Jeff Van Gundy confirmed that Texas A&M reached out to him about their coaching vacancy.

“[Texas A&M] Bill Byrne did approach me,” Van Gundy, a Houston native, told 1050TheGame in Houston. “I wouldn’t really comment on his interest. He hasn’t made an offer or anything like that. It was just a get to know conversation, see if you’re interested.

“I really don’t know where I stand.”

Van Gundy, who now works as an NBA ESPN analyst, is a former Providence and Rutgers assistant. He also coached the Knicks and Rockets. (more…)

Perry Ellis, the No. 6 power forward in the Class of 2012, is looking to cut his list before his season starts in early December, according to his mother, Fonda Ellis.

“He’s trying to narrow it down to 5 or 7 by the time the season starts,” she said Saturday by phone.

The 6-foot-8, 224-pound Perry said his list currently includes Memphis, Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma, Kentucky, Texas A&M, North Carolina and Wichita State.

Iowa and Wake Forest have also offered and his mother said Georgetown, UCLA, Miami and Stanford are also interested. (more…)

D’Angelo Harrison, a four-star combo guard from Fort Bend (Texas) Dulles, is focusing on five schools at this point.

The 6-foot-3, 190-pound Harrison listed Texas A&M, Marquette, Baylor, Oklahoma State and St. John’s.

Harrison will visit St. John’s unofficially Aug. 30 after attending a Five-Star Camp in the New York area.

Asked what he knew about St. John’s, Harrison said, “I’ll see when I get up there. I’ll know more.” (more…)

Kyrie Irving made it official on ESPNU Thursday night, putting on a blue Duke baseball hat and announcing his intention to play for the Blue Devils.

A senior at Elizabeth (N.J.) St. Patrick, Irving chose Duke over Texas A&M and Kentucky, both of which he took official visits to. He canceled visits to Georgia Tech and Seton Hall after deciding to announce.

“I”m pleased to announce that I will be committing to Duke University,” he said. “I will be a Blue Devil next year.”

The 6-foot-2, 175-pound Irving is the No. 4 point guard in the Class of 2010 and the No. 9 overall player, according to Rivals.com.

He joins 6-8 power forward Josh Hairston of Spotslvania, Va., and 6-2 point guard Tyler Thornton of Washington, D.C., in Duke’s 2010 recruiting haul.

Irving said his “relationship with [Coach Mike Krzyzewski] and the whole entire coaching staff” was key to his decision. (more…)

Elizabeth (N.J.) St. Patrick point guard Kyrie Irving has committed to Duke and will announce sometime this week, according to multiple sources with knowledge of the situation.

The 6-foot-2, 175-pound Irving is the No. 4 point guard in the Class of 2010 and the No. 9 overall player, according to Rivals.com.

“He’s definitely going to Duke and if he doesn’t announce it tomorrow [Wednesday] he’ll probably announce it Thursday,” said one Division 1 assistant coach involved in Irving’s recruitment.

“He has committed. I heard that from [a Duke assistant],” said a second coach who recruited Irving.

A third source close to yet another assistant coach recruiting Irving confirmed that he had committed to the Blue Devils.

“He told me it’s a done deal,” the source said. (more…)

Tobias Harris and Kyrie Irving together in college?

Imagine what a dangerous tandem that would be for some lucky college program.

It could happen if both seniors choose the same school.

But at this point the two stars would have to both select Kentucky, which they visited this weekend for Big Blue Madness, or Georgia Tech, which both will visit in the coming weeks.

“We talked about that but both of us don’t have a leader in this process and the only schools recruiting us both are Kentucky and Georgia Tech,” the 6-foot-8 Harris from Dix Hills (N.Y.) Half Hollow Hills West, second from right in the above photo, said Sunday night by text. (more…)

Kyrie Irving and Tobias Harris have been remarkably consistent throughout their recruiting processes.

Both high school seniors have insisted they will take all of their college visits before deciding.

Duke still looks like the leader for Irving, and Syracuse would appear to lead for Harris.

But both plan on finishing their visits despite having a great time at Kentucky’s “Big Blue Madness.”

“Yes, I plan to,” Irving said by text Saturday night after returning from Kentucky. “All the places that are on my list I can see myself playing at.” (more…)

Kyrie Irving has now completed two official visits and still plans to take the three others he initially planned.

After a weekend official to Texas A&M in which the Aggies lost to Oklahoma State 36-31 in football, Irving texted me Sunday to say, “It was good. I really enjoyed it.”

The 6-foot-2 Irving, a senior point guard at Elizabeth (N.J.) St. Patrick, said he still planned to visit Kentucky next weekend for Big Blue Madness.

“Yes,” he said. (more…)

The longer Kyrie Irving goes without committing to Duke, the better it is for the other four schools in the Irving Sweepstakes.

The 6-foot-2 Irving out of Elizabeth (N.J.) St. Patrick still hasn’t committed to the Dukies and will head out today on his second official visit to Texas A&M.

“Getting ready for my visit at Texas a and m tmrw…let’s do it!!” Irving Tweeted this week.

The A&M connection stems from assistant coach Scott Spinelli, who played college ball at Boston U with Drederick Irving, Kyrie’s father.

After A&M, Irving is slated to visit Kentucky next weekend for Big Blue Madness, before going to Georgia Tech and Seton Hall. (more…)