Rawle Alkins’s phone is ringing off the hook now that college coaches can call rising juniors, and Christ the King coach Joe Arbitello isn’t surprised.
“He’s still growing as a player and gets better every year,” Arbitello told SNY.tv. “He’s just starting to understand how much talent is in his body.”
Ranked No. 45 in the Class of 2016 by ESPN.com, Alkins was named MVP of the recent Frankie Williams Charity Classic and also helped lead Christ the King to its second straight New York City Catholic title and second straight New York State Federation Class AA championship.
Since Sunday’s midnight rubicon that allowed coaches to call, the 6-foot-4 Christ the King guard added an Indiana offer and also fielded calls from Florida, Kansas, Villanova and N.C. State.
An extremely strong, bouncy and athletic guard who can also shoot it out to 3-point range, Alkins also holds offers from South Florida, George Washington, Minnesota, Villanova, Cincinnati, Seton Hall, Rutgers and Fordham.
Alkins spent about half an hour on the phone Tuesday evening with Indiana coach Tom Crean, who recently hired former Marist coach and Oklahoma City Thunder scout Chuck Martin, a St. Raymond’s of The Bronx alum who has deep ties in the New York area.
“I was talking to him for a long time,” Alkins said of Crean. “He loves my game. He gave me a 10-minute scout on myself, I was shocked. He actually watched my game. I asked him, ‘What do I need to work on?’ He told me everything I need to work on. He was telling me how he wanted me to come up for a visit but nothing’s scheduled right now.”
Alkins also heard from Florida assistant Rashon Burno, who played for Naismith Hall of Famer Bob Hurley at St. Anthony.
“They were saying the same thing,” Alkins said. “How they want me to come visit,they were letting me know how they are going to be watching me in July.”
Villanova head coach Jay Wright, Kansas assistant Norm Roberts and N.C. State assistant Rob Moxley also called.
“I don’t really have a favorite right now,” Alkins said. “It’s really cool to have all these schools calling me.”
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