Rumor Mill: Recruiting buzz from Memphis Nike EYBL event
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The 2024 Nike EYBL season tipped off in Tennessee over the weekend and the action in the Volunteer State is ongoing. Rivals national analyst Rob Cassidy is on hand in the South and shares some of the rumors and talking points flying around the gym below.
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CALIPARI STILL MAKING THE BOOZER TWINS A PRIORITY
John Calipari has a new office in a new town and wears a new color shirt when he’s on the road recruiting. His strategy and recruiting board seems pretty much unchanged, however, as 2025 five-star Cameron Boozer says the former Kentucky head coach wasted no time reaching out to him once he got settled in as the next head coach of Arkansas.
“Cal called me the other day.” Boozer said on Friday. “He told me that he’s the same coach just moving headquarters. He still wants to recruit us.
“He said it’s like when a big company moved to a new location, that’s the same thing he did.”
Cam Boozer and his twin brother Cayden Boozer, a four-star guard, will now consider Arkansas as the relationship they have with Calipari and members of his Razorbacks staff seem to be as strong as ever and it seems as though the duo is listening to the Arkansas pitch.
Will there be a visit? Well, that seems a bit unclear for the time being … mostly because Cameron Boozer decided to get cryptic when asked about his upcoming visit plans.
“I’m going to take one more visit during the spring and then I’ll be done,” he said.
Asked what the destination for that one final visit will be, and the 6-foot-9 forward flashed a knowing grin before playing coy.
“Ummmm … you’ll see,” he responded.
According to Boozer, the schools most involved in his process are Miami, Duke, Florida, North Carolina and Arkansas. He’s already visited the Hurricanes, Blue Devils and Gators, leaving the Tar Heels and Razorbacks as the most likely recipients of his upcoming trip.
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ACUFF ELIMINATES KENTUCKY, WILL NOW CONSIDER ARKANSAS AMONG OTHERS
Five-star guard Darius Acuff has been through the ringer this offseason, as two of his assumed frontrunners, Kentucky and Michigan, underwent coaching changes and forced him to reevaluate his process.
On Friday, Acuff said he is no longer considering Kentucky under its new regime, but had a very different response when asked about the new staff at Michigan.
“I talked to Dusty May,” Acuff said. “It’s a great staff at a great school and I’m definitely still looking at Michigan. It’s going to be a process to rebuild the relationship but I’m interested in doing it. That’s Michigan. That’s my hometown school. I grew up rooting for them always.”
Acuff added that John Calipari has been in contact with him since taking over at Arkansas and that he already plans for an official visit to Fayetteville on May 10.
“I’ve never been there but I know it’s a great school. I’m looking forward to getting there," he said. "Cal says it’s a great place and that he’s the same old Cal just at a new school. He told me it’s the same mission.”
Most recently, Acuff visited Kansas, where he said he was most impressed by head coach Bill Self, with whom he managed to form a quick and strong bond on the trip.
“The Kansas trip was great,” Acuff said. “It felt like I knew everyone already. Bill Self is a savage man. He’s a dog. I love Bill Self. He keeps it real with me about everything.”
According to Acuff, Michigan, Kansas, Arkansas. Houston, Rutgers, Texas and Georgia Tech are most involved in his recruitment. He’d ideally like to have a commitment on the books prior to his senior season this fall but says he has not placed a hard deadline on himself.
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KE’SHAWN FISHER MAKES SPLASH WITH BIG PERFORMANCE
Originally a member of the 2024 class, Ke'Shawn Fisher turned in a head-turning performance playing with The Family on Friday night, scoring 18 points with an efficient shooting effort. The 6-foot-6 wing showed the ability to fill it up from deep but also made an impact on the glass, where his effort to create extra possessions popped off the page.
Fisher already has a handful of offers to his name and will take a prep year at a yet-to-be-determined school for the upcoming season before hitting the college ranks in 2025.
Rutgers, Eastern Michigan, Duquesne and a handful of other colleges have already made things official, but the three-star prospect hopes a big year on the EYBL circuit will yield additional high-major opportunities.
“I’ve been talking to Marquette heavy, but they haven’t offered yet,” Fisher said. “They’ve been in touch and say they are going to be watching me this summer.”
Fisher says he is considering schools such Virginia’s Hargrave Academy and Florida’s IMG Academy to play his upcoming prep season.