kareem recruiting update 4/23/99

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SoCalHoops Recruiting News

Kareem Rush Will Sign Next
Tuesday With. . . . ???--(April 23, 1999)

The latest UCLA hot topic has been when and with whom Kareem Rush (6'-6" Sr. SG/SF) from Pembroke Hill Academy in Missouri, will sign a national letter of intent to play basketball next year. As most people know, Kareem is the younger brother of JaRon Rush (6'-6" Fr. SG/SF) who is a member of the UCLA Bruins team. He's also the former CMH 76'ers teammate of not only brother JaRon, but also Earl Watson (6'-0" Fr. PG) also of UCLA, and formerly from Kansas City himself.

Kareem is down to two schools, UCLA and Missouri. The latest published reports have Kareem announcing his decision next Tuesday, April 27 at a press conference to be held at his high school, Pembroke Hill. A lot of people have asked us what we think, and frankly, we don't have a clue. Kareem didn't look particularly pleased to be here in Los Angeles last weekend at the Dada event, and likewise, there was not an overwhelming fan response to Kareem being on campus at UCLA (which was where the Dada All-Star game was held), and you probably could have counted the number of vocal Kareem fans in attendance on all of your fingers and toes, and still have a couple (toes and fingers that is) left over. It seemed that other than Earl, JaRon, and Moiso, most people didn't even know who he was. Simply put, he wasn't exactly given a rousing welcome.

But will any of that really matter come this Tuesday (if that indeed is to be the day)? Who knows, but it couldn't have helped. Apparently, Kareem left Los Angeles Monday and flew back home and then had a visit with Missouri coach Quinn Snyder. Various news reports emanating from Kansas City this week had Kareem "committing" to Missouri, others said he was equivocating, and still others said that Kareem "committed" to UCLA some time ago and would again announce for the Bruins. We're just so confused.

And commitments aside, the only thing that really matters is either a letter of intent or scholarship papers. Nothing more and nothing less. The vaunted "verbal" isn't worth the paper it's written on. Here's the latest from the Kansas City Star on the subject, and note they also throw in another school (UConn) which no one, we repeat no one has being involved with Kareem, at least not until now. Anyway, here's the report:

Rush, Pembroke Hill's basketball standout, plans to announce his college decision and sign a national letter of intent at 3 p.m. Tuesday. It had been rumored that Rush would announce today (Friday) that he had selected Missouri, but he insists that nothing will become final until Tuesday. And if Rush has decided which school he will sign with -- Missouri, UCLA or Connecticut -- he isn't saying publicly. What he was saying Thursday, however, was how crazy the last week has been. "It has been kind of hectic," Rush said. "But it's been OK." After going to Missouri for an unofficial visit late last week and to the prom on Saturday, Rush traveled to Los Angeles for the Eddie Jones Classic [note, this was the Dada thingee, formerly called the Eddie Jones Classic]. He then went to Columbia again Wednesday and visited with coach Quin Snyder. "I hung out with coach Snyder, had lunch with him," Rush said, adding that he could definitely see himself playing for the new MU coach. "I like him. I like him a lot." And it's safe to say that Snyder likes him, too. Rush finished his high school career with three consecutive Missouri 2A state titles. He was a three-time All-Metro first-team selection, and after averaging almost 30 points as a senior, he landed The Star's player of the year honors as well as the DiRenna Award, which is given to the Kansas City area's top player.

A lot of people, mostly UCLA folks, are now backpedalling somewhat, saying that Rush is "overrated", or that he "plays the same position as his brother", or Matt Barnes, or Sean Farnham, or a few others, or things like "so what if we don't get him. . . ." All those folks are, of course, right, and it won't be the end of the world if UCLA does not get Rush. Life will go on. But will the Bruins be better with him than without him? Probably. Will it hurt the Bruins recruiting to have missed out on not one of their prime targets this year (Boozer who is going to Duke instead), but two? Probably not. Perhaps the only thing that will be hurt is coach Lavin's pride at having chased these two guys all over the country, watching tournaments, all-star games, and the like only to be spurned.

But then again, Rush just might say "yes" to UCLA.

And if he doesn't, well, there are plenty of other fish in the sea, there's always another streetcar, another elevator. . . you get the picture.

Guess we'll find out next week for sure.