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.
Recruiting Roundup: Malik Monk to Announce List; Kentucky, Duke, Indiana, St. John’s Hosting Weekend Visitors
Malik Monk has cut his college list but has yet to announce it to the basketball world.
He is expected to do so next week on his brother Marcus Monk’s radio program.
“I got my list cut down but my brother hasn’t released it yet,” the 6-foot-3 Malik Monk out of Bentonville (AR) told Scout.com during the recent Nike Select Team event in the Bahamas. “I think whenever him and my mom talk, and me too, and we feel comfortable, we’ll just release it.”
Monk was named Tournament MVP at the Nike Global Challenge in July and is ranked No. 6 in the Class of 2016 by Scout.com and No. 5 by ESPN.com.
Arkansas head coach Mike Anderson and Kentucky head coach John Calipari tracked him throughout much of the summer, while Kansas, North Carolina, Oregon and Florida State are also strongly in the mix.
Monk has visited Kentucky, Arkansas and Kansas and broke each down for Scout.
Kentucky: “Kentucky was real hands on. I seen them work out and I went around Rupp Arena and the dorms and I seen that, so it was nice experience.”
Arkansas: “It’s really like the same thing with the Razorbacks…It was a nice experience there, too.”
Kansas: “Kansas really sticks out just like Kentucky and Arkansas when I went and they practice facilites and gyms and all that [are] nice.”
As for a timeframe, Monk said he could announce at any time.
“Whenever I’m comfortable and I know where I want to go,” he said, “I’ll put that out and tell the world.”
KENTUCKY, DUKE, INDIANA, ST. JOHN’S HOSTING BIG-TIME RECRUITS
Kentucky, Duke, Indiana and St. John’s are among the schools hosting big-time official visits this weekend.
Kobi Simmons – KentuckyThe 6-4 combo guard from Alpharetta (GA) St. Francis is down to Kentucky, Ohio State, UNLV and Georgia, his father Demond Stephens confirmed to SNY.tv. As previously reported, he has visits set to Kentucky this weekend, UNLV (Sept 4) and Ohio State (Sept. 11). He’s already visited Georgia.
Kentucky has also offered 2016 point guards Dennis Smith Jr. and De’Aaron Fox, but Simmons says UK is still very much in the mix.
“My dad talks to Kentucky every day,” he said last week at the Elite 24 Game. “People think Kentucky fell off, I don’t know why. I guess it’s just not out there in the public, but a phonecall’s not out there in the public. My dad and Kenny Payne have a great relationship. Cal [John Calipari] actually called me a couple times the other day, so Kentucky is still on a high note.”
Stephens also told Kentucky.com he himself grew up as a Kentucky fan.
“I rooted for Kentucky, I’m not going to lie,” he said. “I grew up watching Kenny Walker, Dicky Beal … I go way, way back. My friends and I have a rule – we can never change our favorite teams in life.
“And I really like Cal – I’ve been liking Cal since Memphis. And Kenny Payne, he’s the best of the best when it comes to teaching and knowledge. You gotta love it.”
Simmons is expected to announce the week after his trip to Ohio State, his father confirmed.
Frank Jackson – Duke
The 6-4 Jackson out of American Fork (UT) Lone Peak appears to be Duke’s top choice at point in 2016. For more, read here.
Miles Bridges, Curtis Jones – Indiana
The Hoosiers already have one former Huntington (W.V.) Prep star in freshman big man Thomas Bryant and would love to add two more. The 6-7 Bridges has five visits planned, beginning with Indiana this weekend and including Michigan State, Michigan, Kentucky and North Carolina. The 6-3 Jones is also considering Georgetown (Sept. 4 visit) and Oklahoma State (Sept 11) and will visit both, his father told ESPN’s Paul Biancardi.
Shamorie Ponds – St. John’s
After landing Kassoum Yakwe in the Class of 2015 on Sunday, coach Chris Mullin and his staff want to keep the momentum going with Ponds, a scoring guard out of Brooklyn Thomas Jefferson. Ponds also has visits planned to Providence and Minnesota next month after visiting Creighton. For more, read this and this.
