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.
Lucas Leaving Florida; Majok Coming to UConn; Gilchrist, Hamilton, Famous
Lots of movement in the world of college basketball going on…
**Jai Lucas, son of former NBA player John Lucas, is transferring out of Florida. Lucas started all 36 games for the Gators last season, averaging 8.5 points and 2.3 assists. Playing alongside Nick Calathes, the Southeastern co-freshman of the year, in a three-guard lineup didn’t work out for Lucas, who could end up at a Big 12 school close to his home in Bellaire, Texas. Oklahoma State, Kentucky and Maryland were among his finalists last time around.
“I just think we were going in different directions.” Lucas told Gatorsports.com. “I have no regrets about it. The coaching staff, the players, the school, were great. I had a great time while I was here. I just wanted something else.”
**Ater Majok, the 6-10, 220-pound power forward from the Sudan by way of Australia, is expected to arrive at UConn sometime next week. With Majok and 6-9 Stanley Robinson both joining the team second semester, the Big East favorite Huskies will add two potential NBA players. Those two will join a front line that includes 7-3 center Hasheem Thabeet, whom head coach Jim Calhoun is touting as a potential National Player of the Year, and 6-7 forward Jeff Adrien.
**Former UConn freshman Nate Miles dropped 50 points in an intrasquad scrimmage the other day at Southern Idaho, according to Mike Anthony of the Hartford Courant. MIles was expelled from UConn after violating a restraining order taken out by a woman he was dating and was alleged to have attacked.
**South Florida got some good news when it learned that the NCAA had granted a waiver request for Gus Gilchrist that will allow him to play in the loaded Big East second semester.
The 6-10 Gilchrist, who transferred from Maryland, will be eligible to play Dec. 14 when USF hosts Niagara at the Sun Dome.
“We are thrilled with the news that Gus will join our team in time for the meat of our schedule,” said USF head coach Stan Heath.
Heath will have two key players join his active roster on Dec. 14. Joining Gilchrist will be junior guard Mike Mercer, who transferred to USF from Georgia prior to the Spring semester of 2008.
USF will have played six non-conference games and have five remaining, including a trip to Vanderbilt, when the Bulls take the floor on Dec. 14.
**Texas commit Jordan Hamilton of Compton (Calif.) Dominguez High won’t play high school ball this year after he was denied a hardship waiver. He was seeking a fifth year of high school eligibility.
Now speculation will begin as to whether the 6-7 Hamilton might follow Brandon Jennings to Europe.
**Jarrid Famous, the 7-footer from Westchester Community College, is expected to wait until the spring to make a college decision. Famous, who would have two years of Division I eligibility remaining, took one official visit, to Seton Hall, this fall. He plans to visit UConn, Missouri and West Virginia in the spring.
**Speaking of Seton Hall, the Pirates have reached out to some of the players who de-committed from Arizona in the wake of Lute Olson’s retirement.
**And speaking of Arizona, 6-10 freshman center Jeff Withey was denied a transfer waiver by AD Jim Livengood.
“My very simple reason is I firmly believe, as the letter of intent states, that he needs to stay a full academic year,” Livengood said to the Arizona Daily Star. “At the end of [the year] — as I told him last night — I would gladly release him if he wanted.”
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.
Lots of movement in the world of college basketball going on…
**Jai Lucas, son of former NBA player John Lucas, is transferring out of Florida. Lucas started all 36 games for the Gators last season, averaging 8.5 points and 2.3 assists. Playing alongside Nick Calathes, the Southeastern co-freshman of the year, in a three-guard lineup didn’t work out for Lucas, who could end up at a Big 12 school close to his home in Bellaire, Texas. Oklahoma State, Kentucky and Maryland were among his finalists last time around.
“I just think we were going in different directions.” Lucas told Gatorsports.com. “I have no regrets about it. The coaching staff, the players, the school, were great. I had a great time while I was here. I just wanted something else.”
**Ater Majok, the 6-10, 220-pound power forward from the Sudan by way of Australia, is expected to arrive at UConn sometime next week. With Majok and 6-9 Stanley Robinson both joining the team second semester, the Big East favorite Huskies will add two potential NBA players. Those two will join a front line that includes 7-3 center Hasheem Thabeet, whom head coach Jim Calhoun is touting as a potential National Player of the Year, and 6-7 forward Jeff Adrien.
**Former UConn freshman Nate Miles dropped 50 points in an intrasquad scrimmage the other day at Southern Idaho, according to Mike Anthony of the Hartford Courant. MIles was expelled from UConn after violating a restraining order taken out by a woman he was dating and was alleged to have attacked.
**South Florida got some good news when it learned that the NCAA had granted a waiver request for Gus Gilchrist that will allow him to play in the loaded Big East second semester.
The 6-10 Gilchrist, who transferred from Maryland, will be eligible to play Dec. 14 when USF hosts Niagara at the Sun Dome.
“We are thrilled with the news that Gus will join our team in time for the meat of our schedule,” said USF head coach Stan Heath.
Heath will have two key players join his active roster on Dec. 14. Joining Gilchrist will be junior guard Mike Mercer, who transferred to USF from Georgia prior to the Spring semester of 2008.
USF will have played six non-conference games and have five remaining, including a trip to Vanderbilt, when the Bulls take the floor on Dec. 14.
**Texas commit Jordan Hamilton of Compton (Calif.) Dominguez High won’t play high school ball this year after he was denied a hardship waiver. He was seeking a fifth year of high school eligibility.
Now speculation will begin as to whether the 6-7 Hamilton might follow Brandon Jennings to Europe.
**Jarrid Famous, the 7-footer from Westchester Community College, is expected to wait until the spring to make a college decision. Famous, who would have two years of Division I eligibility remaining, took one official visit, to Seton Hall, this fall. He plans to visit UConn, Missouri and West Virginia in the spring.
**Speaking of Seton Hall, the Pirates have reached out to some of the players who de-committed from Arizona in the wake of Lute Olson’s retirement.
**And speaking of Arizona, 6-10 freshman center Jeff Withey was denied a transfer waiver by AD Jim Livengood.
“My very simple reason is I firmly believe, as the letter of intent states, that he needs to stay a full academic year,” Livengood said to the Arizona Daily Star. “At the end of [the year] — as I told him last night — I would gladly release him if he wanted.”
