Adam Zagoria covers basketball at all levels. He is the author of two books and an award-winning journalist whose articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Sports Illustrated, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide.
Rathan-Mayes’ Dad Says He’s Still Wide Open (UPDATED)
Xavier Rathan-Mayes’ stepfather, Tharon Mayes, called me Thursday morning to clarify comments he made to the New Haven Register regarding his son’s college list.
Tharon said he didn’t mean to indicate his son had trimmed his list of 10 to five or six because he hasn’t yet done so.
“There was never a quotation of me saying he was down to five or six schools,” Tharon told SNY.tv. “Those are a few schools that are interested in him.”
Rathan-Mayes initially cut his list to Baylor, UConn, Alabama, Florida State, Kansas, Kentucky, Illinois, Memphis, Texas and UCLA.
“He doesn’t have any visits,” Tharon said. “I think he wants to go on an unofficial to Florida State soon. And I think that’s basically it. He’s focusing on the SAT and then he’s going to focus more on unofficial visits to schools.”
As far as a timetable, Tharon said: “I think he’ll make a decision in November. I think he wants to take his time, to get the SAT score, take his vists and then make a decision.”
Xavier is a 6-foot-4 shooting guard at Huntington (W.V.) Prep who may well end up announcing his college choice via the CIA Bounce TV site the way Tyler Ennis will do Thursday night.
He has already taken an unofficial visit to UConn, but Tharon expressed concern to the Register about whether head coach Jim Calhoun would be around for the 2013-14 season.
“It’s a concern,” Tharon said. “He likes Kevin Ollie. Kevin’s been speaking to him, it’s definitely a school of interest. But that is something that’s a little scary.”
Adam Zagoria is a Basketball Insider who covers basketball at all levels. A contributor to The New York Times and SportsNet New York (SNY), he is also the author of two books and is an award-winning journalist and filmmaker. His articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide. He also won an Emmy award for his work on the SNY mini-documentary on Syracuse guard Tyus Battle.
A veteran Ultimate Frisbee player, he has competed in numerous National and World Championships and, perhaps more importantly, his teams won the Westchester Summer League (WSL) championships in 2011 and 2013.
He lives in Manhattan with his wife and children.
Xavier Rathan-Mayes’ stepfather, Tharon Mayes, called me Thursday morning to clarify comments he made to the New Haven Register regarding his son’s college list.
Tharon said he didn’t mean to indicate his son had trimmed his list of 10 to five or six because he hasn’t yet done so.
“There was never a quotation of me saying he was down to five or six schools,” Tharon told SNY.tv. “Those are a few schools that are interested in him.”
Rathan-Mayes initially cut his list to Baylor, UConn, Alabama, Florida State, Kansas, Kentucky, Illinois, Memphis, Texas and UCLA.
“He doesn’t have any visits,” Tharon said. “I think he wants to go on an unofficial to Florida State soon. And I think that’s basically it. He’s focusing on the SAT and then he’s going to focus more on unofficial visits to schools.”
As far as a timetable, Tharon said: “I think he’ll make a decision in November. I think he wants to take his time, to get the SAT score, take his vists and then make a decision.”
Xavier is a 6-foot-4 shooting guard at Huntington (W.V.) Prep who may well end up announcing his college choice via the CIA Bounce TV site the way Tyler Ennis will do Thursday night.
He has already taken an unofficial visit to UConn, but Tharon expressed concern to the Register about whether head coach Jim Calhoun would be around for the 2013-14 season.
“It’s a concern,” Tharon said. “He likes Kevin Ollie. Kevin’s been speaking to him, it’s definitely a school of interest. But that is something that’s a little scary.”
