Q&A with five-star Alabama product Trendon Watford

The recruiting process is nothing new for five-star forward Trendon Watford and while others in his class have either already make their college decisions are or nearing one, the Alabama native is far from doing so. In a question-and-answer session with the ultra-versatile forward, Watford discussed the schools in the mix, where he might be off to next and when a college commitment should be expected.

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Corey Evans (CE): How many schools are you currently down to?

Trendon Watford (TW): I am still down to eight, but I should be cutting my list down here soon again.

CE: OK, and you have been where so far this fall, that is officially?

TW: Memphis is it so far. I am going to take an official visit to LSU on Nov. 3.

CE: Let’s talk about the Memphis visit then. What has coach Penny Hardaway had to tell you and how did it go after having a relationship with assistant Mike Miller going into it?

TW: It was great. It was my first time up there and seeing the new team and the arena, it was good to see all the fans come out to Memphis Madness that night and they actually sold it out. I got to sit down with Coach Penny and Coach Miller, along with Coach (Tony) Madlock and Coach (Sam) Mitchell, and it was a great talk. It was primarily about how I could come in and play with the guys that they are recruiting if those guys were to go there.

CE: Have you talked to someone like James Wiseman, who of course is a top priority of theirs, like yourself?

TW: We have talked about it. We played together in July a little and we definitely talked about playing at the next level and we will just see how it goes. I think that he has his official visit there this weekend, so I am pretty sure we will talk about it after.

CE: Next you go to LSU. What has coach (Will) Wade and his staff had to sell to you up until this point?

TW: They want me to see how they do with this year’s team and having some guys that could possibly go to the NBA, so they just want me to see how they use those guys and they feel like they could use me the same.

CE: Nazreon Reid and Emmitt Williams could each be gone next year after just one season. What have they said about you filling that frontcourt void?

TW: They feel like I have one of the best skill sets in the country and that they won’t put me at an exact position but rather ... use me in a variety of ways, and could build a team with some of the guys coming back with where it could still be a really good team but also still help me get to the next level.

CE: Alabama is the only other place that you have been this fall, though it was unofficial, but what is that feeling there with the home-state school?

TW: That is close to home, so it is always going to give that hometown feeling but they have been on me since day one and this recruiting thing, I think having relationships is really important and having a strong relationship with those set of coaches cannot be beat. So that is pretty cool.

CE: You played travel ball with Kira Lewis all spring and summer long and with him now enrolled there, what has he told you about being a member of that program?

TW: He likes it so far. He is out there getting acclimated to the new system and the new guys, but I talked to him whenever I went up there and he has said that he likes it a lot and he looks really good whenever I saw them practice.

CE: Is there any other visits beyond LSU?

TW: I think I have one for Indiana some time during the month of December. I haven’t figured out the date just yet, and I think Florida State is in January, I feel like.

CE: Your last name still rings a bell back at Indiana with your brother playing there. What have they all had to tell you?

TW: I went up there last summer and it was great a visit. I really enjoyed it. Coach (Archie Miller) also came and saw me for a home visit and he is just a great coach. I feel like that team they have this year is going to be pretty good and he feels like I could excel within his system.

CE: The fandom up there is a little different. Talk to me about that.

TW: It is very, very different. I have been up there like a hundred times because of my brother, and it feels like a second home to me. Just being up there, Indiana is a basketball state and the fans are crazy. They take basketball very seriously.

CE: You also brought up a potential visit to Florida State. What is their unique selling point with you?

TW: They compared me to Jon Isaac and could use me some of the ways that he used him so they feel like me with Patrick Williams, who they just got, us two together could be something to reckoned with.

CE: The plan is still to sign late then?

TW: Correct.

CE: Why so?

TW: The real reason that I am doing it is because I want to see a program like Memphis, this is their first year with that new team, and LSU, this is their first year with potential one-and-done players, and I feel like I need to watch them and see how it turns out. I need to weigh my options and you only have one chance at this thing, so why rush it?

CE: And you said you wanted to cut your list one more time. When do you foresee yourself doing as such?

TW: I will probably cut it down to around four within the next month or so.