While Shabazz Muhammad and Tony Parker are both set to announce their college choices April 11, Nerlens Noel has not set a date for his announcement.
“I’m not sure when I’ll announce yet,” Noel, who is considering Kentucky, Syracuse and Georgetown, told SNY.tv Wednesday by text.
The 6-foot-10 Noel leaves Friday for New Orleans and will play Sunday in the second annual All-American Championship at the University of New Orleans.
Noel and his fellow players will watch Saturday’s Final Four games at a viewing party in New Orleans, according to a Gazelle Group spokesman.
Of the three schools Noel is considering, only Kentucky remains alive. The Wildcats are the favorite to win it all Monday night and are seeking the first title of the John Calipari Era.
It could turn out to be a special couple of weeks for Calipari should he win his first title and then cap it off by adding Noel to his recruiting class.
“I think he’s going to Kentucky,” one Division 1 assistant coach who recruited Noel told SNY.tv.
The Wildcats also remain alive for Muhammad, Anthony Bennett and Devonta Pollard, among others.
The 6-6 Muhammad said at the McDonald’s Game in Chicago that his top three were UCLA, Kentucky and Duke, although sources say UCLA remains the leader for his services.
The 6-7 Bennett out of Findlay Prep is down to Kentucky, Florida, UNLV, Washington and Oregon.
Mike George of CIA Bounce told SNY.tv that Bennett will try to visit some schools between the Nike Hoop Summit the weekend of April 7 and the Jordan Brand Classic the following weekend.
He said Bennett will likely announce “pretty much shortly after the Jordan Game.”
Noel will team on the East squad in New Orleans with a loaded squad that includes Nate Britt II (Upper Marlboro, Md./Gonzaga College H.S.); Omar Calhoun (Brooklyn, N.Y./Christ the King H.S.); Dajuan Coleman (Syracuse, N.Y./Jamesville-Dewitt H.S.); Jerami Grant (Bowie, Md./DeMatha Catholic H.S.); Ricardo Ledo (Providence, R.I./South Kent School (Conn.)); Mitch McGary (Porter, Ind./Brewster Academy); Chris Obekpa (Babylon, N.Y./Our Savior New American School); D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera (Indianapolis, Ind./Oak Hill Academy (Va.)); and Kaleb Tarczewski (Claremont, N.H./St. Mark’s School).
Four players in the games are committed to Final Four teams. Senior Willie Cauley and junior Derek Willis are headed to Kentucky, junior Brannen Greene to Kansas and junior Marc Loving to Ohio State.
