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Tuesday, September 18, 2007

Henry facing decision

Will ex-KU recruit pick hoops or baseball?

By Gary Bedore

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C.J. Henry

Now that C.J. Henry has completed his third season in professional baseball, he has a crucial decision to make.

Should the free-agent outfielder, who hit .184 with nine home runs and 38 RBIs for the Philadelphia Phillies' Class A Lakewood (N.J.) BlueClaws this past season, sign a free-agent contract with another major-league baseball organization or scrap baseball altogether and play college basketball?

"People don't realize how big a decision this is. It's your life : your career. I'm going to take my time with it," said Henry, who orally committed to Kansas University to play hoops after his senior season at Putnam City (Okla.) High.

He's back in Oklahoma now after asking for his release from the Phils' organization and contemplating making a basketball recruiting visit to the University of Texas this weekend.

Henry, the son of former KU guard/forward Carl Henry and brother of blue-chip high school junior recruit Xavier, on Monday night indicated his list of college possibilities are the schools who have contacted him recently: KU, Texas, North Carolina, Kentucky and Memphis.

"I am undecided. I'm weighing my options now," Henry said, referring to choosing sports, not schools. "I still have the heart for baseball and want to play. I have another dream, too (basketball)."

Henry, who was a first-round draft pick of the New York Yankees in 2005, still has options if he chooses to play baseball. He said the Yankees, Oakland A's and Baltimore Orioles all have spoken to his agent.

"It was weird, the whole year I needed glasses. The last month with contacts, I hit .300. It was an unfortunate deal I didn't get them sooner," Henry said.

Now he must decide if he showed enough promise in baseball to continue on : or perhaps enroll at a university like KU as early as second semester of this school year.

It's stipulated in his original Yankee contract that major-league baseball must pay for his education.

"I'd be a walk-on," Henry said, noting he has not forgotten how to play basketball. "I've been playing around. The only thing not there is my legs."

He said it's not necessary he go to the same school as brother Xavier, though that's a distinct possibility. Xavier, who like C.J. has been to Lawrence many times, has KU, Carolina, Memphis, Texas, Louisville and Ohio State on his list.

"I'd like to play against him as much as with him," C.J. said with a laugh. "Where he chooses may not be the best place for me, and where I choose might not be the best for him."

He said KU, of course, remains high on his list.

"I don't know if I'll visit there or not. I've been to Kansas so many times I pretty much know what Kansas is like," Henry said.

He said he'd likely tag along with his brother on his Midnight Madness trip to Memphis.

"I don't even know when Late Night is," C.J. said, noting his baseball season ended just a week ago. "I have no timetable. I just have a lot of things to consider."

He said one thing is certain - he won't play both sports. It will be baseball or college basketball in his immediate future.

"It's 365 days," he said of the time he has committed to baseball. "It takes a toll on your body. It was hard to do both in high school."

¢ Taylor reschedules Tech trip: Tyshawn Taylor, a 6-foot-3 senior guard from St. Anthony High in Jersey City, N.J., tells Rivals.com he did not visit Virginia Tech last weekend because of a death in his family. He has rescheduled the trip for Sept. 28 and will visit Virginia on Oct. 19 and KU at a yet-to-be determined date. He told Rivals.com that KU and Virginia Tech are his co-leaders. Georgia Tech, Marquette and others are also on his list.

¢ Little visits KSU: Mario Little, a 6-5 sophomore guard from Chipola (Fla.) Junior College, visited Kansas State last weekend, one weekend after his trip to KU. Chipola coach Greg Heiar told Rivals.com "everything went well on his visit. He really liked his visit." Heiar said Little will decide later this week if he wants to take his scheduled visit to Illinois on Sept. 28.

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Comments

JayCeph (anonymous) says...

Little wasn't as effusive with regard to his trip to the Little Apple. I wonder why...

