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.
Battle, Thornton Will Only End Up at Same School ‘Organically’
Tyus Battle and Derryck Thornton — two of the top guards in 2016 — are each pursuing their recruitment separately and will only wind up at the same school if it happens “organically,” Gary Battle told SNY.tv.
There is no package deal.
“Derryck Thornton is a great young player who Tyus would be privileged to have as a teammate if it happens organically,” Gary Battle told SNY.tv. “There is no package deal being worked.”
Battle is from New Jersey and Thornton from California, but the two guards have known each other other for several years and are friends. They are being recruited by some of the same schools — including UConn, Kentucky, Michigan and Florida — but will pursue their recruitments separately.
The 6-foot-6 Battle visited UConn this past week, and recently visited Kentucky and Louisville, picking up offers from both, as well as Michigan and Villanova.
The 6-2 Thornton also recently visited Kentucky and became the first pure point guard offered a scholarship by John Calipari in 2016.
True package deals are extremely rare.
Last year, Tyus Jones and Jahlil Okafor insisted from the get-go they were a package and ended up announcing back-to-back for Duke on ESPN.
And Like ZAGS on FacebookÂ
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.
Tyus Battle and Derryck Thornton — two of the top guards in 2016 — are each pursuing their recruitment separately and will only wind up at the same school if it happens “organically,” Gary Battle told SNY.tv.
There is no package deal.
“Derryck Thornton is a great young player who Tyus would be privileged to have as a teammate if it happens organically,” Gary Battle told SNY.tv. “There is no package deal being worked.”
Battle is from New Jersey and Thornton from California, but the two guards have known each other other for several years and are friends. They are being recruited by some of the same schools — including UConn, Kentucky, Michigan and Florida — but will pursue their recruitments separately.
The 6-foot-6 Battle visited UConn this past week, and recently visited Kentucky and Louisville, picking up offers from both, as well as Michigan and Villanova.
The 6-2 Thornton also recently visited Kentucky and became the first pure point guard offered a scholarship by John Calipari in 2016.
True package deals are extremely rare.
Last year, Tyus Jones and Jahlil Okafor insisted from the get-go they were a package and ended up announcing back-to-back for Duke on ESPN.
And Like ZAGS on FacebookÂ
