Last weekend barely moved the needle on the recruiting radar. The weekend passed without a Top 100 pledge. The biggest surprise over the last few days was an unofficial visit to Oklahoma State by No. 3 senior Julius Randle (Dallas, Tex./Prestonwood Academy).
Oklahoma State? The same team that wasn’t mentioned by the big man all summer long? Yep, that’s the guy. In order to put the visit into context, we need to examine two relationships.
The first relationship is the one Randle cultivated with guard Marcus Smart in June. The pair played on the USA U18 team. When the squad was in Brazil, they roomed together. Though the Pokes are a long shot, Smart’s relationship with Randle was a key facilitator in giving them a chance to show off their facilities.
The second relationship work another look is the one between Oklahoma State and the Dallas area. LeBryan Nash was the top Dallas player in 2011; Smart was that guy in 2012. The Cowboys landed the best player from Dallas the past two seasons.
Are the Cowboys going to land Randle? Probably not but Smartacus came through with the assist as Randle came through Stillwater for a visit.
Weekend Notes
• Point guard Roddy Peters (Suitland, Md./Suitland) hits the visit trail this Friday. His first trip will be to Xavier. Expect Maryland, UCLA and Memphis to receive official visits.
• 2013 center Goodluck Okonoboh (Boston, Mass./Wilbraham & Monson) is now 2014 center Goodluck Okonoboh. According to his travel team coach, Vin Pastore, the center transferred from Tilton to Wilbraham & Monson and also elected to reclassify. “Given he was moving (schools),” Pastore said, “the extra year will allow him to develop more at the offensive end of the floor before going to college.”
Speaking of Boston, shooting guard Wayne Selden (Boston, Mass./Tilton School) told Paul Biancardi he’s down to six schools. Syracuse, Florida, UCLA, Missouri, Kansas and Ohio State. Here’s a little food for thought, for what it’s worth. Four of the six schools on Selden’s list have Boston-area products. Missouri has two.
Georgia extended itself into Oklahoma over the weekend and picked up a guard. Juwan Parker (Tulsa, Okla./BT Washington) committed to Mark Fox’s program.
Finally, the son of NC State head coach Mark Gottfried received his first offer. Jimmy Patsos of Loyola (MD) offered 2014 guard Cameron Gottfried (Raleigh, N.C./Broughton).