The ongoing soap opera that is Arizona basketball these days has been enough for at least one Arizona recruit. Emmanuel Negedu, a 6-7 forward has asked the Wildcats to let him out of his National Letter of Intent."There have been so many changes that I feel they've lied to me all along about the situation," Negedu said. "Everything has changed a lot since I've signed down there. I can't take it no more."Negedu said this had been brewing for a while. He described a February official visit that consisted of him mostly being alone in his room -- without a host or anyone to take him around to see classes.
Negedu signed in November as part of UA's top seven recruiting class. He's rated at No. 40 overall of the incoming freshmen.
It's not clear if Olson will grant him his release. Negedu said that if Olson does not grant him his release he'll return to the Academy for another year, hopeful that he'll get re-recruited to go to another school. It's an option he doesn't really want to do "because what do I have to prove in high school anymore?"
It also doesn't help that in the past month, Coach Lute Olson has fired two assistants and a third bolted to Memphis. Leaving Negedu with none of the coaches who actually recruited him.
If he is released, Indiana and Tennessee (where each school has dismissed at least a couple players in a busy offseason) are considered leaders for his services.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
5-20-2008 @ 12:25PM
Slicearoni said...
The funny thing about this is that Arizona believes they have this kid by the balls so to speak. Just him knowing that he can go back to high school or better yet, Go play in Europe for a yr and get to the ultimate goal which is to play in the NBA is a strong possibility which would mean that Arizona won't get him at all regardless of what he signed. They don't guarantee anything in the letters of intent that these athletes sign except education. They don't guarantee endorsements, playing time or anything else on the court so if college is not really his vibe, he could opt out and just do him.
If those letters of intent were so strong, then they would make the recruit stay for all 4 yrs of school. But in this case, since there isn't even a commitment with the coaches as none of them are there that recruited him in the 1st place, why would he stay? What a joke!!!!
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5-20-2008 @ 12:26PM
oscrecruiting said...
too bad this young man is ONLY going to college for basketball and NOT an education...this is the reality of college athletics at the top level programs...
let's hope he doesn't have a career ending injury and he has not prepared himself to seek a college degree...you can only fall back on athletics for so long and then it is your education that will carry you the rest of your life...
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5-20-2008 @ 12:26PM
E Diffe said...
The whole letter of intent needs to be reviewed. When a coach leaves a team, all of the recruits should be able to reconsider the LOI, but should not be permitted to join the coach at his/her new school.
Lute Olson has been a great coach over the years, but like Joe Paterno and Bobby Bowden, he needs to know that it is time to retire.
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