Wootten 150: Cassidy's takeaways after day one
LAS VEGAS – The annual Wootten 150 camp got started on Thursday afternoon and elite talent from all over the country made the trip to Sin City to participate in the loaded event. Rivals national analyst Rob Cassidy was on hand for the camp and shares his takeaways from the day that was in the desert.
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ONE-ON-ONE VIDEO INTERVIEWS: Kiyan Anthony | Dylan Harper
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Khani Rooths has an unusual timetable for an announcement.
The end is near as it relates to the recruitment of four-star forward Khani Rooths, as the IMG Academy forward will embark on his final official visit - a trip to Michigan - on Oct. 20. A decision should follow shortly thereafter, but Rooths intends to wait for a very specific domino to fall before he announces his college destination.
“I want to say publicly that I’m waiting to see where Asa Newell goes,” Rooths said on Thursday. “I’ll commit after he commits. That’s my timetable. I talked to him a lot about it. I’m gonna watch where he goes.”
The statement is intriguing, especially since UGA is considered to be among the frontrunners for both Rooths and Newell. Rooths was non-committal when asked why he intends to wait for his fellow Rivals150 recruit to announce before he makes his decision, but the duo seems to have some form of friendship that could be a factor.
“I can’t say anything else other than I am waiting for Asa,” Rooths said. “We’ll go from there.”
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The drama continues to build around Dylan Harper's recruitment.
Mum was the word for Dylan Harper on Thursday, as the five-star guard declined interviews amid reports of possible fall visits to places such as Auburn, Duke and Kansas. Harper responded by saying, “I’m chilling and getting better,” when asked about his potential visits before opting out of the interview entirely. He also declined to comment on a timetable for his decision, which now feels unlikely to come before the end of next month’s Early Signing Period.
Commonly viewed as a Rutgers lean, Harper now seems as up for grabs as he has been in some time due to the buzz about additional visits. The longer things drag out, the more tension will mount in Piscataway. If nothing else, his shortness with the media seems to suggest that the homestretch of Harper’s recruitment may include a few twists and turns.
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Kentucky seems to be sniffing around Tounde Yessoufou.
The first seeds of interest between Kentucky and class-of-2025 wing Tounde Yessoufou seem to have been planted, as the Wildcats have made preliminary contact with the five-star prospect. Where things will go from here is anyone’s guess, but the situation is worth monitoring at the very least.
“Kentucky has talked to me about coming out to my practice, but they haven't come yet,” Yessoufou said.
Yessoufou will wait to see what develops down the road. For now, however, he is focused on other programs. The Santa Maria (Calif.) St Joseph High School standout has already visited Washington and said he hopes to set up a trip to Cal in the near future.
“At Berkeley, they think I’m a great player and they love my energy,” Yessoufou said. “They love the way I play and think I could fit in there.”