07-19-2002, 04:17 PM
Illinois sophomore shooting guard shopping his shot around
Melton plays at national junior college exposure camp, weighing options
July 17, 2002
By JOHN SUPINIE
of Copley News Service
CHAMPAIGN - Brett Melton isn't saying he's leaving. Or saying he's staying. The sophomore guard on the Illinois basketball team is just admitting that he's shopping.
The local kid from nearby Mahomet-Seymour High School whose shooting touch earned him a scholarship with the Illini has made a recruiting visit to Vincennes University, a junior college in southwestern Indiana. And he is still looking at his options before he announces a decision on his future.
It's apparent that Melton wants to find a place where he can fit into a playing rotation.
"I'm looking at other places," Melton said. "I'm not saying that I'm leaving or that I'm staying. I've been looking at a few other options. I'm just trying to figure out what my needs would be here or there, this place or that place."
Melton, a 6-foot-5, 195-pounder who was recruited to Illinois by former coach Lon Kruger, averaged 2.4 points and 6.4 minutes a game while playing in seven early-season games a year ago. He sat out much of the season with a medical redshirt after spraining his ankle. He was used seldom during his freshman season.
Melton informed coach Bill Self in June that he wanted to investigate other options. They have an agreement that Melton would receive a release from his scholarship if he wanted to pursue another offer.
As of Tuesday afternoon, Melton wasn't ready to say for sure that he's leaving, although players don't normally stick around after telling the coach that they'd like to check out other programs. The Illini need two replacements at guard after Frank Williams left for the NBA and Cory Bradford graduated, but highly touted guards Dee Brown and Deron Williams are already on campus.
Melton wouldn't elaborate with details of other schools he's contacted, but he did make a recruiting visit last weekend to Vincennes, a perennial juco power. Vincennes has one scholarship open, and the Trailblazers would like to fill it with a shooting guard. Vincennes finished 21-10 last season, falling one game short of reaching the NJCAA national tournament.
Junior-college recruiting analyst Rick Ball also held an exposure camp at Vincennes over last weekend, perhaps giving Melton more opportunities since nearly 100 junior-college coaches were on campus. Melton wasn't sure of a timetable for his decision. If he transfers to another four-year school, Melton would sit out a year and leave himself with two years of eligibility. He could transfer to a junior college, play this season and still have two more seasons of eligibility remaining.
"I'm just trying to see what my needs are," Melton said. "My needs are to see if I can fit into this system or that system."
A transfer by Melton would open up a scholarship for Illini recruiters, who already have commitments from Springfield Lanphier guard Richard McBride, Notre Dame forward Brian Randle and Dallas-area power forward Warren Carter.
With another open scholarship, the Illinois staff could recruit such high-caliber players as Maywood Proviso East guard Shannon Brown or New Jersey power forward Charlie Villenueva. If Illinois didn't land such a talented recruit, the Illini staff would hold the scholarship for the following recruiting year, when the Illini would otherwise expect to have just one scholarship opening.
Melton plays at national junior college exposure camp, weighing options
July 17, 2002
By JOHN SUPINIE
of Copley News Service
CHAMPAIGN - Brett Melton isn't saying he's leaving. Or saying he's staying. The sophomore guard on the Illinois basketball team is just admitting that he's shopping.
The local kid from nearby Mahomet-Seymour High School whose shooting touch earned him a scholarship with the Illini has made a recruiting visit to Vincennes University, a junior college in southwestern Indiana. And he is still looking at his options before he announces a decision on his future.
It's apparent that Melton wants to find a place where he can fit into a playing rotation.
"I'm looking at other places," Melton said. "I'm not saying that I'm leaving or that I'm staying. I've been looking at a few other options. I'm just trying to figure out what my needs would be here or there, this place or that place."
Melton, a 6-foot-5, 195-pounder who was recruited to Illinois by former coach Lon Kruger, averaged 2.4 points and 6.4 minutes a game while playing in seven early-season games a year ago. He sat out much of the season with a medical redshirt after spraining his ankle. He was used seldom during his freshman season.
Melton informed coach Bill Self in June that he wanted to investigate other options. They have an agreement that Melton would receive a release from his scholarship if he wanted to pursue another offer.
As of Tuesday afternoon, Melton wasn't ready to say for sure that he's leaving, although players don't normally stick around after telling the coach that they'd like to check out other programs. The Illini need two replacements at guard after Frank Williams left for the NBA and Cory Bradford graduated, but highly touted guards Dee Brown and Deron Williams are already on campus.
Melton wouldn't elaborate with details of other schools he's contacted, but he did make a recruiting visit last weekend to Vincennes, a perennial juco power. Vincennes has one scholarship open, and the Trailblazers would like to fill it with a shooting guard. Vincennes finished 21-10 last season, falling one game short of reaching the NJCAA national tournament.
Junior-college recruiting analyst Rick Ball also held an exposure camp at Vincennes over last weekend, perhaps giving Melton more opportunities since nearly 100 junior-college coaches were on campus. Melton wasn't sure of a timetable for his decision. If he transfers to another four-year school, Melton would sit out a year and leave himself with two years of eligibility. He could transfer to a junior college, play this season and still have two more seasons of eligibility remaining.
"I'm just trying to see what my needs are," Melton said. "My needs are to see if I can fit into this system or that system."
A transfer by Melton would open up a scholarship for Illini recruiters, who already have commitments from Springfield Lanphier guard Richard McBride, Notre Dame forward Brian Randle and Dallas-area power forward Warren Carter.
With another open scholarship, the Illinois staff could recruit such high-caliber players as Maywood Proviso East guard Shannon Brown or New Jersey power forward Charlie Villenueva. If Illinois didn't land such a talented recruit, the Illini staff would hold the scholarship for the following recruiting year, when the Illini would otherwise expect to have just one scholarship opening.