Meeks’ move?

He has been through a few of his workouts, listened to a couple of speeches and done some research on the Internet. Jodie Meeks realizes there is still a lot to learn about new Kentucky coach John Calipari.

But he at least knows this much.

“He seems like a great guy,” Meeks says. “I can’t wait to play for him.”

Meeks pauses.

“If” he says, “I come back.”

Now that point guard John Wall, the nation’s No. 1 recruit, has signed with Kentucky, the only looming question in Lexington these days surrounds Meeks’ future with the Wildcats.

Will Meeks, who averaged 23.7 points as a junior last year, withdraw from the NBA draft and return to lead a Kentucky team that could be ranked No. 1 overall in the preseason and contend for a national title? Or will the shooting guard enhance his status as a potential first-round pick during upcoming workouts and combines and opt to turn pro?

“I’m not sure what will happen,” Meeks says. “Right now I’m just trying to enjoy the moment and have fun.”

With the NBA’s pre-draft camp just one week away, Meeks has returned to his native Atlanta to go through a battery of workouts with his former AAU coach, Horace Neysmith.

Shooting drills, dribbling, speed and agility tests and conditioning. Meeks wants to make sure everything has been covered once the draft process intensifies during the next month.

“I feel confident,” Meeks says. “I want to go into the workouts in the best shape that I can possibly be in. I’m playing well right now. I’ve definitely prepared myself – not only for these next couple of months, but for the rest of my career.”

Hectic as Meeks’ practice schedule has been, getting back to Atlanta for a few weeks has given him a breather from what has been a zany environment in Lexington.

All of it started back in January, when Meeks burst onto the national scene by scoring a school record 54 points in a victory over Tennessee. A month later he had 45 points in a win at Arkansas.

Just like that, Meeks went from being an obscure player whose career had been stymied with injuries to a guy who was receiving hype as a National Player of the Year candidate.

Still, as successful as things were for Meeks on the court, problems began to surface off of it. It was widely known in Wildcats basketball circles that Meeks began to clash with former coach Billy Gillispie, a strict disciplinarian who wasn’t afraid to make substitutions if orders weren’t obeyed.

After a 5-0 start in SEC play, Kentucky hit a lull and dropped eight of its final 11 regular-season games. The Wildcats failed to make the NCAA tournament for the first time in 18 years, prompting Gillispie’s firing at the end of the season.

Asked about the situation with Gillispie during a recent phone interview, Meeks says he preferred to talk about the future instead of dwelling on the past.

“Some of the stuff that was happening [under Gillispie] wasn’t good for us,” Meeks says. “But that’s over now. We can’t worry about it. I wouldn’t change anything that happened last year. I’ll just move on from it and learn from it.”

If Meeks returns to school he’ll have a chance to be a part of something special. Last season he and standout forward Patrick Patterson were the only two offensive threats on a Kentucky squad that was short on both talent and experience. The situation often caused Meeks to force shots he wouldn’t normally take if he were surrounded by better players.

If Meeks comes back, he will be surrounded by a recruiting class that some are hailing as the best in the history of college basketball.

Calipari, who led Memphis to the 2008 national title game, signed two of the country’s top high school recruits in forward DeMarcus Cousins and point guard Eric Bledsoe. Small forward Darnell Dodson is regarded as one of the top juco transfers in the nation.

Guard Jon Hood, who was named Mr. Kentucky in basketball this spring, signed with Kentucky in the fall (when Gillispie was still the coach) along with standout center Daniel Orton. Both will be in Lexington this coming season.

So, too, will future NBA forward Patterson, who surprised a few people when he withdrew from the draft two weeks ago and announced he was returning to school. Patterson averaged 17.9 points and 9.3 rebounds as a sophomore last season.

“Patrick made the decision he thought was best for him,” Meeks says. “He didn’t feel like he was ready. Plus, I know that he enjoys college a lot. It’s good that he came back.”

The biggest coup, though, would be Wall, who confirmed earlier this week that he’d selected Kentucky over Miami and Duke. With Wall – who’s projected as the top pick in the 2010 draft – running the offense, things should open up more than ever for Meeks, Patterson and the others.

“From the looks of things, we could have a great season if everyone stays healthy,” Meeks says. “Getting to the Final Four and playing for a national championship is what Kentucky is all about. It could definitely be exciting around here.”

Especially with Meeks.

As much as Calipari would like to have him back, Meeks says the coach hasn’t done anything to try to convince him to withdraw from the draft.

“He’s been very supportive,” Meeks says. “He’s a great coach. No one has anything bad to say about him. I’d definitely have no problem coming back to school to play for him. I love playing at Kentucky.”

Calipari would love to have Meeks back.

“He’s one of the great people I’ve been around ” Calipari says of Meeks. “Not only that, he’s a great leader, an unbelievable leader. His ability to shoot and make free throws … when you add the ability to beat people off the bounce and just be unleashed, he could be a lottery pick [next year].”

Most NBA mock drafts project Meeks as an early second-round pick, but that could all change during the next month.

“If they tell me I’m going to be a top-20 pick I’ll probably have to stay in [the draft],” Meeks says. “Otherwise … I guess we’ll just see what happens.”