Meyers Mailbag: Kansas looks for the point
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Where does Kansas turn for a point guard now that the Jayhawks missed on Josiah Turner?
Is four-star prospect D'Angelo Harrison best suited for the shooting guard position or point guard position?
And could Maryland land a commitment this weekend?
National Recruiting Analyst Jerry Meyer answers these questions and more in this week's mailbag.
Where does Kansas find a point?
It looked like Josiah Turner was a lock to sign with Kansas. Where does Bill Self go now for a point guard in the 2011 class?
- Marticus from Memphis
Certainly it didn't end up a lock that Turner would go to Kansas, but Kansas had been the leader throughout much of his recruitment until Turner ended it with a surprising commitment to Arizona. It isn't so surprising that he went to Arizona, but to choose Arizona before taking his official visit to Kansas was a surprise.
Now Kansas is on the hunt for another point guard, and it looks like Quinn Cook, the No. 28 prospect in the Rivals150, is Kansas' target.
Kansas is late to the game and Cook has significant interest from some of the heavy hitters in college basketball, but there are connections that make Kansas a possible destination for Cook.
Cook has a close relationship with a couple players on the Kansas roster - Josh Selby and Thomas Robinson. Cook's Oak Hill Academy teammate Ben McLemore is also a primary target for Self.
McLemore is scheduled to be at Kansas for the opening of practice. Don't be surprised if Cook joins him on the visit.
Harrison's position
Is D'Angelo Harrison best suited to playing shooting guard in college? Is he capable of starting as a freshman point guard?
- Hal from Tulsa
There are scenarios where Harrison is talented enough to be a starting point guard as a freshman. The issue, though, is that what makes Harrison special is his ability to score. A score-first system for the point guard would work for Harrison.
Most systems would rather utilize Harrison off the ball to take full advantage of his scoring prowess. Teaming him with a talented drive-and-kick point guard would be a lethal combination. Then Harrison could also operate with the ball in his hands in pick-and-roll situations.
Rutgers rising
With the commitments of Kadeem Jack, Jerome Seagears, Myles Mack, Derrick Randall and Malick Kone, where do you see Rutgers recruiting class right now?
- Kevin from Ashland
At this moment, this Rutgers class could be ranked as high as No. 6. Rutgers would likely slide in between Louisville and Texas for that sixth spot.
Maryland's chances with duo
Nick Faust and Johnny O'Bryant visit Maryland this weekend. What are the chances at securing verbals from one or both of them this weekend?
- John from Baltimore
I wouldn't expect a commitment from O'Bryant, the No. 38 prospect in the Rivals150. O'Bryant, who is from Cleveland (Miss.) East Side High School, has made it clear that he wants to take all his visits before committing.
He has already visited LSU and has a visit lined up for Miami the week after his Maryland visit. In-state Ole Miss and Mississippi State will likely host O'Bryant on unofficial visits. Alabama and Georgia Tech are also on his list, and a lot of people think it is unlikely that O'Bryant will go to school outside the state of Mississippi, anyway.
It would not be a shocker, however, if Faust were to commit on his visit. Maryland is the local school on Faust's list and has been the perceived leader. Faust has talked positively about the Terrapins in interviews, and there is available playing time for him, which is a priority. Also, Maryland is the only school with which Faust has scheduled a visit.
Locked up
What impact, if any, does the potential NBA lockout have on both programs, which have to allocate their resources, and players, who may be looking for immediate playing time? As of now, it appears to be a relatively low-priority issue. Thanks for your input.
- Arthur from Hastings
We might have just seen the first major example of the potential NBA lockout affecting a recruiting situation.
One line of thought on Turner's commitment to Arizona is that Turner was concerned that a lockout would result in Selby and Tyshawn Taylor still being on the Kansas roster Turner's freshman year. If that were to be the case, Turner would likely play a reserve role as a freshman at Kansas. Arizona, however, presents a much more favorable scenario for Turner playing a lead role even if there were to be a lockout.
Again, this is just a line of thought concerning Turner. One way or another, it is an example of a scenario showing how the threat of a lockout can affect college recruiting.
Jerry Meyer is a national basketball recruiting analyst for Rivals.com. Click here to send him a question or comment for his mailbag.
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