Top basketball preps ‘package deal’

By Gary Bedore     May 27, 2014

Kansas University basketball recruiting.

Malik Newman and Diamond Stone, the Nos. 1- and 3-ranked high school basketball players in the recruiting Class of 2015, say they’ll definitely attend the same college as part of a so-called “package deal.”

“It’s 100 percent,” Newman, a 6-foot-3 combo guard and Rivals.com’s top-rated player nationally, from Callaway High in Jackson, Mississippi, told Zagsblog.com. “That’s the plan. We don’t plan on changing. We try to talk about it at least once a week.”

Newman tells Zagsblog that Kansas University, UConn, Kentucky, North Carolina State and Mississippi State are recruiting him the hardest. Duke is expected also to be a major player in his recruitment.

Stone, 6-10 from Domincan High in Milwaukee, said he has offers from KU and UConn. He’s also said to be considering Duke, Wisconsin, Marquette, UCLA, Arizona and others.

“Diamond is a great player on and off the court. He’s like a brother to me,” Newman told the Journal-World at the recent Jayhawk Invitational. “I look forward to playing with him in the future.”

The two will be playing for Team USA at the FIBA Under 17 world championships this summer in Dubai.

Duke last season signed two players who had long insisted they’d be part of a package deal — Jahlil Okafor of Chicago and Tyus Jones of Apple Valley, Minnesota.

Dozier on list: KU is recruiting P.J. Dozier, a 6-5 senior-to-be point guard from Spring Valley High in Columbia, South Carolina, Zagsblog.com reports.

Dozier, who is ranked No. 43 nationally, said he is considering KU, North Carolina, Kentucky, South Carolina, Ohio State, Michigan, Indiana, Clemson, Georgetown, Wichita State, Georgia Tech and Louisville. Dozier’s dad, Perry, played basketball at South Carolina.

Maker may reclassify: Thon Maker, the No. 1-ranked player in the recruiting Class of 2016, is considering reclassifying to the Class of 2015, Zagsblog.com reports.

Maker, 7-foot from Carlisle School in Martinsville, Virginia, is considering KU, Duke, Kentucky, Louisville, Memphis and others.

Lots of recruits in Minnesota: ESPN’s Reggie Rankin and John Stovall commented on several possible KU prospects at the Nike EYBL tournament in Minneapolis.

• Cheick Diallo, a 6-9 forward from Our Savior New American in Centereach, New York, who is ranked No. 8 in the Class of 2015, is considering KU, St. John’s, Kentucky, Pitt, Iowa State, Baylor, UConn and others.

“He rebounds at rim level with both hands and finishes with power above the rim. He runs the floor consistently and blocks and contests shots on and away from the ball,” Rankin and Stovall wrote in an article.

• Kassoum Yakwe, a 6-7 small forward from Our Savior New American in Centereach, New York, who is ranked No. 38 in the Class of 2016, is considering KU, St. John’s, Villanova, Pitt, Syracuse, Louisville and others.

“He is a long and athletic lefty forward who runs the floor extremely well, can block shots and defend in the low post,” wrote Rankin/Stovall.

• Tyler Davis, a 6-9 center from Plano (Texas) West High, who is ranked No. 20 in the Class of 2015, is considering KU, Arizona, North Carolina, Ohio State and others.

“He displayed excellent touch, feel and body control to go along with his great hands. Davis has done a great job changing his body by losing weight, which has led to a high level of productivity on the low block,”wrote Rankin/Stovall.

• Allonzo Trier, a 6-4 point guard from Montrose Christian in Rockville, Maryland, (originally from Oklahoma City), who is ranked No. 38 in the Class of 2015, is considering KU, Arizona, Louisville, UConn and others.

“Trier can score in a variety of ways and is a scoring playmaker with the ball in his hands. He gets to the rim and finishes above it on the break. He also slashes in between defenders, creating space with midrange pullups. He is super confident and backs it up with his offensive production,” wrote Rankin/Stovall.

• Malik Monk, a 6-3 combo guard from Bentonville (Arkansas) High, who is ranked No. 12 in the Class of 2016, is considering KU, Arkansas, Florida, Indiana, SMU, Baylor and others.

“Monk is an athletic wing scorer who can get buckets by getting to the rim off the break or pulling up and nailing threes off the catch or on the move.He can score quick, and we love how he stays in attack mode,” wrote Rankin/Stovall.

• Caleb Swanigan, a 6-8 forward/center from Homestead High in Fort Wayne, Indiana, who is ranked No. 13 in the Class of 2016, is considering KU, Arizona, Illinois, Michigan Sate, Indiana, Purdue and others. “Swanigan rebounds everything within his reach with good hands, excellent timing and a nose for the ball. Swanigan also displayed touch and nice back-to-the-basket moves, including a textbook up-and-under,” wrote Rankin/Stovall.

Carter lists KU: Former Georgia Tech forward/center Robert Carter, Jr., has KU on his list of possible transfer destinations, his former AAU coach tells InsideMDSports.com.

Carter, 6-8, 247 pound sophomore originally from Thomasville, Georgia, averaged 11.4 points and 8.4 rebounds as a soph. He missed the first 10 games of the ACC season because of a torn meniscus in his left knee.

He has visited St. John’s and will visit Maryland on June 2, his coach said. He also reportedly is considering South Carolina. Carter was ranked No. 33 in the recruiting Class of 2012 by Rivals.com.

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