UCLA Basketball: Kyle Anderson said Seton Hall was a “done deal” before picking UCLA

Mar 24, 2012; Chicago, IL, USA; McDonalds High School All American forward Kyle Anderson (5) poses during a photo shoot for the 35th McDonalds High School All American Game to be held at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-US PRESSWIRE

Apparently, Kyle Anderson was thisclose to not becoming a UCLA Bruin.

In the world of college basketball recruiting, those silly, cute 17-year old kids aren’t exactly the kind of dudes that are really humble and honest. As we’ve known for the longest time, these guys like to stretch out the process and absorb some of the fame. Hey, man, when I was a 17 year old, I wanted to be famous, too. This ain’t a new concept.

Of course, to hear the kids say it? That’s a little new. From ESPN.com:

"Brandon Ashley is finally ready to reveal a few universal secrets about the recruiting process, secrets that are so exclusive he can only tell you at the end of his senior season.[…]Do recruitsreally have a list of five to seven schools that they’re considering?“To be honest, no,” Ashley said with a laugh. “That’s just something we put out there to keep it exciting. We put it out there in the media to build that suspense, but in our minds it’s like, ‘I’m not going there.’ It’s usually just two schools in the end.”[…]“I would go on Twitter sometimes and say something like, ‘It’s time to get away from my family and grow up,’ and people would panic and say I was headed to UConn,” said (Rodney) Purvis, who will suit up for the East on Saturday. “I know for a fact that most of us do things like that, but Brandon’s right, it typically comes down to just two schools in the end.”"

We figured you were up to no good, you little tricksters.

So if it came down to two schools, what two schools did our Bruins end up debating about? Well, luckily, ESPN had the sense to ask the kids just who the top two schools were. Interestingly enough, Kyle Anderson’s answer was the most surprising of the bunch:

"The school that came in second for me was …“Seton Hall. I’ve never told anyone this, but this is crazy. Exactly a week before I chose UCLA I had decided that I was going to Seton Hall. It was a done deal. Then I had another talk with my family the next day and I felt like it was UCLA. If UCLA didn’t exist I’d be at Seton Hall, no question.”"

I’m so glad this kid talked with his family, because seriously, Seton Hall? No thanks.

Shabazz gave a pretty generic answer, stating that he could’ve chosen either Kentucky or Duke. The UK fan base is already rabid and crazy, so why tick them off even more?

This entire recruiting ordeal just goes to show you just how much we obsess over the future of 17-year old kids who can ball it up regularly.

But who cares? UCLA has Shabazz Muhammad, Kyle Anderson, Jordan Adams and, possibly, Tony Parker.

GO BRUINS!!