The time is here: High school basketball superstar Shabazz Muhammad is set to make his decision of which university to attend in the next three weeks.
And while UCLA was one of the few finalists — our biggest threat being UNLV, settled in the kid’s home town of Las Vegas — there was never any indication that he had one favored over the other.
But now we might just have the edge, because Shabazz’s last university visit is in Westwood. From Adam Zagoria:
"Shabazz Muhammad, the top uncommitted wing player in the Class of 2012, will take an official visit to UCLA in early April and then announce his college decision, likely April 9th or 10th, his father told SNY.tv Sunday evening.“I think Coach [Ben] Howland wanted him to come at the beginning of April, for that weekend in the beginning April [6-8], but I know that’s close to the Jordan Game, so I have to look at those dates,” Ron Holmestold SNY.tv. “I’m not exactly sure but that’s when I’ve got it penciled in for.”After that visit, the 6-foot-6 Muhammad plans to decide relatively soon."
Unbelievable. We’re not sure if recency effects come into play when a kid chooses which university he will attend, but you’d have to figure that we’d trump any school that has had a “lasting impression” on Shabazz.
UCLA has a lot to offer Shabazz, and with all the turmoil surrounding Ben Howland, you’d have to figure that Howland is still the biggest sell — it’s no coincidence that the dude has produced the most NBA players than any other coach, with UCLA currently having 11 players under his leadership that are now pros.
Still, you cannot deny the appeal that UNLV has. The kid grew up there, and as a high school kid who also grew up in Vegas, I can tell you that Rebel Fever is really damn prevalent when the squad is winning.
Who knows what will happen? All we know is that recruiting is a headache and the level of attention that a 17- to 18-year old kid receives is astounding.
GO BRUINS.