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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — After postponing his college announcement from last Sunday, Udoka Azubuike still has no timetable on a decision but hopes to announce sooner rather than later.
The 6-foot-11, 270-pound McDonald’s All-American big man from Potters House Christian is still working with a list of North Carolina, Florida State and Kansas, with North Carolina working extremely hard.
“They’ve been coming to me very seriously,” Azubuike said of North Carolina on Friday at practice. “Right now they don’t have any other big man they are recruiting as much. Roy [Williams] has said I’m the one they are looking for. He emphasizes ‘trust’ a lot. It’s difficult right now deciding a school. Kansas, they have good big man tradition. North Carolina and FSU, the same thing. They are all trying to get a big man who can finish in the paint. So it’s difficult choosing between these three. “
Williams and assistant Steve Robinson sat courtside on Sunday when Azubuike and Potters House Christian fell to Westtown (Pa.) at the Hoophall Classic. Kansas assistant Jerrance Howard was also on hand.
“It’s still down to those same three,” said Potters House coach Steve McLaughlin. “As far as who is moving the most aggressively right now, just to be honest is North Carolina. North Carolina, they’re really coming hard at him. They’re really putting the emphasis on how much they want him.
“Florida State has still been there the longest. ‘Ham [FSU coach Leonard Hamilton] is still putting in work. He still calls all the time. He’s still making sure that he comes in to see him. Kansas is the same way. Just right now, lately, North Carolina has been trying to see him the most and reach him the most. But you know, it’s still that three-way battle.”
Florida State has been recruiting Azubuike the longest, but it appears North Carolina is coming on the strongest right now.
“Florida State has been with me from the very beginning,” Azubuike said. “It’s going to come down to trust. I’ve got to really trust the coaches. It’s going to come down to the family environment. Family and trust.”
