Nerlens Noel is the top recruit in the country, and he’s headed to Kentucky. Noel is considered the replacement for Anthony Davis, and the Wildcats are pinning their hopes on another deep NCAA tournament run on Noel being a shot-blocking machine inside. But first, the NCAA is going to poke around Noel to make sure everything is above board. From Pete Thamel in the NYT:

A person who has been briefed on the N.C.A.A.’s inquiry said the topics officials were planning on inquiring about included Noel’s relationship with Chris Driscoll, a former Providence assistant who is close to Noel. Driscoll was barred this year from campus at the Tilton School, the New Hampshire boarding school where Noel has spent the past two years and is completing his final year of high school …

N.C.A.A. officials also planned to find out about Noel’s relationship with Errol Randolph, a former substitute teacher at Everett High School who is another of Noel’s advisers, according to the person briefed on the inquiry. Until recently, Randolph had a link on his LinkedIn page directing people to the Web site of the sports agency run by the prominent basketball agent Andy Miller. The link to Miller’s ASM Sports Web site has since been removed.

If you read this terrific story on Noel in March, you know there’s been plenty of shady activity around the kid throughout his high school career. (Sidenote: Noel is still not qualified, which is probably the bigger story right now. His school believes he’ll eventually qualify.) Kentucky fans are peeved at this report – at least a dozen have tweeted me Thamel vs. UK conspiracy theories – but the NCAA’s interest in Noel’s situation shouldn’t surprise anyone. Whether or not they’ll be able to unearth anything is another story. [NYT]

Previously: GIF: Nerlens Noel, the Nation’s Top Recruit, is Headed To Kentucky – Assuming He Can Make The Grade
Previously: High School Recruit Nerlens Noel is Having Men Offer Him Their Wives