Could Xavier Henry be headed to Europe?
Xavier and his father Carl Henry told the Kansas City Star that a month after Xavier committed to play for Kansas the family looked into a deal that would have sent Xavier to Europe next season.
“You don’t have to take any classes,” Xavier told the newspaper.
The deal would’ve paid Xavier $1 million, but the snag was that they would not have known which team he would play for (Say what?).
“I’m the one going over there with him,” Carl said. “I’m not going over there where they’re fighting.”
In a separate interview with TheShiver.com, Carl confirmed that both Xavier and C.J. Henry would play for Kansas next year. He said both are hard at work for basketball season but are not working out with the team or attending summer school.
In August, they plan to work out with NBA players in L.A.
“We are going out to L.A. in August, like the 2nd-9th, to work out with a lot of pros out there. Paul Pierce, Derrick Rose, Sheldon Williams, and Tyreke Evans. I know a lot of those guys from my days and we think it will be great for them to work out with those guys,” Carl Henry said. “Blake Griffin and his brother Taylor both went out there and worked out in the past too.”
They will head to Kansas in mid-August.
“I think classes start somewhere around August 19th. I think we are heading up on like the 17th or so,” Henry said. “Both boys have been enrolled in classes.”
Americans heading to Europe instead of American colleges is a hot trend. Brandon Jennings did it last year and was the No. 10 pick of the recent NBA Draft.
Jeremy Tyler, a 6-10 big man from San Diego, will skip his senior year of high school and play two years overseas — potentially in Israel — before entering the 2011 NBA Draft.
Even Epiphanny Prince, a former Rutgers women’s player who once scored 113 points in a high school game, is leaving Rutgers to play overseas.
The recent news about Henry has even sparked some conspiracy theorists to mention to me that perhaps Lance Stephenson is holding out on his commitment to see exactly what Henry does.
If Henry were to go to Europe, Lance could theoretically wind up back at Kansas, his first choice all along.
More likely is that Stephenson, whose sexual assault case was adjourned until July 15, will end up at Cincinnati or somewhere else.
As for Henry and those in his class, Jeff Goodman has a 2010 mock NBA draft out and Henry is No. 6 behind John Wall, Derrick Favors, Ed Davis, Al-Farouq Aminu and Renardo Sidney.
Devin Ebanks of Long Island City, N.Y. and a rising sophomore at West Virginia is No. 20; Tyshawn Taylor, Henry’s teammate at Kansas and a former standout for Bob Hurley at St. Anthony of Jersey City, is No. 26; and former Manhattan Rice and current UConn star Kemba Walker is No. 29.
Jeff, no fan of Lance Stephenson, has him as a “Wild Card.”
One NBA Draft expert told me Stephenson would have been a “late lottery” pick in this year’s draft had he been eligible, which he wasn’t because of the NBA age limit.
Henry’s first commit to Memphis.
Henry’s second commit to Kansas.
Henry’s third commit to Kentucky?
I guess commitment doesn’t mean much. I hope Kansas did not give them an out on their commitment. They shouldn’t release them and they should let them play for Kansas or move to Europe. As a Memphis fan, I hope the kid goes to Europe and never comes back. It really does hurt teams for guys to commit to a school then change their mind. Some of you think it is OK for guys to leave when the coach changes. Well, this didn’t happen at Kansas. You leave a place for someone when you could have recruited others. I think the system stinks and if a kid gives a commitment, he honors it or sits for a year unless their is a convincing reason to leave. I’d say the Tim Floyd situation at USC might be one of them.
Carl Henry reminds me of Lance’s dad. He is just pimping out his teenager for the best offer. What a scumbag, parents that leach onto their children deserve to be shot.
If Xavier goes to Kentucky, I bet Eric Bledsoe feels more like an idiot than he does now. With Wall and Henry, there is absolutely no room for Bledsoe. He was a big loss for Memphis, we are very fortunate that Elliot Williams transferred to us (despite the unfortunate circumstances).
It always comes back to bite him and the fans who think they love him though. College basketball isn’t about winning at all costs. When you go to college and get a degree from someplace you’ll understand why it’s different from professional sports.
How about a brother doing the same (cough Reggie Rose cough)?
