Recruiting targets net honors
Bob Gibbons, the granddaddy of basketball recruiting analysts, included some Kansas University targets in his “cream of the crop” list compiled after evaluating various summertime AAU tournaments.
Greg Monroe, 6-foot-10 from Cox High in Harvey, La., was one of five players named second-team all-Gibbons, while Willie Warren, 6-3 from Fort Worth, Texas, was third team and Xavier Henry, 6-6 from Putnam City, Okla., fourth team.
Gibbons’ first team consisted of Samardo Samuels, who has committed to Louisville, Delvon Roe (Michigan State), Scotty Hopson (Mississippi State), Jrue Holiday (UCLA) and Brandon Jennings (Arizona).
Jennings, a 6-1 point guard from Los Angeles, was tapped senior player of the summer, and Derrick Favors, 6-9 from Atlanta, junior player of the summer. Favors includes KU on his early list of prospective schools.
Rotnei Clarke, 6-foot from Claremore, Okla., who is considering KU and others, was tapped one of the top four backcourt shooters. Warren, also considering KU, was cited in the “best scorers” category.
Gibbons’ entire column is available on ESPN.com.
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Diamond in rough?: Tyshawn Taylor, a 6-3 senior-to-be from St. Anthony’s in Jersey City, N.J., who elected to work this summer instead of play AAU basketball, has emerged as a top recruit. Taylor tells Rivals.com he will visit Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech and also is considering KU, Missouri, Cincinnati, Virginia, St. John’s, St. Joe’s, Marquette and West Virginia.
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More on zany Pollard: Scot Pollard has decided to wear jersey number 66 with his new team, the Boston Celtics.
Why 66?
“Because all the other (expletive) numbers were taken here,” Pollard cracked at his introductory news conference in a conference room that had the numbers of Bill Russell (6), Tom Heinsohn (15), John Havlicek (17), Robert Parish (00), Larry Bird (33) and Kevin McHale (32) on the wall.
Pollard, by the way, said his friendship with former KU teammate Paul Pierce of the Celtics was not a deciding factor in his choosing the Celts in free agency.
“No, (but) I’ve always gotten along really well with Paul,” he said. “We’re not great friends. We’ve always been cool. When we play against each other we talk. We were closer in college obviously. It had more to do with the way Doc (Rivers, coach) runs the team, the system.”
Pollard, who had a full beard and medium length hair, was asked if the Celtics had rules against mohawks, which he’s worn in the past.
“I did not hear a ‘no’ on that one,” Pollard said. “Hopefully I’ll come up with something better than this. I just came from my physical (exam). I didn’t have a chance to get pretty.”
The Journal-World recently asked the ever-colorful Pollard, who has places of residence in Lawrence, Cleveland and Indianapolis, about KU’s team.
“I just met Cole (Aldrich) the other day. He’s a new freshman coming in. He drove by my house and stopped in. We hung out an hour, chatted, and I gave him a bunch of money and a new car,” Pollard joked. “We hung out. He seems like a nice kid.”
Of the program he said: “I haven’t had the chance to talk to coach (Bill) Self lately, to thank him for all he does for KU. I think he does a tremendous job. Last year was the first year I didn’t get to see one of the games in person. It’s the first year since I’ve been in the NBA I didn’t get to see at least one game in person. I hope to correct that this year.”
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Bulletin board material: Last year, Kansas State coach Bob Huggins guaranteed a Wildcat victory over Kansas in Manhattan. KU, of course, won the game.
Recently at a “Catbacker” event, newcomer Michael Beasley followed in the footsteps of Huggins, telling a TV station ...
“We’re going to beat KU at home. We’re going to beat them at their house. We’re going to beat them in Africa. Wherever we play we’re going to beat ‘em.”
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