Adam Zagoria covers basketball at all levels. He is the author of two books and an award-winning journalist whose articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Sports Illustrated, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide.
Randle Sustains Foot Injury; Will Visit Texas, Kansas & N.C. State (UPDATED)
By CHIP MILLER & ADAM ZAGORIAUPDATE: Julius Randle limped off the floor in the first half of Prestonwood Christian’s 58-48 loss to Duncanville on Saturday at the Thanksgiving Hoopfest, according to MaxPreps.com. It was later reported that he will miss three months with a fractured right foot.
Prestonwood is already playing without 6-foot-7 sophomore Mickey Mitchell, who tore his ACL playing quarterback during football season.
On Friday, Randle talked about entering the next phase of his recruitment.
The 6-foot-9 power forward from Prestonwood Christian has set up official visits for Texas, Kansas and N.C. State.
Randle will visit Texas Dec 15-16 , Kansas Dec. 28-30 and N.C. State Jan. 25-27, his mother told SNY.tv.
Coaches from Kansas and Texas both watched Randle Friday at the Thanksgiving Hoopfest.
“I have Texas and Kansas next month,” Randle said Friday at the event where he put up 27 points and 13 rebounds in a 59-52 win over LSU-bound Jarell Martin and Madison (LA) Prep.
“I just talked to my mom about it yesterday.”
Texas hosts Texas State in basketball Dec. 15, while Kansas hosts American Dec. 29.
He has already taken officials to Kentucky and Florida, and an unofficial to Oklahoma.
“They were great visits,” he said. “You know, I have a lot of friends there already, so you know it was kind of good to catch up with those guys but also to catch up with the coaches and spend time with the coaches.
“All in all it was a lot of fun. Those visits, you know I got to hang out with the players and all that stuff. You know, I got an up close look on how the program was ranked.”
During Randle’s visit, N.C. State hosts ACC rival North Carolina on Jan. 26.
“Those guys are really close, just a brotherhood,” he said of N.C. State. “One of my best friends, Rodney Purvis, is there so I am really close to him and I get to see their fan base, the campus and a really close look at how they play. Just putting myself in that position of a player that is already there.”
Oklahoma is the sixth school on his list.
“I’m looking for a coach I can trust, one that can get me ready for the next level,‘’ Randle said. “And somewhere that I think I can win, it is a big thing for me.”
Randle will sign in the spring, along with Andrew Wiggins, Jabari Parker, Aaron Gordon and Dakari Johnson.
In the meantime, he’s trying to work on his game.
“I’ve been working a lot on spot-ups, patience, just reading defenses, you know,” he said.
“We have a lot more shooters so it’s easier to kick this year. One and two dribble pull-ups, I didn’t make any today but you know i think just me taking them, you know helped free me up for my drives and stuff like that and transitioning, just keep me in my condition.”
Adam Zagoria is a Basketball Insider who covers basketball at all levels. A contributor to The New York Times and SportsNet New York (SNY), he is also the author of two books and is an award-winning journalist and filmmaker. His articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide. He also won an Emmy award for his work on the SNY mini-documentary on Syracuse guard Tyus Battle.
A veteran Ultimate Frisbee player, he has competed in numerous National and World Championships and, perhaps more importantly, his teams won the Westchester Summer League (WSL) championships in 2011 and 2013.
He lives in Manhattan with his wife and children.
By CHIP MILLER & ADAM ZAGORIA
UPDATE: Julius Randle limped off the floor in the first half of Prestonwood Christian’s 58-48 loss to Duncanville on Saturday at the Thanksgiving Hoopfest, according to MaxPreps.com. It was later reported that he will miss three months with a fractured right foot.
Prestonwood is already playing without 6-foot-7 sophomore Mickey Mitchell, who tore his ACL playing quarterback during football season.
On Friday, Randle talked about entering the next phase of his recruitment.
The 6-foot-9 power forward from Prestonwood Christian has set up official visits for Texas, Kansas and N.C. State.
Randle will visit Texas Dec 15-16 , Kansas Dec. 28-30 and N.C. State Jan. 25-27, his mother told SNY.tv.
Coaches from Kansas and Texas both watched Randle Friday at the Thanksgiving Hoopfest.
“I have Texas and Kansas next month,” Randle said Friday at the event where he put up 27 points and 13 rebounds in a 59-52 win over LSU-bound Jarell Martin and Madison (LA) Prep.
“I just talked to my mom about it yesterday.”
Texas hosts Texas State in basketball Dec. 15, while Kansas hosts American Dec. 29.
He has already taken officials to Kentucky and Florida, and an unofficial to Oklahoma.
“They were great visits,” he said. “You know, I have a lot of friends there already, so you know it was kind of good to catch up with those guys but also to catch up with the coaches and spend time with the coaches.
“All in all it was a lot of fun. Those visits, you know I got to hang out with the players and all that stuff. You know, I got an up close look on how the program was ranked.”
During Randle’s visit, N.C. State hosts ACC rival North Carolina on Jan. 26.
“Those guys are really close, just a brotherhood,” he said of N.C. State. “One of my best friends, Rodney Purvis, is there so I am really close to him and I get to see their fan base, the campus and a really close look at how they play. Just putting myself in that position of a player that is already there.”
Oklahoma is the sixth school on his list.
“I’m looking for a coach I can trust, one that can get me ready for the next level,‘’ Randle said. “And somewhere that I think I can win, it is a big thing for me.”
Randle will sign in the spring, along with Andrew Wiggins, Jabari Parker, Aaron Gordon and Dakari Johnson.
In the meantime, he’s trying to work on his game.
“I’ve been working a lot on spot-ups, patience, just reading defenses, you know,” he said.
“We have a lot more shooters so it’s easier to kick this year. One and two dribble pull-ups, I didn’t make any today but you know i think just me taking them, you know helped free me up for my drives and stuff like that and transitioning, just keep me in my condition.”
