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.
Arizona Offers 2017 Point Guard Matt Coleman, 2017 Big Man Nick Richards (UPDATED)
Arizona is the latest to offer 2017 Oak Hill (VA) Academy point guard Matt Coleman, who said he spoke with Wildcats coach Sean Miller.
The 6-foot Coleman has offers from Old Dominion, Virginia, VCU, Virginia Tech, Cincinnati, Memphis, UConn, Texas, Indiana, Seton Hall, Florida and Arizona, but told SNY.tv that Indiana, Arizona, Old Dominion, Texas, Florida and Ohio State were working the hardest.
Coleman, who transferred from Maury (VA), is ranked the No. 5 point guard in the Class of 2017 by 247Sports.com.
“Matt is a pass-first point guard,” Oak Hill coach Steve Smith told SNY.tv. “He has the ability to create offense for a teammate or score the ball equally as well. He really pushes the ball in transition and seems to always make the right play. He has a great feel for the game. His upside is unlimited as he will get stronger physically and play the nation’s best schedule over the next two years for us at Oak Hill.”
WILDCATS OFFER 2017 BIG MAN NICK RICHARDSNick Richards has added an Arizona offer as well.
The 6-foot-10 2017 big man from Elizabeth (N.J.) St. Patrick and Expressions Elite also hold offers from Kentucky, Syracuse, Kansas, Indiana, SMU, VCU and UCLA, among others.
“Nick appears to be taking that skill development ‘jump’ between sophomore and junior year that the program’s most elite players have made in the past, such as Al Harrington, Mike Kidd-Gilchrist and, even though he plays a different position, Kyrie Irving,” St. Pat’s coach Chris Chavannes recently told SNY.tv. “If he continues to work very hard this summer, there is no reason that he cannot potentially join that elite group in the future.”
A sophomore who transferred in October from St. Mary’s High School on Long Island in order to face “better competition,” Richards has only been playing organized basketball for two years.
“Nick Richards has a tremendous upside with his length, athleticism and vertical and lateral quickness,” Chavannes recently said. “Considering the impact he can have on any game, it is scary when you realize that he has only been playing basketball for a couple of years.”
Richards visited Villanova for their Midnight Madness event in the fall and has also been to Seton Hall. For now, though, he and his family are not emphasizing recruiting all that much.
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.
Arizona is the latest to offer 2017 Oak Hill (VA) Academy point guard Matt Coleman, who said he spoke with Wildcats coach Sean Miller.
The 6-foot Coleman has offers from Old Dominion, Virginia, VCU, Virginia Tech, Cincinnati, Memphis, UConn, Texas, Indiana, Seton Hall, Florida and Arizona, but told SNY.tv that Indiana, Arizona, Old Dominion, Texas, Florida and Ohio State were working the hardest.
Coleman, who transferred from Maury (VA), is ranked the No. 5 point guard in the Class of 2017 by 247Sports.com.
“Matt is a pass-first point guard,” Oak Hill coach Steve Smith told SNY.tv. “He has the ability to create offense for a teammate or score the ball equally as well. He really pushes the ball in transition and seems to always make the right play. He has a great feel for the game. His upside is unlimited as he will get stronger physically and play the nation’s best schedule over the next two years for us at Oak Hill.”
WILDCATS OFFER 2017 BIG MAN NICK RICHARDS
Nick Richards has added an Arizona offer as well.
The 6-foot-10 2017 big man from Elizabeth (N.J.) St. Patrick and Expressions Elite also hold offers from Kentucky, Syracuse, Kansas, Indiana, SMU, VCU and UCLA, among others.
“Nick appears to be taking that skill development ‘jump’ between sophomore and junior year that the program’s most elite players have made in the past, such as Al Harrington, Mike Kidd-Gilchrist and, even though he plays a different position, Kyrie Irving,” St. Pat’s coach Chris Chavannes recently told SNY.tv. “If he continues to work very hard this summer, there is no reason that he cannot potentially join that elite group in the future.”
A sophomore who transferred in October from St. Mary’s High School on Long Island in order to face “better competition,” Richards has only been playing organized basketball for two years.
“Nick Richards has a tremendous upside with his length, athleticism and vertical and lateral quickness,” Chavannes recently said. “Considering the impact he can have on any game, it is scary when you realize that he has only been playing basketball for a couple of years.”
Richards visited Villanova for their Midnight Madness event in the fall and has also been to Seton Hall. For now, though, he and his family are not emphasizing recruiting all that much.
