New Mexico State gets Alabama guard

In recruiting, persistence and patience often pay off. They certainly did for the New Mexico State staff in the case of three-star guard Reginald Todd.

A 6-foot-4 senior at Blount High School just outside of Mobile (Ala.), Todd announced at his school on Monday that he would play his college basketball for Marvin Menzies and his staff at New Mexico State.

Playing a huge role in Todd picking the Aggies was that they stuck with him when others bailed on his recruitment as a junior.

"When I had academic issues and had to sit my junior year due to transfer a lot of people backed off," said Todd. "New Mexico State stayed in there."

When other programs found out during the summer that Todd was on track academically and in line to qualify, they tried to jump back in. By then, it was too late. Todd remembered the loyalty showed to him by Menzies and assistant coach Aerick Sanders, and he was sold on Menzies' commitment to players after their playing days are over.

"When people realized I would qualify they tried to jump back in but coach Aerick Sanders always believed in me," said Todd. "Coach Marvin Menzies is 100 percent with helping his players get jobs after college either in playing professionally or coaching."

An athletic guard who plays above the rim in transition, Todd should be able to play both the shooting and point guard positions in college. He has the type of frame to add weight and given his natural ability he has the tools to develop into an all-league player in the Western Athletic Conference. He's one of the bigger steals of the early recruiting period.