JaKarr Sampson enjoyed his unofficial visit to Tennessee Wednesday and is now considering four schools.
“He’s considering Tennessee, Baylor, St. John’s and he’s still looking at Kansas,” Don Anderson, Sampson’s AAU coach, said Thursday by phone. “Four schools pretty much.”
The No. 12 small forward in the Class of 2011 out of Akron, Ohio, Sampson is due to register at Brewster (N.H.) Academy Saturday. He will join a loaded team under coach Jason Smith that also features Naadir Tharpe, Elijah Carter and Markus Kennedy. Carter is on an unofficial today (Thursday) to Seton Hall.
Anderson said the 6-foot-8, 193-pound Sampson had hoped to take another swing through St. John’s Friday en route to Brewster but doubts it can happen.
Sampson said he still plans on taking an official to St. John’s after taking an unofficial earlier this summer.
“I know I’m going to visit St. John’s,” Sampson said by phone. “My mom and coach Don haven’t set a date yet. That would be official.”
As for the Tennessee visit, Sampson tripped with his mother and Anderson.
“It was real good,” Sampson said. “We met with the academic adviser [Kelli Brock]. My mom really liked the lady who was in charge of it. She liked how structured it was.
“The coaching staff was phenomenal. They were really friendly. I could see myself. there. Coach Bruce Pearl is real cool
“The visit was spectacular,” added Anderson. “We toured the facilities, toured their business center because he wants to major in economics. We learned what he’ll be able to do when he gets there academically as well as physically.
“We got an opportunity to look at some film, how they play. JaKarr got a real good feel for what coach [Bruce] Pearl was doing as far as his style of play. It’s uptempo, one in, four out. He talked with Tobias Harris.”
Of Harris, Sampson said, “He’s a real cool dude. He’s real friendly.”Tennessee really came on strong during the summer by attending many of Sampson’s games. “Bruce Pearl was at almost all my games,” Sampson said. “That means a lot. I look for that, to see if the head coach is here, not just the assistant coaches.” “They were at every game,” Anderson added. “Tony Jones and Bruce Pearl, the whole staff recruits him. He looks up at a game and he sees orange and white. That intrigued JaKarr a lot.” Sampson said no other visits were planned, but he would like to visit Baylor and Kansas. “Yes,” he said. As for when he might decide, Sampson said: “I don’t know. I just gotta finish these visits out and then I’ll make my decision.” Follow Adam Zagoria on Twitter
