Herb Pope is returning to New Mexico State, ending his flirtation with transferring to Seton Hall, according to Gary Parrish of CBSSports.com. Parrish cites no quotes but says he spoke with NMSU head coach Marvin Menzies, who told him Pope was returning.
Seton Hall had hoped to land the 6-foot-8 Pope, a talented but troubled big man, to help a frontcourt badly in need of a capable big man.
Meantime, Rivals reports that John Wall, the No. 1 prospect in the nation, will visit Memphis Sept. 12, Kansas Sept. 19 and Oregon Oct. 3. NC State, Baylor and Oklahoma State are also in the mix. Wall is also slated for a Sept. 9 home visit with Memphis head coach John Calipari.
It has been assumed that Baylor would land Wall after Baylor head coach Scott Drew hired Dwon Clifton, Wall’s AAU coach, to be part of his staff.
“Yeah, I’m really considering all of them,” Wall told me recently. “Memphis, I like that school. I like their style of play. Oregon, Kansas, I like their style of play. N.C. State is right back home, so I feel like all the schools have the same interest in me right now. Baylor don’t have the lead, or nobody has the lead.”
Does Baylor have an edge with the Clifton hiring?
“It helps them a little bit because he was my AAU coach,” Wall said. “He worked me out most of my last two years of high school ball. He was like an older brother to me, something I don’t have, so it’s kind of a tight relationship. So that helps a little bit.”
