Jahlil Okafor Cuts to 4
Jahlil Okafor has cut his list to
James Blackmon Jr. is getting close to a decision and could pull the trigger sometime in the next couple of weeks.The 6-foot-4 shooter from Marion (IN) High School says he’s not certain when exactly he will decide, but he’s getting close.
“I really don’t have a timetable in mind but it should be before the November signing period, but I’ll probably commit before then,” he told SNY.tv by phone from USA Basketball in Colorado Springs, Colo. “I really don’t have a date set up, I’ll probably know that in the next week or so.”
Blackmon Jr. decommitted from Indiana in August, but is still considering Indiana, along with Michigan, Michigan State, Kentucky and Kansas. He has only visited Michigan officially so far since the decommitment.
“Right now I just have a Kentucky official set up for Oct. 18,” he said. “I might have Kansas and Michigan State, I don’t know if I’m going to set those up yet or not. I’ll probably know in the next week or so.”
Stanley Johnson, the highly sought after wing from Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei, is still mulling five schools, even as plays with USA Basketball this weekend in Colorado Springs, Colo.
The 6-foot-6 Johnson still has four visits planned — to Kentucky (Oct. 18), Oregon (Oct. 24), Florida (Nov. 1) and USC (Nov. 15) — and said he won’t likely commit until after the New Year.
“I mean, I can go as early as January or as late as April,” Johnson told SNY.tv from Colorado. “I won’t sign until the spring.”
So far, Johnson has taken one official visit to Arizona, the school that many believe he will ultimately end up at, and he will also go there Oct. 12 for the Red/Blue Game. His AAU program, the Oakland Soldiers, has sent several players to Arizona, including Nick Johnson, Brandon Ashley and Aaron Gordon.
Kevin Ware is “about three weeks away” from practicing, Louisville coach Rick Pitino told SNY.tv Friday.
That is great news for the reigning national champs, considering Ware suffered a devastating leg injury just six months ago during the NCAA Tournament.
Earlier Friday, Pitino told reporters in Louisville that Ware had been cleared for basketball activities.
“He has a clean bill of health,” Pitino said, according to the Courier-Journal. “He can play all-out at the end of the month.”
If he comes all the way back, Ware could be a key piece as the Cardinals seek to defend their NCAA championship.
Chinanu Onuaku, a 6-foot-10 center from Upper Marlboro
GREENBURGH, N.Y. — C.J. Leslie went undrafted last June, a shocking development for a guy who was once projected as a second-round pick.
The Knicks ended up signing the 6-foot-9 N.C. State forward in July as a free agent, and now he’s looking to make the team’s final roster — and prove the doubters wrong.
“Oh yeah definitely. I gotta show people that I can come out here and actually play and let these teams know that they made a mistake,” Leslie told SNY.tv this week during training camp.
With 12 players signed to guaranteed contracts, Leslie will be battling a group of other young players like Jeremy Tyler, Cole Aldrich, Ike Diogu, Josh Powell, Toure’ Murry, Chris Smith and Chris Douglas-Roberts for a place on the final roster.
Donte Grantham, a 6-foot-7 small forward from
