2012 Kentucky Basketball Recruiting: Shabazz Muhammad

Well it’s summer and the 2011 recruits have made their way to campus, along with 2012 transfer Ryan Harrow.  Unfortunately, due mostly to the uncertainty of the NBA Collective Bargaining Agreement and not knowing what the early age requirement will be, there are no players to join Harrow in that 2012 class.

Never fear.  Only one of the top eleven players have committed, and most of those top tagets still have Kentucky on their list.  I know back in January, we took a look at the top targets for Kentucky but really did not go into depth.  So let’s get to know the recruits a little better over the course of the summer.

SHABAZZ MUHAMMAD

6’6  215 SF/SG

BISHOP GORMAN HS – Las Vegas, NV

Rivals Ranking:  ***** #1 SF, #2 overall

ESPN Ranking:  ***** (97)  #1 SF, #3 overall

Perhaps the most confusing thing about Muhammad is the position the scouting services have him in.  He is listed as a SF by both ESPN and Rivals, but in reality, he will probably be more of a SG.  Regardless, he’s the top wing player in the class.  I would say he could play either position at Kentucky.  If the NBA CBA dictates that the 2011 class stay two year class, Muhammad would almost certainly be a SG for UK.

Imagine:  Teague at the point, Shabazz at the two and Michael Gilchrist at the SF position.  A NBA two year ruling could lead very well to a UK NCAA repeat.  But alas, he has not committed yet.

A couple of months ago, there was rampant speculation that Muhammad was going to make an announcement soon.  That never happened and you have to think that there may be a rash of commitments as soon as the NBA gets their act together.  Kentucky seems to be in good shape with Shabazz, but Muhammad is being pursued by everyone who is anyone, including Louisville.  Contrary to some rumors, Shabazz did not get his scholarship pulled from North Carolina, although it seems like the Tar Heels have cooled a bit.

All has been quiet on the recruiting front with Muhammad lately.  His recruiting process is still wide open, and according to his father, he is waiting until July when the coaches can make contact again. His dad seems to indicate a leader and that they have “an idea” where Shabazz may be headed but did not mention a school.  He did recently appear on a blog podcast with his father. Ron Holmes.  While nothing earthshattering is revealed, it’s a pretty good listen and Shabazz seems to have a pretty good head on his shoulders.  Shabazz enters around the 102 minute mark, but the the few minutes before that are pretty interesting and give a look at the father’s perspective. 

Recently, he has let his play do the talking on the court as he took home the MVP honors of the Pangos Camp in California, even though he had a mild case of tendonitis.

Here is what ESPN has to say about Muhammad, followed by some videos from Pangos and other Shabazz mixtapes:

"Strengths:The chiseled left-hander is potent in the open court where he attacks the rim with a vengeance. In the half court set he is very comfortable utilizing a two-dribble pull up where he gets great elevation. Within 15-feet of the basket he is virtually unstoppable at this level and his competitive nature is contagious. He has a knack for scoring in tight spaces or he just elevates over the defense and his touch is remarkably smooth. Muhammad is a good mid range shooter off the catch and can hit open threes with needed time and space although he is streaky. Muhammad also has the size and athletic ability to be a multiple position lock down defender.Weaknesses:Muhammad must work to be a more consistent three point shooter and work on his one on one moves especially going to his right. His ball handling (while being pressured) is still shaky and he needs to continue to extend the range on his shot, but we’re nitpicking here. At times he will gamble for steals on defense and pick up cheap fouls.Bottom Line:Muhammad is a super athletic wing that can score inside and out. He rebounds on both ends and is a capable lock down defender. Muhammad can get into a scoring groove and drop big numbers. Each class has a prospect that is willing to do anything to win. For the class of 2011 it was Kentucky-bound Michael Gilchrist. For the class of 2012, it appears to be Muhammad."

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