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.
Lance Stephenson is expected to land in Kansas this afternoon for his official visit.
The 6-foot-5 Stephenson, a McDonald’s All-American ranked No. 1 in the Class of 2009 by the Hoop Scoop, will attend the Jayhawks’ practice this evening and then the team’s 3 o’clock game with Nebraska on Saturday.
“I can see myself fitting in their program,” Stephenson, who recently became New York State’s all-time leading scorer, told me last week. “They play as a team and they’re just willing to win, so I’m just going to see what they’re about and see how can I fit into the program.”
Kansas head coach Bill Self and assistant Joe Dooley had an in-home visit with the Stephensons last fall and Self later was on hand to watch Lincoln lose to Duncanville (Texas) on ESPN.
“I’m thinking about going to play with Bill Self,” Stephenson said. “I think he’ll change me around and [make me] be a smarter player and more focused.”
Stephenson’s list now consists of St. John’s, Kansas, Maryland, USC and UCLA and he has said he could announce March 21 after the PSAL championship game at Madison Square Garden, assuming Lincoln gets there.
He recently took an official visit to Maryland, where his teammate James Padgett has signed. He has been to St. John’s several times unofficially.
He said he had no immediate plans to visit USC.
“As of right now, no,” he said. “The list that I gave everybody, I’ll make sure I go to all of them. But right now I’m just worrying about Kansas and my season.”
Stephenson said he watched Kansas lose to Missouri last week on ESPN.
“I didn’t finish watching the game, but I saw the beginning of the game and they weren’t really playing that good,” Stephenson said. “But I think if I was playing, that would be a good look”
Lincoln is off from school this week and the Railsplitters will begin defense of their three-time PSAL city championship after the playoffs begin Feb. 24.
UCLA OUT FOR SIDNEY
The Los Angeles Times is reporting that UCLA is no longer recruiting 6-11 big man Renardo Sidney of Los Angeles Fairfax, who is set to announce his college choice during a Sunday press conference.
USC, Virginia, Arizona State and Mississippi State are his other options.
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.
Lance Stephenson is expected to land in Kansas this afternoon for his official visit.
The 6-foot-5 Stephenson, a McDonald’s All-American ranked No. 1 in the Class of 2009 by the Hoop Scoop, will attend the Jayhawks’ practice this evening and then the team’s 3 o’clock game with Nebraska on Saturday.
“I can see myself fitting in their program,” Stephenson, who recently became New York State’s all-time leading scorer, told me last week. “They play as a team and they’re just willing to win, so I’m just going to see what they’re about and see how can I fit into the program.”
Kansas head coach Bill Self and assistant Joe Dooley had an in-home visit with the Stephensons last fall and Self later was on hand to watch Lincoln lose to Duncanville (Texas) on ESPN.
“I’m thinking about going to play with Bill Self,” Stephenson said. “I think he’ll change me around and [make me] be a smarter player and more focused.”
Stephenson’s list now consists of St. John’s, Kansas, Maryland, USC and UCLA and he has said he could announce March 21 after the PSAL championship game at Madison Square Garden, assuming Lincoln gets there.
He recently took an official visit to Maryland, where his teammate James Padgett has signed. He has been to St. John’s several times unofficially.
He said he had no immediate plans to visit USC.
“As of right now, no,” he said. “The list that I gave everybody, I’ll make sure I go to all of them. But right now I’m just worrying about Kansas and my season.”
Stephenson said he watched Kansas lose to Missouri last week on ESPN.
“I didn’t finish watching the game, but I saw the beginning of the game and they weren’t really playing that good,” Stephenson said. “But I think if I was playing, that would be a good look”
Lincoln is off from school this week and the Railsplitters will begin defense of their three-time PSAL city championship after the playoffs begin Feb. 24.
UCLA OUT FOR SIDNEY
The Los Angeles Times is reporting that UCLA is no longer recruiting 6-11 big man Renardo Sidney of Los Angeles Fairfax, who is set to announce his college choice during a Sunday press conference.
USC, Virginia, Arizona State and Mississippi State are his other options.
