Wildcats, while fellow elite recruit Shabazz Muhammad, a 6-6 wing from Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas announced he's heading to UCLA.

"It's a great relief", admitted Noel about finally having his decision announced, "now I can just focus on my studies and getting better."

The Syracuse Orange are already predicted to be one of the top teams in the country with players like Michael Carter-Williams, Brandon Triche, Rakeem Christmas and C.J. Fair returning, but the addition of Noel certainly would have raised the bar. The zone would have been strengthened in a big way, and his shot blocking abilities are well documented.