SoCalHoops Recruiting News

Chris Osborne Signs Letter
Of Intent With ASU--(Nov. 13, 1998)

While there had been some late minute manuevering and second thoughts on the part of Chris Osborne (6'-9" Sr. PF/C) from Westchester High, which had him last month opening up his recruitment after having verballed to ASU (he wanted to look around at Washington State and Long Beach State), Osborne has now officially signed a National Letter of Intent to play next year for the Sun Devils.  Chris is a very strong player with a decent shooting touch, who is very energetic on the floor. A huge shot-blocker, he has some very nice post moves too, and he can run with even the quickest guards. He's a major pickup for Arizona State, and provided he qualifies, he'll be an impact player immediately.

Altogether, ASU head coach Rob Evans, in his first recruiting class at ASU, has now received signed LOI's from all five of his intended targets, and the only one which remains unsigned is Compton's Tito Maddox (6'-4" Sr. PG/SG).

In addition to Osborne, Evans has received signed letters from Donnell Knight (6'-8" Sr. PF) from Corona del Sol High School in Tempe, Arizona, Shawn Redhage (6'-8" 1/2 Sr. PF) from Lincoln East High School, in Lincoln, Nebraska, Tanner Shell (6'-6" Sr. SG/SF) from Mountain View High School, in Mesa, Arizona, and Tommy Smith (6'-8" Sr. PF) from North High School, in Phoenix, Arizona.

Donnell Knight was ranked ninth on the Orange County Register's Fab 15 list. He averaged 13 ppg, 12 rbg, and 4 bspg for St. Mary's High School (Brophy) as a junior. He was rated by Blue Chip Illustrated as the "37th-best prospect in the country" and was the 14th-best player at the Nike All-American Camp according to Clark Francis at Hoop Scoop. Donnell also was named to Street & Smith's "High Honorable Mention All-American" list, and was also rated as the 19th-best player in the nation according to Lindy's College Basketball.  Even Dick Vitale had him as the 17th-best frontcourt player in the nation. Shawn Redhage averaged 22.1 points and nine rebounds per game in 1997-98, and will be a Nebraska Player of the Year candidate this season. He was also a Street & Smith's high honorable mention All-American. Tanner Shell, was a member of state champion Mountain View High School squad last year, and was also rated on the third team of the Fab 15. We saw him extensively at the Best of the Summer tournament this year, and he's a very tough defender and has some nice scoring moves in and around the basket, and can take it out to three point range. We'd consider him easily one of the top shooting guard-wing players on the west coast. Tommy Smith was also very impressive this summer, and he's very quick and athletic, a very agile big man, who was also rated on the Fab 15 Third Team.

Evans has done a remarkably good job.  Now all that's missing is a really tall big man (maybe Leon Smith?) and a point guard (Tito Maddox?).  Stay tuned.

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