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.
Eric Bledsoe, the No. 3 point guard in the Class of 2009, will take a step closer to making his college decision this weekend when he visits John Calipari’s old and new programs.
“He’s going to Memphis Thursday and then going to Kentucky Saturday,” said Maurice Ford, Bledsoe’s high school coach at Birmingham (AL) Parker.
Are any other schools in the mix?
“That’s it,” Ford said.
And when will Bledsoe decide?
“Probably toward the end of next week,” Ford said.
The 6-foot, 160-pound Bledsoe averaged 20.4 points, 11.2 rebounds and 10.3 assists in leading Parker to the Class 5A state championship game. The Thundering Herd beat Kentucky-bound big man DeMarcus Cousins and Mobile (AL) LeFlore 52-39 in the semifinals.
“He’ll be a great player,” Ford said. “He’s a true point guard.”
Both programs are in dire need of such a floor general. Kentucky has a front line ofCousins and Daniel Orton, and could also return shooting guard Jodie Meeks and big man Patrick Patterson. Yet Calipari’s club needs a floor general to propel it into the upper echelon of the college ranks.
The Wildcats are hoping Raleigh (N.C.) Word of God point guard John Wall picks them, and Bledsoe may be a backup plan in case he ends up at Duke or Baylor or somewhere else. Wall is due to cut his list sometime this week.
Meantime, despite the losses of Cousins (to Kentucky) and Xavier Henry (to Kansas) Josh Pastner’s Memphis club will feature Shawn Taggart, JUCO star Will Coleman and 6-10 forward Angel Garcia in the frontcourt with Wesley Witherspoon, Roburt Sallie and Doneal Mack on the wings, making them a formidable outfit.
(Photo courtesy Mark Almond / Birmingham News)
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.
Eric Bledsoe, the No. 3 point guard in the Class of 2009, will take a step closer to making his college decision this weekend when he visits John Calipari’s old and new programs.
