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.
Isaiah Briscoe Talks UConn, Kentucky Visits, Possible Fall Decision
After taking official visits to UConn and Kentucky in recent days, Roselle (N.J.) Catholic point guard Isaiah Briscoe is moving toward a possible fall decision after originally planning to sign in the spring.
“I might push it up a little bit,” Briscoe said of his timetable for a decision during a phone interview Wednesday evening.
Asked if he might sign in the fall, Briscoe said, “Yes.”
The 6-foot-3 Briscoe still has visits slated to Missouri (Oct. 10) and St. John’s (Oct. 17) ahead of the NCAA early signing period from Nov. 12-19.
Briscoe enjoyed both trips to UConn and Kentucky. One is the defending NCAA champion and another is the favorite to cut down the nets in 2015.
“Both visits went really well,” he said. “It’s almost a tie. Coach [Kevin] Ollie, he’s a great coach, played in the NBA 14 years. Everybody on the UConn staff played point guard at UConn so to [get a chance] to be developed there is terrific.”
UConn guard Rodney Purvis hosted Briscoe and pitched him on the benefits of playing there.
“He was just saying how UConn can put me in a good position be able to develop me and I’ll learn from a good coach,” he said.
Ryan Boatright will be gone by the time Briscoe goes to college, but Purvis, Daniel Hamilton and Sam Cassell Jr. could all still be there.
“That’s even better to have experienced guards with Daniel Hamilton, Rodney Purvis and Sam Cassell,” Briscoe said.
UConn has incoming point guard Jalen Adams, who Briscoe is not familiar with.
“I’m sure we could play together,” he said. “I’ve never seen Jalen play.”
Briscoe went straight from UConn to Kentucky, where he was hosted by freshmen guards Devin Booker and Tyler Ulis, who would be sophomores when Briscoe arrives on campus.
“It was good, they got a nice campus,” he said. “They got great fans, nice fan support. Coach Cal, he got a machine going right now with all the people he’s sending to the NBA.”
Kentucky coach John Caliparioffered Briscoe on the visit after visiting him at home recently.
“I kind of expected it,” he said of the offer.
Briscoe, who is projected as the No. 7 pick in the 2016 NBA Draft by DraftExpress.com, previously told SNY.tv that reaching the NBA was his goal and he could imagine playing with a group of other McDonald’s All-Americans at Kentucky, as opposed to being the man at another program.
Coming up, Briscoe will visit Missouri Oct. 10 along with Antonio Blakeney and Thomas Bryant in what amounts to a golden opportunity for new head coach Kim Anderson.
Briscoe and the 6-4 Blakeney are tight and have talked about playing together in college.
“We’re tight,” he said. “Every camp, everywhere we go, we’re always roommates and all that, so we’re pretty cool.”
Briscoe will then travel to St. John’s for Midnight Madness along with Louisiana guard Brandon Sampson and Long Island big man Cheick Diallo.
“I’ll go visit them, too,” he said. “St. John’s is still St. John’s, but I don’t have no leaders right now.”
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.
After taking official visits to UConn and Kentucky in recent days, Roselle (N.J.) Catholic point guard Isaiah Briscoe is moving toward a possible fall decision after originally planning to sign in the spring.
“I might push it up a little bit,” Briscoe said of his timetable for a decision during a phone interview Wednesday evening.
Asked if he might sign in the fall, Briscoe said, “Yes.”
The 6-foot-3 Briscoe still has visits slated to Missouri (Oct. 10) and St. John’s (Oct. 17) ahead of the NCAA early signing period from Nov. 12-19.
Briscoe enjoyed both trips to UConn and Kentucky. One is the defending NCAA champion and another is the favorite to cut down the nets in 2015.
“Both visits went really well,” he said. “It’s almost a tie. Coach [Kevin] Ollie, he’s a great coach, played in the NBA 14 years. Everybody on the UConn staff played point guard at UConn so to [get a chance] to be developed there is terrific.”
UConn guard Rodney Purvis hosted Briscoe and pitched him on the benefits of playing there.
“He was just saying how UConn can put me in a good position be able to develop me and I’ll learn from a good coach,” he said.
Ryan Boatright will be gone by the time Briscoe goes to college, but Purvis, Daniel Hamilton and Sam Cassell Jr. could all still be there.
“That’s even better to have experienced guards with Daniel Hamilton, Rodney Purvis and Sam Cassell,” Briscoe said.
UConn has incoming point guard Jalen Adams, who Briscoe is not familiar with.
“I’m sure we could play together,” he said. “I’ve never seen Jalen play.”
Briscoe went straight from UConn to Kentucky, where he was hosted by freshmen guards Devin Booker and Tyler Ulis, who would be sophomores when Briscoe arrives on campus.
“It was good, they got a nice campus,” he said. “They got great fans, nice fan support. Coach Cal, he got a machine going right now with all the people he’s sending to the NBA.”
Kentucky coach John Calipari offered Briscoe on the visit after visiting him at home recently.
“I kind of expected it,” he said of the offer.
Briscoe, who is projected as the No. 7 pick in the 2016 NBA Draft by DraftExpress.com, previously told SNY.tv that reaching the NBA was his goal and he could imagine playing with a group of other McDonald’s All-Americans at Kentucky, as opposed to being the man at another program.
Coming up, Briscoe will visit Missouri Oct. 10 along with Antonio Blakeney and Thomas Bryant in what amounts to a golden opportunity for new head coach Kim Anderson.
Briscoe and the 6-4 Blakeney are tight and have talked about playing together in college.
“We’re tight,” he said. “Every camp, everywhere we go, we’re always roommates and all that, so we’re pretty cool.”
Briscoe will then travel to St. John’s for Midnight Madness along with Louisiana guard Brandon Sampson and Long Island big man Cheick Diallo.
“I’ll go visit them, too,” he said. “St. John’s is still St. John’s, but I don’t have no leaders right now.”