September 18, 2007 at 9:01 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

filmhawk (anonymous) says...

it sounds like CJ has cooled on KU. if he's going to look around a little bit, and he knows what kansas is like, my guess is that he may have already decided not to play on the hill. it sure would be nice to get him in at semester though.

as far as little is concerned, i'm sure he was underwhelmed in manhattan. it will be interesting to see what beasley and the boys can put together this season, and how long martin can sustain their relevance.

September 18, 2007 at 10:59 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

bmkjayhawk (anonymous) says...

I told my boss that yes, KSU has potential this year to do alright. Not like a national championship, but they can be a lot better than usual (there goes Beasley through the library as I type this; I never see him carrying books for some reason). But KSU fans better enjoy it because, in my opinion, things could drop off fast after this season. Yeah their connection with DC Assault AAU might get a player here or there, but there are only a few in the Rivals150 even considering KSU. Not that that is THE recipe for success, but do you really think Frank Martin can bring in average players and develop them into studs? I guess it's TBD....

And on a side, some are still saying KSU is better off without Huggins because 1) with him went his baggage, 2) they kept the players, and 3) Martin ran the team last year anyway (that one is absolutely ridiculous). I call this hopeless optimism.

At any rate, I'd say KU is still quite a bit better off. 24 days til Late Night!

September 18, 2007 at 11:35 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

seattlehawk_78 (anonymous) says...

It remains to be seen how good the mildcats will be. But, they are attracting recruits whether they actually sign or not. It wasn't that long ago no one would go there.

I don't remember who it was but one of their coaches made the comment after playing KU, they have lots of players we would like to have on our team and we have no players that they want on their team.

Things have gotten better in manhattan.

September 18, 2007 at 12:36 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

justanotherfan (anonymous) says...

I agree seattlehawk. It wasn't too long ago that there wasn't a single guy on the K-State roster who could have played at KU. Long gone are the days of Manny Dies. In just two years time, that has changed. Both Walker and Beasley could both play at KU. Beasley could even have a shot at starting. I'm not saying that in disrespect to anyone on our squad, just an observation that Beasley is a good enough player to start on about 98% of the teams in the country.

K-State still isn't on the level of KU, but unlike before, they actually have legitimate high level talent. And like seattlehawk said, there was a time when a top 100 recruit wouldn't even return a phone call from KSU. Now they will schedule visits. That's progress. They got top shelf talent to attend. I think this rivalry could become just that again if Martin can keep it going.

K-State isn't a title contender like KU is, but they aren't a laughingstock, either.

September 18, 2007 at 1:19 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

JayCeph (anonymous) says...

I think it was Jim Woolridge who said that... for the most part. I don't remember the part about them (KSU) not having any players that KU would want... just an envious remark pertaining to the high skill-level players at KU.

September 18, 2007 at 1:25 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

actorman (anonymous) says...

If C.J. committed to KU before, why wouldn't he commit to KU now? Has anything really changed that much? If anything, you would think he would be MORE likely to come to KU now, given that there will be a lot of opportunities for playing time next year.

September 18, 2007 at 2:28 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

notabandwagonfan (anonymous) says...

Beasly could start for ANY team in America, South America, Asia, Europe, Austrailia, Africa, and if there was a basketball league in Antartica, im sure he could start down there as well. Michael Beasly is a beast. However, I still love Ku's chances over Ksuck for the simple reason of depth! Get him on the bench, and they are screwed. Good luck cats, you might when a few games, but say goodbye to Beasly and Walker after your second-round exit from the NCAA Tourney, if you make it that far!

September 18, 2007 at 5:21 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

didjabuti (anonymous) says...

I think Texas proved that it takes more than one great player to beat a TEAM like KU.

September 18, 2007 at 9:47 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

caddie733 (anonymous) says...

"Beasley could even start"...he was the number 1 recruit in his class and Walker was a top 10 recruit as well (both much, much higher than Aldrich or Reed). I'm a huge KU fan, which is why it angers me to see KU fans speak with such arrogance and ignorance.

September 19, 2007 at 10:43 a.m. ( | suggest removal )