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| Wednesday, April 25 |
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| Have sneakers, will transfer ... but where? By David Benezra and Mark Mayemura Special to ESPN.com | |||
Big men make the world go 'round at the major college level.
But with 7-foot-1 Tyson Chandler out of Dominguez High School in Compton, Calif., and 6-11 DeSagana Diop of Oak Hill Academy on their way to the NBA, there is a dearth of big men available at the high school level. That means transfers -- both junior college and the kind that come from four-year schools -- have become very hot items. And four-year transfers are starting to surface as coaches are fired and new coaches are hired.
The first big transfer to come on the market from a four-year school is 6-10, 250-pound Nick Vander Laan from California. Vander Laan has three years to play two season, making him a junior redshirt next year.
The hit of the collegians at the Pete Newell big man camp the past two years with his outstanding footwork, Vander Laan has had interest from many programs. Among those interested are Oklahoma, Michigan, Oklahoma State, Virginia, Vanderbilt, St. Louis, Boston College, Notre Dame, Villanova and SUNY-Albany. No, that's not a typo. Albany head coach Scott Beeten was the California assistant who primarily recruited Vander Laan and the Great Danes will have a shot at Vander Laan.
While he intends to take his time, Vander Laan has decided to visit Virginia and Albany thus far. Virginia head coach Pete Gillen is very familiar with Vander Laan's game as he aggressively recruited him when he was at Providence.
At the junior college level, the biggest tuna in the pool is 7-0, 240-pound Uche Okafor of the College of Southern Idaho. Okafor is raw offensively but has the body, the athleticism, the shot-blocking and the rebounding ability to attract all the big dogs. Even North Carolina, a school that never mines the JCs for gold, was highly interested, before recently being eliminated by Okafor.
Elite Eight participant Illinois has been in the Okafor mix for a while. So too have Memphis and Connecticut. But the favorites may be Missouri and North Carolina State. North Carolina State hosted Okafor this past weekend, while he's set to visit Missouri this weekend. And then he'll try to visit UConn over Easter Sunday. Missouri may be hard to beat for Okafor.
Among other possible impact recruits is 6-2 combo guard Marcus Hatten out of Tallahassee CC. Hatten has narrowed his field of schools after visiting South Florida and St. John's. DePaul, Indiana, and Iowa State are also in there. Making a late impact -- as they are wont to do -- is Mississippi State. Hatten is a native of Baltimore and averaged over 24 points a game this season.
Von Hunter, a 6-4 guard out of Champlain CC in Vermont may be a done deal for former Duke star David Henderson, who just finished a very successful first season in charge of Delaware -- his first head coaching job. Hunter is a native of New York who attended St. Raymond's and signed with Texas out of high school. He has a good frame and can score. He would definitely be an impact transfer for Delaware, which is leaving the America East Conference and moving up into the Colonial Athletic Association.
Rafael Berumen (Los Angeles CC, Calif.) is drawing interest from Kansas State, Miami-Florida, and Washington State, among others. Berumen is 6-9 and 240 pounds, and while not athletic, is highly skilled and can score. Kansas State has been working him hard and may be the leader.
Mike Mackiel is a 6-8 stud and an elite juco player out of Porterville CC in California. Mackiel has taken visits to Oklahoma State, Oregon, Pittsburgh, and San Diego State. If he elects to take a fifth visit, he may trip to South Florida. Mackiel has had legitimate interest from Kentucky, Connecticut and other big programs, but wants to be able to step in and get time and touches. Mackiel is legit, an athlete who is built and plays taller than his height and has skills. He could step into any program in the country and give it a boost.
Devin Montgomery (Moorpark CC, Calif.) is a 6-foot lead guard who has committed to Pepperdine. Montgomery led Moorpark into the California State Junior College Tournament this year. Montgomery had signed with Duquesne out of high school and started for the Dukes as a freshman when he was selected to the Atlantic Ten All Freshman Team. He's a very athletic, talented scorer who should blend in well with the high-octane style that the Waves like to use.
With Rick Pitino now ensconced at Louisville, you can bet that the king of this year's power forwards, 6-7 Ousmane Cisse (St. Jude/Montgomery, Ala.), is the No. 1 priority on Pitino's list of things to do. Cisse, like everybody these days, is thinking about the NBA, but with his brother at the 'Ville and Pitino named as the coach, you would have to think that Louisville will get him if the NBA doesn't.
The much anticipated mid-season eligibility of the country's top high school junior, 6-6, 215-pound Lenny Cooke (Northern Valley Regional H.S./Old Tappan, N.J.), fulfilled most of his expectations this season. Cooke, after gaining mid-season eligibility, averaged 33 points, 17 rebounds and six blocked shots in 27 minutes per game for Northern Valley. There is no doubt that he is the top player in the Class of 2002.
David Benezra and Mark Mayemura cover the national college basketball recruiting scene, both high school and junior college recruiting, at their Recruiting USA (www.recruitingusa.com) website. Call (818)783-2244 for subscription information. Send this story to a friend | Most sent stories | |
ALSO SEE Prep invitational showcases top players Recruiting: Skipping school at what price? | |
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