Andrew and Aaron Harrison recruiting tops drama filled weekend for Kentucky Wildcats
By Paul Jordan
What a weekend for drama if you follow Kentucky Wildcat basketball recruiting. Much of it centered around the Harrison twins, Aaron and Andrew. Adam Zagoria reported that here was some sort of family conflict in the Harrison camp as to where the twins would be attending school. Zagoria quoted an unnamed source:
"“The boys want to go to Kentucky, the dad wants them to go to Maryland,” the source said. “The dad’s from there. He and [Maryland coach] Mark Turgeon have known each other a long time since Mark’s days at Texas A&M. But the boys want to go to Kentucky.” The source added: “I think the boys will win out. If they can be first, if nobody will commit to Kentucky first, I think the boys will go to Kentucky. The dad favors his hometown.”"
That story was out only a few hours when the twins father, Aaron Harrison Sr, refuted the report and seemed to indicate that Adam Zagoria was making the story up:
"That’s just [the reporter of the story] doing his thing. I’d talked to him one time a few months ago and he re-worded what I said and took it all out of context in his article, so I don’t talk to him anymore. Maybe that’s why he had to write something. He makes up things and runs with them for attention."
To be honest, I don’t know what to think as Zagoria is usually pretty reliable and I have not really heard people accuse him of making things up before. I know that a lot of people are focusing on the drama between Zagoria and the twins father and not really focusing on what else Zagoria’s source had to say and it could be really good news for Kentucky basketball:
"The source said he also expects Huntington Prep small forward Andrew Wiggins to end up at Kentucky in 2013. Wiggins is supposed to meet soon with his parents to decide whether or not to reclassify from 2014. “[Kentucky] will get Wiggins, the twins and Marcus Lee or somebody,” the source said. “They’ll get five really good players.”"
There are also reports out there that the Harrison twins WILL pay a visit to Kentucky as well.
March 03, 2012; Houston, TX, USA; Rice Owls forward Arsalan Kazemi (14) attempts a shot in the first half against the Houston Cougars at Tudor Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-US PRESSWIRE
The other big basketball news from the weekend is that Rice transfer Arsalan Kazemi committed to Oregon. To be honest, I’m not sure how much interest there was from Kentucky, if any. Kazemi made a visit to Oregon on Friday and apparently that was all he needed as he committed yesterday. Not a knock against Kazemi, but the 2013 class is going to be loaded and Calipari is not going to do a Rick Pitino/Tom Crean and over-sign like crazy. Best of luck to Kazemi and we know Rich Brooks will be watching and tweeting about him.
2013 SF Tyler Roberson has cut his list of schools to six and Kentucky made the cut. Roberson has a list of Kansas, SMU, Kentucky, Rutgers, Syracuse, and Villanova. Roberson will be taking official visits to all of the schools and an unofficial to Rutgers since it is close. Roberson will be attending the Kansas version of BBM on October 12, but will be in Lexington soon. Here is Roberson had to say about Kentucky:
"Kentucky: I learned a lot about Kentucky’s program when I talked to Coach [John] Calipari (Head Coach) and Coach [Orlando] Antigua (Assistant Coach) which is one of the reasons I have decided to take a visit. I am looking forward to the visit and seeing the school and talking to the coaches."
In other basketball news, Big Blue Madness sold out in just 35 minutes Saturday.
Mar 30, 2012; New Orleans, LA, USA; Kentucky Wildcats head coach John Calipari address the media at a press conference the day before the semifinals of the 2012 NCAA men
I don’t know about you, but I spent my Sunday on the couch watching football. Not John Calipari. He spent part of his Sunday speaking at the Clinton Global Initiative. Watch it here with a full transcription.