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.
Arkansas Lands Big Man Moses Kingsley; Point Guard Powell to Memphis; Illinois Lands Nunn
Arkansas on Saturday landed 6-foot-9 Huntington (W.V.) Prep big man Moses Kingsley, according to reports.
Huntington coach Rob Fulford has compared Kingsley, who committed on his visit to Arkansas and was also being courted by Louisville, to Louisville big man Gorgui Dieng.
“They’re very similar,” Fulford told the Louisville Courier Journal. “Gorgui was probably a better shot-blocker at this stage, but Moses is a little better offensively at this stage.”
Kingsley was recently hospitalized for four days after contracting malaria during a trip home to his native Nigeria.
He will pair with fellow Arkansas commit Bobby Portis to give head coach Mike Anderson a terrific one-two punch up front.
POINT GUARD POWELL TO MEMPHIS
Memphis landed a commitment from 6-foot point guard Rashawn “Pookie” Powell of Orlando Dr. Phillips, the Rivals No. 98 player in the Class of 2013.
“I committed to Memphis university..tiger nation,” he Tweeted.
Powell also considered Alabama, which is still seeking a point guard after Anthony “Cat” Barber picked N.C. State.
A natural point guard, Powell likes to push the tempo and has a good command of the offense.
“I like running up and down,” he told SNY.tv in July.
ILLINOIS LANDS KENDRICK NUNNKendrick Nunn, a 6-2 shooting guard from Chicago Simeon, picked Illinois Saturday over Marquette, Memphis and Ohio State, according to ESPNChicago.com.
“It was to the point where nothing else was going to get better than here,” Nunn’s father, Melvin, told the Website. “There’s a lot of history at Illinois to do with it. That’s what it’s all about. He wants to continue the history. He did it at Simeon and now wants to continue it at the state school and be a part of a national championship at his state school.
“I think Kendrick believes he can get this rolling. He wanted to be a part of something he got started. Groce and his coaching staff want him to be a part of something he got started.”
Nunn, a teammate of Jabari Parker, the No. 1 player in the class, is the first big-time commit for new coach John Groce and his staff, and the third for 2013.
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.
Arkansas on Saturday landed 6-foot-9 Huntington (W.V.) Prep big man Moses Kingsley, according to reports.
Huntington coach Rob Fulford has compared Kingsley, who committed on his visit to Arkansas and was also being courted by Louisville, to Louisville big man Gorgui Dieng.
“They’re very similar,” Fulford told the Louisville Courier Journal. “Gorgui was probably a better shot-blocker at this stage, but Moses is a little better offensively at this stage.”
Kingsley was recently hospitalized for four days after contracting malaria during a trip home to his native Nigeria.
He will pair with fellow Arkansas commit Bobby Portis to give head coach Mike Anderson a terrific one-two punch up front.
POINT GUARD POWELL TO MEMPHIS
Memphis landed a commitment from 6-foot point guard Rashawn “Pookie” Powell of Orlando Dr. Phillips, the Rivals No. 98 player in the Class of 2013.
“I committed to Memphis university..tiger nation,” he Tweeted.
Powell also considered Alabama, which is still seeking a point guard after Anthony “Cat” Barber picked N.C. State.
A natural point guard, Powell likes to push the tempo and has a good command of the offense.
“I like running up and down,” he told SNY.tv in July.
ILLINOIS LANDS KENDRICK NUNN
Kendrick Nunn, a 6-2 shooting guard from Chicago Simeon, picked Illinois Saturday over Marquette, Memphis and Ohio State, according to ESPNChicago.com.
“It was to the point where nothing else was going to get better than here,” Nunn’s father, Melvin, told the Website. “There’s a lot of history at Illinois to do with it. That’s what it’s all about. He wants to continue the history. He did it at Simeon and now wants to continue it at the state school and be a part of a national championship at his state school.
“I think Kendrick believes he can get this rolling. He wanted to be a part of something he got started. Groce and his coaching staff want him to be a part of something he got started.”
Nunn, a teammate of Jabari Parker, the No. 1 player in the class, is the first big-time commit for new coach John Groce and his staff, and the third for 2013.
