By ADAM ZAGORIA
CHAMBLEE, Ga — Cole Anthony, the son of former NBA point guard Greg Anthony, is down to five schools and is closing in on a college announcement.
“I’m down to five, Wake Forest, Notre Dame, Georgetown, Oregon and UNC,” the 6-foot-3 Oak Hill Academy (VA) point guard said Monday at the McDonald’s All-American Game practice. Ranked No. 2 in the 2019 ESPN 100, Anthony is targeting an announcement in early April.
“We’re thinking sometime maybe early April,” he said. “So we will see. Hopefully sometime soon.”
Anthony will play with Oak Hill in the GEICO High School Nationals in New York (April 4-6), followed by the Nike Hoop Summit (April 12) and the Jordan Brand Classic (April 20), so he could announce at one of those events.
2019 @The_ColeAnthony is down to UNC, Oregon, Wake, Georgetown and Notre Dame. Plans to announce in early April. pic.twitter.com/tQvrs7GNKW
— Adam Zagoria (@AdamZagoria) March 25, 2019
He’s been watching North Carolina and Oregon in the NCAA Tournament.
“I just want to see coaching style, how the coach reacts in different situations,” he said. “I’m really paying attention to that and also paying attention to the talent that could potentially be around me.”
He then broke down each school.
Oregon: “They have a bunch of athletes on that team. They have some dudes who can really shoot, so I’m really big on them. As the season’s progressed, they’ve won their last [10] games in a row [to get into the Sweet 16 against Virginia] so that tells a lot about the coach and that tells a lot about the kids. They’re not going to give up.”
North Carolina: “I can see myself in a role similar to Coby White, but also different in a big way. It would be awesome to play with someone like that but if I was to go to Carolina, I doubt that he would be there. He’s had a helluva season.”
As for how much UNC commit Armando Bacot is in his ear, Anthony said, “He’s always in my ear, it gets annoying sometimes. I’m not going to tell him that because that’s my man.”
FWIW @The_ColeAnthony ‘s brother Leo is decked out in full UNC gear. pic.twitter.com/2gnJ8o0m0q
— Adam Zagoria (@AdamZagoria) March 26, 2019
Georgetown: “I got to see their last game, it was unfortunate how they went out. I’m still really big on them. I love Coach Patrick Ewing, he’s a great dude. He’s known my family for years and years, so I’m realy big on them, too.”
Wake Forest: “Coach Danny Manning, he was my [assistant] coach on the USA [U18] team this past summer so me and him built a personal relationship and I really do like him as a human being. He’s a really good guy, really cares about all his players. And he’s a pretty good coach, too.”
Notre Dame: “Coach Mike Brey, he’s just a really good coach. He’s always won a lot with a little. They havent ever gotten kids that were that highly ranked coming out of high school, but he’s turned them into NBA prospects and they’ve always won. They have a winning tradition, so I’m really big on them.”
2019 @The_ColeAnthony wins the McDonald’s 3-Point Contest
He Updated his recruitment todayhttps://t.co/HtRrwx6VgR pic.twitter.com/8UXqY624A6
— Adam Zagoria (@AdamZagoria) March 26, 2019
On Monday, Anthony and his McDonald’s teammates played in front of NBA scouts from all 30 teams, but he said he’s not trying to alter his game in any way.
“There are people who come in here and try to change their game based on who’s coming to see them play,” he said. “I don’t do that. Im going to play the same game, I’m going to make the right passes. I’m just in here doing what I’m doing and by doing that I hope to impress.”
Follow Adam Zagoria on Twitter
