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.
With a little more than 48 hours to go before Shabazz Muhammad and Nerlens Noel are set to announce their college plans Wednesday night on ESPNU (7:30 EST), sources say both players remain undecided.
Following his 35-point performance at the Nike Hoops Summit Saturday night in Portland, Ore., Muhammad met over the weekend with Kentucky coach John Calipari and Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski, sources told SNY.tv.
“It’s really tough for him,” one source said of Muhammad.
“It definitely isn’t as fun as people think,” Muhammad told ESPN.com. “It’s all you think about. It’s a tough decision.”
UCLA coach Ben Howland did not meet with the 6-foot-6 Muhammad this weekend but sources said the California school remains the narrow clubhouse favorite to land the Bishop Gorman star.
Several high school players weighed in with their opinions on ESPN.com, with various players saying they expect Muhammad to pick UCLA, Kentucky and Duke.
“UCLA,” Wayne Selden of the Tilton (N.H.) School told ESPN.com. “I think he and Kyle Anderson would be a force in the Pac-12.”
Said Gonzaga’s Kris Jenkins: “Kentucky. He thinks Coach Cal can help him reach his goal of the NBA faster.”
Duke signee Rasheed Sulaimon added: “Duke. I really believe that Shabazz is gonna join me next year because he’s a competitor and wants to win. Coach K is the ultimate competitor and does great with guards like Shabazz. I believe we can do a lot of damage right away.”
As for the 6-foot-10 Noel, sources told SNY.tv he, too, remains undecided, with most people expecting him to pick Kentucky over Georgetown.
Of the dozen players polled by ESPN.com, 10 said Noel would land at Kentucky, two said Georgetown and none said Syracuse.
“Kentucky,” Wayne Selden, Noel’s Tilton school teammate, told ESPN.com. “He’d fit right in and replace Anthony Davis.”
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.
With a little more than 48 hours to go before Shabazz Muhammad and Nerlens Noel are set to announce their college plans Wednesday night on ESPNU (7:30 EST), sources say both players remain undecided.
Following his 35-point performance at the Nike Hoops Summit Saturday night in Portland, Ore., Muhammad met over the weekend with Kentucky coach John Calipari and Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski, sources told SNY.tv.
“It’s really tough for him,” one source said of Muhammad.
“It definitely isn’t as fun as people think,” Muhammad told ESPN.com. “It’s all you think about. It’s a tough decision.”
UCLA coach Ben Howland did not meet with the 6-foot-6 Muhammad this weekend but sources said the California school remains the narrow clubhouse favorite to land the Bishop Gorman star.
Several high school players weighed in with their opinions on ESPN.com, with various players saying they expect Muhammad to pick UCLA, Kentucky and Duke.
“UCLA,” Wayne Selden of the Tilton (N.H.) School told ESPN.com. “I think he and Kyle Anderson would be a force in the Pac-12.”
Said Gonzaga’s Kris Jenkins: “Kentucky. He thinks Coach Cal can help him reach his goal of the NBA faster.”
Duke signee Rasheed Sulaimon added: “Duke. I really believe that Shabazz is gonna join me next year because he’s a competitor and wants to win. Coach K is the ultimate competitor and does great with guards like Shabazz. I believe we can do a lot of damage right away.”
As for the 6-foot-10 Noel, sources told SNY.tv he, too, remains undecided, with most people expecting him to pick Kentucky over Georgetown.
Of the dozen players polled by ESPN.com, 10 said Noel would land at Kentucky, two said Georgetown and none said Syracuse.
“Kentucky,” Wayne Selden, Noel’s Tilton school teammate, told ESPN.com. “He’d fit right in and replace Anthony Davis.”
