rec1324.htm

SoCal Recruiting Report

Recruiting News: Gadzuric & Brandon Kurtz Must
Be Confused...We Know We Are--(March 24, 1998)

Well, it's back to reporting on recruiting news now that the actual high school season is over. Get out your crystal ball, and try to crawl into the head of a 17-19 year old to figure out what types of choices kids are making these day. Think you've got the inside angle because you read all the web services, or subscribe to the latest "hot sheet" on recruiting? Think again.

Recruiting is, at best, unless you're talking about actual signed national letters of intent, a guessing game, and even then sometimes a signed LOI isn't really a signed LOI; just ask Schea Cotton, who'd be playing for Long Beach State instead of spending the year in prep school if it was.

Mystified by the latest rumor? We are too, and just consider the news on what the latest gossip is about who's being recruited and who isn't by UCLA. As many have heard and read here (and mostly elsewhere lately since we've been almost exclusively following SoCal High School hoops) there are several top prospects reportedly considering UCLA, including JaRon Rush (6'-6" Sr. F) from Pembroke Hill who reportedly "decommitted" from Kansas (or more correctly had his offer revoked after he reportedly criticized Roy Williams' subbing patterns in public), Dan Gadzuric, Brandon Kurtz (6'-10" 2nd year C-- Bakersfield CC), and even Stromile Swift.

Just consider the latest stuff flying around about Dan Gadzuric and Brandon Kurtz. After you read the tidbits below, be prepared for a pop quiz (your grade will count towards your qualifying score on the SAT, and will be accumulated for your weighted average GPA in core curriculum required by the NCAA). All of this material was put up on the various sites within the last week:

From Michael Miller's West Coast Hoops:

"Look for Dan Gadzuric to commit to UCLA this week or next. He has reportedly told the GW coaches he will choose between GW, UCLA or the NBA... there is no way, in any shape of form, that Gadzruric could make an NBA roster right now. Where is Cal in this? I would still guess Cal is ahead of GW, but behind UCLA."

And this from West Coast Hoops:

"Brandon Kurtz, 6-10 SO C Bakersfield CC, might be finally narrowing down his "list". Brandon has already tripped to Tulsa. 3 other likely trips include San Diego State, Long Beach State and Oklahoma State. Purdue or someone else may get trip #5. My guess is San Diego State or Tulsa will win out here."

From Greg Swaim's Midwest Hoops"

"Oklahoma State may be close to getting what many JUCO experts are calling the top JC post player in the country this year in 6'10 Brandon Kurtz. Kurtz has apparently eliminated UCLA and Purdue and will take a visit to the OSU campus very soon. He is also considering Rhode Island, Southern California, Tulsa and San Diego State for other visits, but our sources tell us that Kurtz is impressed what Eddie Sutton has done with other big men.

From Clark Francis' Hoop Scoop:

Michael Miller of West Coast Hoops says that 6'10 Brandon Kurtz is leaning to UCLA, despite the Bruins involvement with 6'11 Jerome Moiso and 6'11 Dan Gadzuric. Miller states that while a lot of people are talking Purdue and Oklahoma State, he thinks Kurtz wants to remain in California.

More from Hoops Scoop:

Mike Miller is reporting on his West Coast Hoops Web Site that it will be announced within the next few days that Chris Owens is transferring from Tulane to UCLA. If this is indeed true, don't look for the Bruins to get both 6'-11" Dan Gadzuric from Byfield (Governor Dummer Academy) MA and 6'-9" Stromile Swift from Shreveport (Fair Park) LA, because they are out of scholarships. Remember, UCLA already has commitments from 6'-5" Ray Young from Alameda (St. Joseph) CA, 6'-7" Matt Barnes from Fair Oaks (Del Campo) CA, 6'10 Jerome Moiso from Milford (Academy) CT, and 6'-6" Jaron Rush from Kansas City (Pembroke Hill) MO and we have sources that tell us that 6'5 Jr Kareem Rush from Kansas City (Pembroke Hill) MO and 6'-9" Jr Carlos Boozer from Juneau (Douglas) AK have both secretly committed and will sign with UCLA in the fall.

From Patrick Jira's The Recruiting Beat:

Dan Gadzuric from Dummer Academy in Byfield,MA is expected to make his college choice in under two weeks. I'd bet on Gad going to UCLA but, Kentucky, California, George Washington, and Connecticut are also in the hunt.

Confused? We know that we are.

Ok, now the quiz:

1. Will Brandon Kurtz go to UCLA, Tulsa, San Diego State, Purdue, Long Beach State, or Oklahoma State?

2. What does "secretly committed" mean?

3. If it's a secret, how come Clark Francis knows?

4. If it's a secret, why is Clark Francis telling everyone about it?

5. Will Gadzuric go to UCLA, Kentucky, Cal, GW, UConn or the NBA?

6. Has anyone really ever seen Jerome Moiso (except on tape), and is he really 6'-10"?

7. Has anyone actually spoken with any of these players, or does everyone just publish what the other guy is thinking/predicting/hoping will happen?

8. How can Kurtz visit so many schools and not violate the NCAA recruiting rules?

9. Is this fun or what?

Answer Key (1. None of the above; 2. Ssshhhh; 3. We could tell you but then we'd have to kill you; 4. Really, we can't say; 5. We don't have a clue; 6. No, he's a purely fictional character made up by J.D. Salinger, and in the book he's only 5'-3"; 7. Ever played the game "telephone"? What do you think.; 8. He can't; 9. You bet!)