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.
Malik Monk has cut his college list but has yet to announce it to the basketball world.
He is expected to do so next week on his brother Marcus Monk’s radio program.
“I got my list cut down but my brother hasn’t released it yet,” the 6-foot-3 Malik Monk out of Bentonville (AR) told Scout.com during the recent Nike Select Team event in the Bahamas. “I think whenever him and my mom talk, and me too, and we feel comfortable, we’ll just release it.”
Monk was named Tournament MVP at the Nike Global Challenge in July and is ranked No. 6 in the Class of 2016 by Scout.com and No. 5 by ESPN.com.
Arkansas head coach Mike Anderson and Kentucky head coach John Calipari tracked him throughout much of the summer, while Kansas, North Carolina, Oregon and Florida State are also strongly in the mix.
Monk has visited Kentucky, Arkansas and Kansas and broke each down for Scout.
Kentucky: “Kentucky was real hands on. I seen them work out and I went around Rupp Arena and the dorms and I seen that, so it was nice experience.”
Arkansas: “It’s really like the same thing with the Razorbacks…It was a nice experience there, too.”
Kansas: “Kansas really sticks out just like Kentucky and Arkansas when I went and they practice facilites and gyms and all that [are] nice.”
As for a timeframe, Monk said he could announce at any time.
“Whenever I’m comfortable and I know where I want to go,” he said, “I’ll put that out and tell the world.”
KENTUCKY, DUKE, INDIANA, ST. JOHN’S HOSTING BIG-TIME RECRUITS
Kentucky, Duke, Indiana and St. John’s are among the schools hosting big-time official visits this weekend.
Kobi Simmons – Kentucky
The 6-4 combo guard from Alpharetta (GA) St. Francis is down to Kentucky, Ohio State, UNLV and Georgia, his father Demond Stephens confirmed to SNY.tv. As previously reported, he has visits set to Kentucky this weekend, UNLV (Sept 4) and Ohio State (Sept. 11). He’s already visited Georgia.
Kentucky has also offered 2016 point guards Dennis Smith Jr. and De’Aaron Fox, but Simmons says UK is still very much in the mix.
“My dad talks to Kentucky every day,” he said last week at the Elite 24 Game. “People think Kentucky fell off, I don’t know why. I guess it’s just not out there in the public, but a phonecall’s not out there in the public. My dad and Kenny Payne have a great relationship. Cal [John Calipari] actually called me a couple times the other day, so Kentucky is still on a high note.”
Stephens also told Kentucky.com he himself grew up as a Kentucky fan.
“I rooted for Kentucky, I’m not going to lie,” he said. “I grew up watching Kenny Walker, Dicky Beal … I go way, way back. My friends and I have a rule – we can never change our favorite teams in life.
“And I really like Cal – I’ve been liking Cal since Memphis. And Kenny Payne, he’s the best of the best when it comes to teaching and knowledge. You gotta love it.”
Simmons is expected to announce the week after his trip to Ohio State, his father confirmed.
Frank Jackson – Duke
The 6-4 Jackson out of American Fork (UT) Lone Peak appears to be Duke’s top choice at point in 2016. For more, read here.
Miles Bridges, Curtis Jones – Indiana
The Hoosiers already have one former Huntington (W.V.) Prep star in freshman big man Thomas Bryant and would love to add two more. The 6-7 Bridges has five visits planned, beginning with Indiana this weekend and including Michigan State, Michigan, Kentucky and North Carolina. The 6-3 Jones is also considering Georgetown (Sept. 4 visit) and Oklahoma State (Sept 11) and will visit both, his father told ESPN’s Paul Biancardi.
Shamorie Ponds – St. John’s
After landing Kassoum Yakwe in the Class of 2015 on Sunday, coach Chris Mullin and his staff want to keep the momentum going with Ponds, a scoring guard out of Brooklyn Thomas Jefferson. Ponds also has visits planned to Providence and Minnesota next month after visiting Creighton. For more, read this and this.
