Shakur Targeting West Visit
Mustafa Shakur, the talented 6-3, 170-pound point guard from Philadelphia's Friends Central High School, battled with class of 2004 stud Darius Washington on the ABCD camp's first evaluative day and turned in a solid performance.
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The slippery lead guard showed a penchant for driving, drawing, and dishing, putting his teammates in good positions to score. Shakur is a slick ballhandler who can break down defenders with his handle to infiltrate opposing defenses. At a waifish 170 pounds, Shakur uses his elusiveness to slink past opposing defenders and at times compensate for his lack of physical strength.
In front of Arizona head coach Lute Olsen, Shakur did a solid job of running his team and distributing the basketball. His forays into the paint opened up opportunities for teammates, while a deep ball that was falling kept defenders honest.
Shakur has a fairly long list of suitors at this point, one that includes UConn, NC State, Arizona, Villanova, Syracuse, Virginia, Seton Hall, Boston College, Georgia Tech, and a recent addition in North Carolina. Shakur told Rivals Hoops that basically all of the schools on his list have offered. With this prodigious list, don't expect Shakur to be whittling it down anytime soon.
"I really couldn't say who I'd choose if I made the decision today," said Shakur. "I wouldn't be able to make that decision."
Shakur has taken unofficial visits to NC State, Syracuse, Villanova, and Virginia. He said he definitely plans on trekking out to Tuscon to check out Arizona's campus, but is unsure of where else he will go. What is the lure of the Pac-10 school for a kid from Philly?
"I like their style of play," said Shakur. "I like their coach, and they have some good younger players."
Shakur will be in attendance at the Vegas Big Time Tournament, and may participate in the Double Pump tourney in California.
Mustafa carries a 2.1 GPA in the classroom. He has already attained a qualifying score of 820 on the SAT.
*In Shakur's first game yesterday, he scored 13 points and had six assists in half of game's worth of action. He was one for three from beyond the three-point line ...
