04-18-2002, 09:55 AM
<a href="http://www.acctoday.com/article.asp?ArticleID={17DAB507-704C-450E-9D12-C75C7A4E7900}" target="_blank">UNC offers Paul</a>
Although it's likely that Paul commits to UNC, I dont see it as "open and shut" as a lot of UNC fans are. It said in that article that he will decided by the end of the summer. Now that means he could decide tomorrow or he could decide the day before he goes back to school...but I think that means that he's really going to think about it. He's not going to say, "Man I love Carolina...I accept your offer!"
I think the Heels have this one in the bag, but I'm not quite giving up on Paul. However, State is still targeting other top point guards. Right now Paul is rated as the #3 point guard in the nation. We are currently after the #1, #2, and #4 point guards also.
We have already offered #1 PG Mustafa Shakur, and he is scheduled for a visit in the upcoming week. Here are some links on Shakur:
<a href="http://fansonly.rivals.com/viewprospect.asp?pr_key=4078&sport=2" target="_blank">Shakur</a>
This link is before his junior year had started:
<a href="http://www.bobgibbons.net/secure/NewsPub/News/Stories/2001/07/05/99435554910.html" target="_blank">Shakur</a>
</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Mustafa Shakur - 6'3 185 lbs. junior combo-guard from Friends Central HS in Philadelphia, PA. Shakur is going to repeat his junior year at Friends Central next year. Lightning quick with great change of direction and a devestating cross-over dribble. Has no problem getting by the first defender and penetrating the lane. Good size. Not a consistent jump shooter. He's still maturing, and his decision making at the point needs refinement. He commits too many turnovers and tends to play too fast. St. Josephs has already offered, but he is getting interest from all of the other Philly schools along with Providence, Siena, Florida St. and Western Kentucky.
</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="http://uncbasketball.com/stories/070101_nbpa.shtml" target="_blank">Shakur</a>
</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif"> * Two analysts mentioned rising junior guard Mustafa Shakur from Philadelphia as one of the Camp's biggest sleepers. </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">There are some more links..but I'll stop at that.
Then there's Taurean Minor from Houston, TX..the #2 PG in the country right now. I've heard we also have a vist scheduled with him sometime soon:
This link has Minor as the #10 Junior in his class...
<a href="http://www.sportingnews.com/cbasketball/recruiting/" target="_blank">Minor</a>
</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif"> 4/10: "Tack Minor, a point guard for the Houston Hoops team, averaged 17.6 points and was one of the leading scorers at the Boo Williams Invitational. Minor had a high game of 24 points. He may wind up transferring to Heritage Christian next season to play for Jerome Tang." - Insiders Hoops
</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="http://www.bearcatnews.com/recruiting/bio.php?ID=149" target="_blank">Minor</a>
Here, he's listed at the 2nd best Junior in the country..
<a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/college/recruiting/news/2001/07/11/brick_nike/" target="_blank">Minor</a>
The other guard we are going after is Vern Hamilton from Virginia. I'm tired of looking up articles right now, so I'll just go ahead and tell you what I know about him. He's a very athletic point guard from Virginia. He's also one of the top wide receivers in his class. Right now he's a top 50 prospect and top 5 point guard. I've talked to a couple guys who think that his stock will rise this summer when he attends a lot of camps. He hasn't been exposed to the national scene yet, so this will be the first time a lot of coaches and gurus see him. We've probably got the best shot with him. We're already his leader, and we haven't even offered yet. Virginia has already offered.
To break it down...right now we're waiting on Paul and Shakur. I've heard our chances with Shakur have gotten a lot better than what I had originally thought (it was looking like an early Villanova verbal). But if Hamilton blows up the summer camps, then we might go ahead and sign him instead of waiting.
Either way...I'm very happy with our point guard prospects, and I think we come out very good with any of these guys.
Although it's likely that Paul commits to UNC, I dont see it as "open and shut" as a lot of UNC fans are. It said in that article that he will decided by the end of the summer. Now that means he could decide tomorrow or he could decide the day before he goes back to school...but I think that means that he's really going to think about it. He's not going to say, "Man I love Carolina...I accept your offer!"
I think the Heels have this one in the bag, but I'm not quite giving up on Paul. However, State is still targeting other top point guards. Right now Paul is rated as the #3 point guard in the nation. We are currently after the #1, #2, and #4 point guards also.
We have already offered #1 PG Mustafa Shakur, and he is scheduled for a visit in the upcoming week. Here are some links on Shakur:
<a href="http://fansonly.rivals.com/viewprospect.asp?pr_key=4078&sport=2" target="_blank">Shakur</a>
This link is before his junior year had started:
<a href="http://www.bobgibbons.net/secure/NewsPub/News/Stories/2001/07/05/99435554910.html" target="_blank">Shakur</a>
</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Mustafa Shakur - 6'3 185 lbs. junior combo-guard from Friends Central HS in Philadelphia, PA. Shakur is going to repeat his junior year at Friends Central next year. Lightning quick with great change of direction and a devestating cross-over dribble. Has no problem getting by the first defender and penetrating the lane. Good size. Not a consistent jump shooter. He's still maturing, and his decision making at the point needs refinement. He commits too many turnovers and tends to play too fast. St. Josephs has already offered, but he is getting interest from all of the other Philly schools along with Providence, Siena, Florida St. and Western Kentucky.
</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="http://uncbasketball.com/stories/070101_nbpa.shtml" target="_blank">Shakur</a>
</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif"> * Two analysts mentioned rising junior guard Mustafa Shakur from Philadelphia as one of the Camp's biggest sleepers. </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">There are some more links..but I'll stop at that.
Then there's Taurean Minor from Houston, TX..the #2 PG in the country right now. I've heard we also have a vist scheduled with him sometime soon:
This link has Minor as the #10 Junior in his class...
<a href="http://www.sportingnews.com/cbasketball/recruiting/" target="_blank">Minor</a>
</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif"> 4/10: "Tack Minor, a point guard for the Houston Hoops team, averaged 17.6 points and was one of the leading scorers at the Boo Williams Invitational. Minor had a high game of 24 points. He may wind up transferring to Heritage Christian next season to play for Jerome Tang." - Insiders Hoops
</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="http://www.bearcatnews.com/recruiting/bio.php?ID=149" target="_blank">Minor</a>
Here, he's listed at the 2nd best Junior in the country..
<a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/college/recruiting/news/2001/07/11/brick_nike/" target="_blank">Minor</a>
The other guard we are going after is Vern Hamilton from Virginia. I'm tired of looking up articles right now, so I'll just go ahead and tell you what I know about him. He's a very athletic point guard from Virginia. He's also one of the top wide receivers in his class. Right now he's a top 50 prospect and top 5 point guard. I've talked to a couple guys who think that his stock will rise this summer when he attends a lot of camps. He hasn't been exposed to the national scene yet, so this will be the first time a lot of coaches and gurus see him. We've probably got the best shot with him. We're already his leader, and we haven't even offered yet. Virginia has already offered.
To break it down...right now we're waiting on Paul and Shakur. I've heard our chances with Shakur have gotten a lot better than what I had originally thought (it was looking like an early Villanova verbal). But if Hamilton blows up the summer camps, then we might go ahead and sign him instead of waiting.
Either way...I'm very happy with our point guard prospects, and I think we come out very good with any of these guys.