The meeting at Montverde Academy was last week. Here's my best pitch for UK's chances:
First, the commitment is set a month out. That is very unusual. Most commitment dates are set within days of their announcement. This suggests the decision is, at worst for UK, still a coin toss in the kid's mind, and he's giving himself the space to flip. Moreover, Cal has great Canadian connections, including current pro and prolific scorer Jamal Murray, Drake, and Barrett's "big brother" Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Cal has demonstrated success with primary scoring option players. As impressive as Barrett's 38 points against team USA were, they pale in comparison to the 48 Malik Monk hung on UNC (the eventual national champions) in an electric atmosphere against a college-level defense. Monk and Barrett have overlapping styles and competencies. Duke already has Cam Reddish slotted in at SF, and there's no honest pitch to Barrett that doesn't involve him sharing shots with Reddish. He'd have to share at Kentucky, but not as many shots from his own position that would have otherwise been his to take. Finally, if Barrett has any interest in running point for stretches, UK will be the best option. Immanuel Quickley is better equipped to play off the ball than Tre Jones, and Cal emphasizes an offensive style (because we always have the talent to do it) where whoever grabs the ball and leads the break becomes the point guard.