As I understand it Xavier and CJ have given only a verbal committment to Kansas because they can’t sign an LOI ….. until they enroll in school they are essentially free agents and can go anywhere without KU’s consent . I do think Xavier has changed his mind and Carl is running interference with the “insulting news article “excuse. Top players like Henry have a career to consider worth millions ……College grads in the business world would never be lambasted for switching companies or going to work for a competitor if it furthered their career. At the top 40 level we must realize we’re rooting for minor league ball players …..not good ole State U. like in some Mickey Rooney movie .
Actually they’ve enrolled in school (which is why Self can talk about them). They haven’t actually attended class or practiced with the team, which I believe means they can do whatever they want (just like Wall).
ok Ben …I new there was some reason they had an out ….thanks
knew
Does Cal have room for CJ ? …..I know he would have played him a lot last year if he hadn’t been hurt …Cal really liked the kid as a player in addition to him completing the package deal.
pasta-
I think it’ll be just as hard, if not harder, to keep everyone happy when/if these 2 go to UK. Bledsoe, Wall, Henry, Henry, and those other guards you guys have? I mean, it’s apparent that Carl Henry thinks both his kids should play immediately. I mean, he said he thought CJ was as good as Sherron and Tyshawn after taking what, 3 or 4 years off of competitive bball?
When/if this happens, Bledsoe gets the worst end of the deal, in my opinion.
I wonder if Lance stalls on Cincy now? Prolly not, but we can wish…
The assumption would be that Bledsoe and/or Wall are not going to qualify, which made Cal NEED CJ almost as much as he needed X. The prospect of PT for both brothers made them rethink their commitment (2nd commitment).
Lots of egos there rock …thats very correct …but its essentially the same class that had Memphis fans dreaming of the 40 and 0 scenario …which as we know now in Cusa is quite possible …..good point about guys qualifying by Ben ….but from what I’m hearing everyone is in …btw …. you guys and KY . does not apply to me ….I’m a Memphis fan …..who doesn’t hate Cal …that’s all .
Well, the fact of the matter is, you called this. I don’t know if it was in jest, or not… but you did. The circus that this has turned into is almost unbelievable… I had always thought X was the gem of his class, but now I am thinking otherwise.
1 commitment….. 2 commitment…… 3 commitment…….
One thing’s for sure… I wish I could listen in on this “meeting”
X the gem of his class? C’mon. I’ve seen him play a few times and he’s not even at the same level as guys like Lance, Favors, Wall and Henson. He’s a great addition to a great Kansas team if his head is on straight, but I would bet he’s not a lottery pick (maybe not a first rounder depending on who else comes out early) next year.
tempo rankings? LOL …..Memphis ‘s fast break looks like 5 men running from a burning building Ben ….you need to go watch them in person .
Xavier will play 2 years for Cal …..said so when Cal recruited him …Carl’s the only one and done talker in that family .
Every year he’s at Kentucky he’ll drop in the draft though. His athleticism is a bad match for the DD”O”. Not that he’s unathletic but he’s never going to be quick so he’ll end up as the spot shooter and that guy isn’t likely to get drafted in the lottery.
Reggie Rose is another gold digger… He could have paid for all of his tickets… Of course Calipari has no knowledge of this kind of thing going on, afterall, it is a Memphis problem…
Ben, he couldn’t beat you guys with a 9 point lead and 2 minutes remaining. But he can steal recruits with the best of them!
Looking forward to playing you guys this year. I went to the NC game. I have to say Kansas fans were pretty much a class act… Calipari can recruit, but can’t coach worth a damn….
I’m a Syracuse grad but I agree with you about Calipari. Self has made me a Kansas fan as well, it’s hard not to love that guy. My team will always be the orange, but #2 is probably the Jayhawks. Class coach, class program and generally class fans. I wish Norm Roberts would have some success at St Johns because I really see him as the next Bill Self if he was given the right opportunity (and he’d need to have a lot more success for my us to hire him in a few years)
CJ is just a part of the package. He was highly rated 6 years ago, and if my memory serves me, I believe he signed with Kansas. He later went into pro baseball and hasn’t done anything there. Now he enrolls in different colleges trying to play basketball with his little brother.
CJ is a freebie. His school is being paid for by the NY Yankees. He won’t see any playing time, but he will be a taken as a part of any deal (ie, Memphis, Kansas).