Seven-footer Embiid to visit KU for Late Night

By Gary Bedore     Oct 2, 2012

Joel Embiid, a 7-foot, 220-pound senior center from Rock School in Gainesville, Fla., will attend the Oct. 12 Late Night in the Phog as part of an official basketball recruiting visit to Kansas University.

Embiid, who is originally from Cameroon, has a list of KU, Florida, Louisville, UCLA, Marquette, Texas, DePaul, Wake Forest and Virginia.

“I’m looking forward to the visit and I am very interested in Kansas,” Embiid told Rivals.com. “I’d also like to visit Florida and Virginia, but the only visit that I have set is my visit to Kansas.”

The 17-year-old Embiid started playing basketball just a year ago.

“He has to get a little more flexible and add strength, but he is a high-level rebounder, alters shots, has good hands and does a good job of establishing and holding position,” said Eric Bossi of Rivals.com. “The form on his jump shot is good, and he’s already developed a strong spin move that he’s comfortable using to go right or left.”

Embiid said he is looking for “academics, a good coach and good people around who can help me get better. I’d like a coach that knows my game and how to get me better.”

Roberson switches visit date: No. 29-ranked Tyler Roberson, a 6-8 senior forward from Roselle (N.J.) Catholic, has decided to switch the date of his KU visit from Oct. 12 to Oct. 19, Rivals.com reports. He has a list of KU, Alabama, Florida, Kentucky, Rutgers, Seton Hall, South Carolina, SMU, Syracuse and Villanova. He visited SMU last weekend.

Other uncommitted senior prospects expected for Late Night: No. 23-rated Wayne Selden, 6-5 combo guard, Tilton (N.H.) School; No. 5-rated Aaron Gordon, 6-8 forward, Archbishop Mitty High, San Jose, Calif. and No. 43 Karviar Shepherd, 6-10 center, Dallas Prime Prep Academy.

Collins in Spurs camp: Former KU guard Sherron Collins has been added to the San Antonio Spurs’ training camp roster, the team announced Monday. Collins, who is listed at 5-11, 215, played last season for Hacettepe Universitesi of the Turkish Basketball League where he appeared in 19 games, averaging 10.6 points, 2.8 assists, 2.0 rebounds and 1.05 steals in 28.9 minutes. Collins appeared in 20 games for the Charlotte Bobcats in 2010-11.

Wright update: Former KU forward Julian Wright is considering signing with Maccabi Rishon LeZion, a pro team in Israel, according to sportando.net. Wright averaged 16.8 points and 7.9 rebounds per game last season for the Austin Toros of the NBA Developmental League.

Update on Roy: Former KU coach Roy Williams tells ESPN.com he will have a biopsy on a tumor on his left kidney this week. A tumor removed from his right kidney recently was deemed non-cancerous.

“Then we’ll make some decisions after that as to what will be done next,” North Carolina coach Williams told ESPN. “The original plan was two surgeries, so I’ve mentally prepared myself to do that. If anything comes out better than that, I’ll feel like I birdied the last hole, and I keep playing.”

If the tumor does need to be removed, Williams would miss some practice time, but likely no games, ESPN reported.

“It’s pretty emotional at times, but I got such great care at the hospital, and the outpouring from the North Carolina people, and the other people in the coaching profession, my friends, my foxhole buddies, have just been off the charts,” Williams said.

On a lighter note … “Wanda (Williams’ wife) has figured out with these 10 days, counting the surgery, that she might not be willing for me to retire so soon. Ten days to spend with me, she said maybe I ought to coach another 20 years. So there’s been some good things here, too,” Williams joked.

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