By ALEX KLINE

Shabazz Muhammad, a 6-foot-5 shooting guard from Bishop Gorman in Nevada, has picked up another offer. This one is from the national champion Duke Blue Devils. Muhammad, who reclassified from the 2011 class into 2012, is ranked 8^th in the country in that class by Rivals.com.

About a week ago, the sophomore predicted Duke would offer him soon. As of now, his offers include “Arizona, Arizona State, Duke, Louisville, Kansas, Kentucky, USC, Texas, and Memphis.”

**UPDATE: Muhammad expects to get a formal offer from North Carolina in mid-June, per sources.

Rodney Purvis ’13, a 6-3 point guard from Upper Room Christian in North Carolina, is making (more…)

Daniel Ochefu is piling up the high-major offers.

Rutgers became the latest Division I school to offer the 6-foot-10, 235-pound Class of 2012 forward/center out of The Westtown (Pa.) School.

Ochefu now claims offers from West Virginia, Virginia, Temple, James Madison and Rutgers.

“I like Georgetown and Kentucky a lot but I’m sure there will be more offers at the end of the summer,” Ochefu told ZAGSBLOG contributor Alex Kline.

Ochefu said he has no visits planned yet but will set some up soon. (more…)

Here’s Jonathan Givony’s interview with Kentucky guard John Wall, the likely No. 1 pick in the upcoming NBA Draft.

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Jonathan Givony of DraftExpess.com talks with Brooklyn native Lance Stephenson during the recent Chicago Draft Combine.

And here’s my recent story on him training under Joe Abunassar at Impact Basketball.

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Kentucky issued the following statement in response to the New York Times article about the NCAA investigating Eric Bledsoe’s high school record.

“Often high profile student-athletes are selected for an extensive prospective student-athlete (PSA) review. Eric Bledsoe participated in the normal academic review process and also an extensive PSA review by the NCAA Eligibility Center and was cleared academically.”

In other Kentucky news, head coach John Calipari revealed on his Website that his mother, Donna, is battling cancer and that he would need to focus on her for the near future. (more…)

If you’re a college coach seeking a 6-foot-10, 215-pound  Big East-level forward at this late date, you should know about Walter Pitchford.

Pitchford, out of Richmond (Ind.) New Creations Basketball Academy, has asked to be released from his Letter of Intent to DePaul but hasn’t received it yet.

“I’m still waiting,” Pitchford, a Grand Rapids, Mich., native, said Friday by phone. “The longest I have to wait is around nine [more] days until I can get my release fully. It could be sooner than that.”

DePaul had no immediate comment on the matter.

Pitchford and his father, Walter Sr., said they were told by DePaul officials that he would receive his release within 30 days of when he first asked for it. The father mentioned June 10 as the end of the 30-day period. (more…)

Will the NCAA’s investigation of former Kentucky guard Eric Bledsoe send John Calipari packing for the NBA?

At least one NBA agent says Yes.

“Obviously, if something’s going to go down at Kentucky, that would be the third school [that Calipari's impacted].

“I would think that that would expedite something.” (more…)

Melquan Bolding, a 6-foot-3, 195-pound sophomore wing from Mount Vernon, N.Y., will transfer to Fairleigh Dickinson from Duquesne, according to his AAU coach.

Bolding, who played at Bishop Stepinac and Notre Dame Prep, must sit out a year before he can suit up. He will have two years remaining.

“Mel is going to FDU,” said New York Panthers coach Gary Charles. “The papers have been signed. He had a prior relationship  with Coach [Greg] Vetrone from camp. He also has friends on the team and felt extremely comfortable on campus.”

Bolding himself wasn’t quite ready to say he committed.

“I haven’t signed anywhere,” he said.

Bolding, who initially committed to Louisville, averaged 11.8 points and 3.9 rebounds last season at Duquesne.

He averaged 18 points and seven rebounds at Notre Dame Prep during his last year of prep school.

(Photo courtesy Duquesne Athletics)

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STORRS, Conn. (AP) – The University of Connecticut says the NCAA has found eight violations in the school’s men’s basketball program.

The alleged violations include improper phone calls and text messages to recruits, and giving recruits improper benefits. Coach Jim Calhoun was cited Friday for failing to “promote an atmosphere of compliance.”

Calhoun, who turned 68 this month, has had several health problems. He led the Huskies to two national championships and recently signed a five-year, $13 million contract.

UConn was 18-16 last season. Calhoun took a medical leave of absence in January, missing seven games with an undisclosed condition. (more…)

Austin Rivers won’t visit UCLA on Monday as originally planned. But he plans to visit UCLA at some point and says he’ll take his five officials to Duke, UCLA, Kansas, Florida and North Carolina and then decide in August.

Rivers is a rising senior at Winter Park (Fla.) High and ranks as the No. 2 shooting guard in the Class of 2011.

He verbally committed to Florida but his AAU coach Therion Joseph recently said Duke “would be the leader” now.

Here’s an excerpt from Rivers’ diary entry in Dime Magazine: (more…)