UNION, N.J. — Isaiah Briscoe and Ben Simmons both want to see Malik Newman land in the SEC next season.
The 6-foot-3 Briscoe wants Newman to join him at Kentucky, and is confident that will happen.
“He’s coming to Kentucky,” Briscoe said confidently after scoring 18 points in a 71-64 loss to Simmons and Montverde (FL) Academy in the Metro Classic at Kean University. “It ain’t a done deal but I’m going to try to get him to come down to Kentucky with me.”
The 6-10 Simmons hopes Newman chooses LSU, and says they could form a devastating recruiting class along with Antonio Blakeney.
“Definitely, he would be a great pickup but that’s a personal choice for him,” Simmons said. “If he doesn’t want to go that’s cool, but if he wants to come I think it would be great.”
Asked how good the McDonald’s All-American triumvirate of Simmons, Blakeney and the 6-4 Newman could be at LSU, Simmons said, “We could be great.”
Newman is planning official visits to Kansas, Kentucky, North Carolina State, LSU and Ohio State and likely won’t commit until late April.
“These five schools have been recruiting me very consistently,” Newman recently told ESPN.com.
As we have reported here previously, Briscoe has been recruiting Newman to Kentucky since he chose the Wildcats over St. John’s and UConn back in November on ESPNU.
“I like Briscoe,” Newman said in December. “I think we could be a good backcourt together if that was the school I was to choose. Only time will tell. I think my game complements his and I think his game complements mine. His New York style of play, he’s always on the take and I’m always on the take so you really can’t double either one of us and it really kind of opens up the floor for both of us.”
Kentucky currently has two guards, Briscoe and Chicago St. Rita’s Charles Matthews, signed for 2015, along with forward Skal Labissiere.
It remains unclear if freshman Devin Booker or sophomores Andrew and Aaron Harrison will head to the NBA, but Booker is now projected at No. 14 by DraftExpress.com, while the Harrisons are late-second-round picks.
“Oh, I don’t know,” Briscoe said when asked about the Harrison’s plans. “I try not to read a lot. People try to tell me that they’re not leaving or whatever but as of today Isaiah Briscoe is still going to Kentucky. I’m not worried about who’s leaving, who’s staying, I’m going to go in there and just do what I gotta do.”
Pressed on how playing time might be doled out if the Harrisons come back as juniors, Briscoe said, “I’m going to Kentucky no matter what. I’m going to get some playing time. I’m going to go in and do what I have to do. I’m not worried about who’s there.”
One guy Briscoe figures won’t be there is fellow New Jersey native Karl-Anthony Towns, projected as a top-five pick in the NBA Draft.
“No, he’s out,” Briscoe said. “It’s a no-brainer.”
NIKE HOOP SUMMIT, U19 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP PLANS
Both Briscoe and Simmons will compete in the Nike Hoop Summit, set for April 11 in Portland, Ore.
The Briscoe news was previously reported, but the Australian-born Simmons revealed for the first time that he will play for the World Team in the event.
“I’ll be playing the Hoop Summit,” Simmons said. “It’s special for me because I’m representing my country when I get out there. As an Australian, it’s good for me and it’s good to play for my country.”
As for committing to the Australian U19 team for the 2015 FIBA U19 World Championship in Crete, Greece which runs June 27-July 5, Simmons said he might have to head to LSU early instead.
“I”ll be going to college,” Simmons said. “I really need to focus on going to college because that’s around the same time I’ll be going to school.”
Thon Maker also won’t play this summer for the Australian U19 team, his guardian, Ed Smith, told SNY.tv.
Going forward, however, Simmons, who was cut from the Australian Senior National Team, said his goal is to eventually play for the Boomers.
“I think we can be really good,” he said. “We have a lot of young talent coming through and already we have a lot of players in the NBA, Matthew Dellavedova, Patty Mills, Andrew Bogut and players like that are already in the NBA so it’s good for Australian basketball.”
Asked when he hoped to play for the National Team, Simmons said, “As soon as I’m able to put on that jersey for my country in the Olympics, I’ll do it.”
Briscoe, meantime, plans to play for the U.S. U19 team after winning a gold medal last summer with the USA U18 team.
“I’m looking forward to getting back to Colorado Springs, training and representing my country,” he said. “And then go to Greece.”
