Memphis junior power forward taking his time

In the class of 2013, the Memphis metro has one of the more stacked group of kids. One of the group's best players is Austin Nichols.

A 6-foot-8 junior power forward at Eads (Tenn.) Briarcrest Christian is enjoying the attention from schools, but he's in no rush to make a decision. Right now, he's more worried about his game.

"It depends on the matchups a lot," Nichols told Rivals.com of his strengths. "If there's a smaller guy I like to take him and post him and a big guy I'll take him out some. But, I really like to do the dirty work inside."

Though he has the skill to face up, watch Nichols play and it's clear that he's being honest. The kid likes to scrap in the paint and has drawn the attention of several programs.

According to Nichols -- who currently ranks No. 41 nationally in the 2013 Rivals150 -- he's seen coaches from Florida, North Carolina, Tennessee, Memphis, Ole Miss, Georgia, Auburn and Virginia.

"They've pretty much all offered except for UNC," said Nichols. "This is a dream really. I never thought that I would even get looked at much less get all of these scholarship offers so early."

According to Nichols, the time for him to sit down and make a list of favorites won't come until at least after his junior season. When the four-star prospect does make his list, he'll base his decisions based on the expected factors.

"The way the coaches are," said Nichols of what matters most in picking a school. "The style of play and who will be there at my position are important. I'm not sure if distance from home will really matter because I haven't really thought about that part yet. It's mostly going to be about style of play."

While some players get nervous about possibly missing out on a scholarship at one school or another, Nichols doesn't feel any pressure and is content to ride things out.

"I think I'll take more time with it," said Nichols. "There are a ton of offers on the table and there's no reason to rush it. My parents know that it's my decision and I still need to sit down and make a list of favorites."