coolhandgopher
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I guess Renardo Sidney's found a home with Mississippi State (maybe), but it seems Lance Stephenson is currently on the outside looking in, virtually everywhere. This situation is unusual to say the least, and you wonder if the rumored advancement of the NBA draft eligibility to two years beyond high school graduation will bring more of these types of recruiting situations into college basketball.
http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/story/11735696
And this on Sidney, from draft express:
Renardo Sidney: Taking a pass on a basketball star
Lance Pugmire of the L.A. Times pens a fascinating story about the bizarre recruitment situation of Renardo Sidney.
USC, as UCLA had before, rescinded its scholarship offer, leaving one of the nation's top talents temporarily without a team.
On Thursday, Sidney, 19, signed a letter of intent with Mississippi State days after visiting Starkville, Miss. The Bulldogs were, at best, his third choice -- but in the end, perhaps his only choice. When, after Sidney's visit, a family spokesman was asked whether Mississippi State was the front-runner for his services, the reply came that the Bulldogs were "the only runner."
A rare turn of events involving a 6-foot-10 prospect with a powerful build and uncommon shooting range for a big man.
"It's highly unusual for both of those schools to abandon their recruitment of a player of that caliber and potential," said George Raveling, a former college coach -- at USC and elsewhere -- who works the Southern California area for Nike. "They must know something the rest of us don't know."
UCLA and USC officials were prohibited by college rules from speaking publicly about Sidney while he was unsigned, and even now they have declined to do so. But sources on both campuses who have knowledge of his recruitment agreed to speak with The Times as long as their identities were kept anonymous.
Though they are from rival schools who often wage intense battles for the same athletes, the sources agreed on this about Sidney: The reward of suiting up such a prodigious talent was not worth the larger risk.
Bruins and Trojans sources both say they were wary of potentially intense NCAA scrutiny prompted by these issues: Despite what was perceived as a limited income, the family moved multiple times and resided in upscale homes during Sidney's high school years; and stepfather Renardo Sr. directed a club basketball team with financial backing that was unclear beyond a relatively modest shoe company sponsorship.
Plus there was this: A source intimately familiar with Sidney's recruitment said a university official thought the stepfather had strongly hinted that he expected to be compensated if his son signed with the school.
There is plenty more in the original article, so do take a look.
We’ve covered Renardo Sidney in extreme depth over the last few years—his DraftExpress profile has 10 scouting entries since 2006—and it’s tough to say that it’s really a big surprise that no one is all that interested in having Sidney play for them.
We’ve spoken with dozens of college coaches and NBA executives while sitting alongside them watching Sidney in action, and no one appears to believe that he can actually help a team win. Players who are as unmotivated and uncoachable as Sidney rarely pan out regardless of how naturally talented they are, and after watching him intently last month on the all-star circuit in games, scrimmages and practices—we’re really starting to question just how good of a player Sidney is. His game reminds of Antoine Walker in the later stages of his career, and you really have to wonder if whatever production he can manage to scrounge together at the college level is worth it considering the baggage involved. Based off the way NBA people talk about him, he doesn’t appear to be any kind of lock at this point either. Playing in Europe (and being successful) would be an even bigger stretch.
http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/story/11735696
And this on Sidney, from draft express:
Renardo Sidney: Taking a pass on a basketball star
Lance Pugmire of the L.A. Times pens a fascinating story about the bizarre recruitment situation of Renardo Sidney.
USC, as UCLA had before, rescinded its scholarship offer, leaving one of the nation's top talents temporarily without a team.
On Thursday, Sidney, 19, signed a letter of intent with Mississippi State days after visiting Starkville, Miss. The Bulldogs were, at best, his third choice -- but in the end, perhaps his only choice. When, after Sidney's visit, a family spokesman was asked whether Mississippi State was the front-runner for his services, the reply came that the Bulldogs were "the only runner."
A rare turn of events involving a 6-foot-10 prospect with a powerful build and uncommon shooting range for a big man.
"It's highly unusual for both of those schools to abandon their recruitment of a player of that caliber and potential," said George Raveling, a former college coach -- at USC and elsewhere -- who works the Southern California area for Nike. "They must know something the rest of us don't know."
UCLA and USC officials were prohibited by college rules from speaking publicly about Sidney while he was unsigned, and even now they have declined to do so. But sources on both campuses who have knowledge of his recruitment agreed to speak with The Times as long as their identities were kept anonymous.
Though they are from rival schools who often wage intense battles for the same athletes, the sources agreed on this about Sidney: The reward of suiting up such a prodigious talent was not worth the larger risk.
Bruins and Trojans sources both say they were wary of potentially intense NCAA scrutiny prompted by these issues: Despite what was perceived as a limited income, the family moved multiple times and resided in upscale homes during Sidney's high school years; and stepfather Renardo Sr. directed a club basketball team with financial backing that was unclear beyond a relatively modest shoe company sponsorship.
Plus there was this: A source intimately familiar with Sidney's recruitment said a university official thought the stepfather had strongly hinted that he expected to be compensated if his son signed with the school.
There is plenty more in the original article, so do take a look.
We’ve covered Renardo Sidney in extreme depth over the last few years—his DraftExpress profile has 10 scouting entries since 2006—and it’s tough to say that it’s really a big surprise that no one is all that interested in having Sidney play for them.
We’ve spoken with dozens of college coaches and NBA executives while sitting alongside them watching Sidney in action, and no one appears to believe that he can actually help a team win. Players who are as unmotivated and uncoachable as Sidney rarely pan out regardless of how naturally talented they are, and after watching him intently last month on the all-star circuit in games, scrimmages and practices—we’re really starting to question just how good of a player Sidney is. His game reminds of Antoine Walker in the later stages of his career, and you really have to wonder if whatever production he can manage to scrounge together at the college level is worth it considering the baggage involved. Based off the way NBA people talk about him, he doesn’t appear to be any kind of lock at this point either. Playing in Europe (and being successful) would be an even bigger stretch.