It didn’t take long for the football season to spring a handful of basketball pledges. We’re anticipating the weekend of Sept. 22 to be a mega-visit weekend and this time around, the visitor list is pretty tame. Last weekend, Cal dominated the headlines with Jabari Bird’s trip and subsequent pledge.
We’ll cast this week’s spotlight on Louisville. Rick Pitino gets to show point guard Anthony Barber (Hampton, Va./Bethel) and power forward Marcus Lee (Antioch, Calif./Deer Valley) around campus. Barber was on Kansas’ campus last weekend, while Lee palled around with Bird at Berkeley.
Editor's note: There’s no guarantee all these guys make it to campus. Also, this is merely a snapshot of the country, not the full representation of each program.
Visitor: ESPN 100 SF Rondae Jefferson
Behind the scenes, the Wildcats led in the summer. Jefferson snuck in a visit last month but this one is the real deal. Will he be the program’s first Philly recruit since Mustafa Shakur?
Visitors: SG Chance Murray, SF Egor Koulechov
Herb Sendek hired two new assistants. Nothing like jumping right into the pool to test the waters.
Visitors: SG Jordan Matthews, ESPN 25 PF Ivan Rabb (unofficial), SG Darin Johnson
Here’s an ironic one: Matthews is the son of a UCLA assistant. Rabb is the next elite player from the Bay Area.
Visitors: ESPN 100 C Chris Perry, SG Troy Caupain, PG Kevin Johnson
The moment of truth. Mick Cronin chased Perry intensely all summer and now the Bearcats have a pivotal target on campus to go along with two committed guys.
Visitors: PF Quinton Stephens, SF Devante Fitzgerald
Brad Brownell likes skilled, big forwards and Stephens fits the mold.
Visitor: PF Dustin Thomas
This was supposed to be CU’s weekend with Jabari Bird but he took himself off the market. Thomas is a below-the-radar big.
Visitors: PF Ben Moore, SG Jeremiah Paige (unofficial)
Size matters. Moore’s 6-8 and the Rams would like him to take fewer visits and commit.
Visitor: ESPN 100 PG E.C. Matthews
The Hawkeyes want backcourt talent and few get to the rim the way Matthews can.
Visitor: ESPN 100 PF Tyler Roberson
The Jayhawks have a unique tie to Roberson as assistant Joe Dooley played for Roberson’s travel team coach Sandy Pyonin.
Visitors: PG Marcus Foster, SF Jeff Carroll
The boys in the “Little Apple” would like to begin banking a few commitments and this is the Wildcats' second weekend in a row with visitors.
Visitors: ESPN 100 C Dominic Woodson, PF Derek Willis (unofficial), Montaque Gill-Caesar (unofficial)
The big visit weekends loom for Kentucky but UK has an aircraft carrier in Woodson on campus.
Visitors: ESPN 100 PG Anthony Barber, ESPN 100 PF Marcus Lee
Both players were on other campuses last weekend, so they’re in compare/contrast mode. Having a point and a big on campus at same time is a veteran move.
Visitor: C Dwight Coleby
The Tigers have been quietly all over this guy. In a year of no depth with bigs, every player over 6-foot-8 is a big deal.
Visitor: ESPN 100 SG Kameron Williams
The Hurricanes cleared the schedule for his visit. Jim Larranaga’s top target is the lone wolf on campus. He’s got South Beach all to himself.
Visitors: ESPN 100 PG Derrick Walton (unofficial), ESPN 100 SF Zak Irvin (unofficial), ESPN 60 Jae’Sean Tate (unofficial), ESPN 25 PG Hyron Edwards (unofficial), PG Prentiss Nixon (unofficial)
The older guys, Irvin and Walton, get to play host to a bevy of talented underclassmen from the region.
Visitors: ESPN 100 PF Nigel Hayes, PF Gavin Schilling, SG Cedric Hankerson
Three guys in the Gophers wheelhouse. What’s the Gophers’ wheelhouse? Guys who value school, aren’t Twitter all-Americans and see hoops as a component of the bigger picture.
Visitors: PF William Lee (unofficial), SF Riley Norris (unofficial), SG Demetrius Houston (unofficial), PF Marcanvis Hymon (unofficial)
Coach Rick Ray's intentions are to get as many youngsters on campus as he can and this makes it back-to-back weekends with 2014 players.
Visitors: ESPN 100 PF Jonathan Williams III, SG Bryant McIntosh (unofficial), ESPN 60 SG Devin Booker (unofficial), SG Jayson Tatum (unofficial), C Keanu Post
Booker is the son of a former Mizzou standout and if there’s one Frank Haith would like to claim in 2014, it’s this guy.
Visitor: SF D.J. Fenner
The son of former Seattle Seahawk Derrick Fenner is a slashing wing.
Visitors: ESPN 60 SF Paul White (unofficial), Mack Mercer (unofficial)
The Irish are focused on younger recruits this weekend but they’ll drop what they’re doing if ESPN 100 PG Demetrius Jackson wants to mosey over to see the game.
Visitors: ESPN 60 SF Jae’Sean Tate (unofficial), SF Luke Kennard (unofficial) and ESPN 60 PF Keita Bates-Diop
Tate and KBD are key targets but Kennard, also an underclassman, is a skilled, sound player.
Visitors: Juco PF Dominique Elliott, C Jacob Hammond (unofficial)
The Sooners have their 2014 pledge Hammond on campus and Elliott is one of the heavy hitters in junior college.
Visitor: Juco PG Chris Jones
Marcus Smart’s the starter at point but a guy like Jones would create a formidable 1-2 punch and allow Smart to branch out.
Visitor: SG Hallice Cook
Now that the Democratic National Convention is nearly over, coach Craig Robinson (President Barack Obama's brother-in-law) returns to recruiting. Cooke plays for St. Anthony, the school that sent Devon Collier to Corvallis.
Visitors: SF Josh Hart, PF Junior Etou (unofficial), PG Romelo Trimble (unofficial)
You can feel the D.C. area ties coming through your screen, can’t you?
Visitor: SF A.J. Davis
The son of former NBA player Antonio Davis would be another Georgian for the Tennessee Vols.
Visitors: ESPN 60 SF Justice Winslow (unofficial), SG Austin Grandstaff (unofficial), ESPN 25 C Elijah Thomas (unofficial), PF Khadeem Lattin (unofficial), PG DeAndre Davis (unofficial), C Ben Lammers
Winslow’s pop played at Houston and he’s one of the most highly sought after players in the junior class.
Visitor: ESPN 100 SG Allerik Freeman
Before the North Carolina native transferred to Findlay, UCLA was a long, long way from home.
Visitor: SF Tyrone Outlaw
This is the one the Spartans have been waiting for. Outlaw grew up watching UNC Greensboro coach Wes Miller bomb 3s for the Tar Heels.
Visitor: ESPN 100 PF Austin Nichols
Everyone knows the score. He’s embarking on a string of visits that will determine his choice and the Cavs have ties with people around his high school.
Visitors: SG Davon Reed, ESPN 60 PG Shelton Mitchell (unofficial), G Devonte Boykins (unofficial)
Reed’s the “now” guy but Mitchell plays travel ball for Chris Paul’s AAU team and the Demon Deacons want him to play for CP3’s college team.
Visitor: PG Graham Woodward
He didn't pass the look test or blow anyone away with his speed. However, Woodward's heart, savvy and grades got him to Pullman for a Pac-12 visit.
Visitor: PG John Dawson
The Cowboys followed this kid closely all summer. They want to seal the deal with the stud from New Mexico.