WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Steve Alford-to-UCLA news was coming fast and furious to UCLA’s current players and recruits on Saturday, but Rysheed Jordan is still considering the Bruins after the coaching change.
“Yeah, he’s still considering them,” Philly Vaux Roberts coach Jamie Ross told SNY.tv, before adding, “I didn’t even know that Steve Alford got named.”
Ross said he would “talk to ‘Sheed about it and we’ll let you know. He still is considering them.”
The 6-4 Jordan is also mulling St. John’s and Temple and will announce April 15.
Jordan has already taken an official to UCLA while Ben Howland was coach. Any visit he takes now would have to be unofficial.
Meantime, Monday-Wednesday of next week is an NCAA Quiet Period, meaning recruiting meetings can only take place on campus. From April 4-11 is a Dead Period and no off- or on-campus recruiting can take place.
“Right, so he’s not going anywhere,” Ross said of Jordan’s visits.
Speaking on a conference call with reporters, Alford said his first priority was getting to know UCLA’s current players, and then recruiting afterward.
“I’m not sure as far as recruiting the next couple weeks,” Alford said. “Obviously, the next couple weeks are all about the UCLA players currently on the roster, either incoming student-athletes or the student-athletes that are still there.
“That’s the biggest responsibility because the recruiting rules, being able to go out, aren’t going to open up until about five days after the Final Four. I think it’s the weekend of the 11th. So the emphasis is on who’s there and who’s committed at this particular time.”
Asked specifically about whether he sees Kyle Anderson as a point guard or a forward, Alford added: “I’ve gotta get to know those players. I have to watch a lot of film and a lot of tape to find out. I think that’s a good thing. I’m coming in kind of blind to the situation of not knowing a lot about those players because my entire focus has been on my team and our current players and developing our players.
“Now that changes and I just haven’t any time to change any of that.”
The father of freshman forward Tony Parker also told SNY.tv he’s looking forward to meeting with Alford after he said his son had a bad experience as a freshman under Howland.
