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SoCalHoops Recruiting News

More On Wesley Stokes Signing
With Missouri--(Nov. 11, 1999)

SCAWesley2.jpg (6726 bytes) We had a chance to talk with Wesley Stokes' (5'-11" Sr. PG) coach, Ron Palmer from Long Beach Poly this afternoon, and he filled us in on more of the details from Wesley's press conference held at the school today.

He said that Wesley made his decision based on the overall feeling he had about Missouri. "He liked the academics and the basketball, and said that Missouri has a great young coach who seems to be headed in right direction in terms of building a program," Palmer said. "Wesley expressed that he liked the way community treated him when he was there on his visit. The fact that his mother's condition is also improving (she suffered a stroke last month) and that she's made some rapid improvements helped, and he felt comfortable in leaving the area."

Palmer also said that despite some reports which had Wesley committing to Missouri long ago, "Wesley really just made up his mind a couple of days ago." Palmer said that "Wesley didn't notify Missouri that he was coming until a couple of days ago, and he really had not made up his mind." Asked whether San Diego State was really ever in the hunt, Palmer said, "Well, Wesley made that trip down there all on his own and after he had visited Missiouri, and at the time, he told me that he was interested enough to see what it was like down in San Diego. When he got back, he said he liked Coach Fisher, and thought he was doing good things with the program. I think he seriously was considering them right up until the end."

Palmer also had only one regret about Wesley signing to play at Missouri: "My only regret is that I won't be able to see him very much. I think Missouri is a good place for Wesley, and their coaching staff made a great selection. You know, a lot of coaches aren't aware that they need a true point to have a successful program. Some say they can use a taller, converted two or combo guard, but in my view, a point guard is really a special player, who has a different mentality," Palmer said. "A lot of people play the position, but not a lot of them understand really how to play it. Wesley is one of those guys who understands."

Palmer of course added, "I want you to let all the college coaches out there know that just because one of our guards has signed, it's not too late for them to get in on a couple of other really good ones who are still unsigned. AJ Diggs and Adrian Martin, among our seniors are still wide open and both of them are also very special players at the point. They understand how to play the position almost as well as Wesley," Palmer said. And the he also added, "And just wait, because we've also got some great underclassmen coming along too."