Update on Remi Barry: NCAA Eligibility Issues

by DCBruins on Jul 12, 2010 9:01 AM PDT

Some of you have wondered about Remi Barry who UCLA, ASU, and St. Johns were all trying to recruit. Barry is the 6'7" inch forward from Paris that on the upside looks like Matt Barnes and on the downside could be another European style Drago. Part of the problem with Remi is he has not been able to play against "real" competition and has had a bizarre basketball career.

Remi has a tough run. First he came to Florida to play basketball but left because, according to him, his African American host family abused and neglected him and were racist. He found a happy situation at a California High School but the CIF ruled him ineligible.

Now, the NCAA is trying to decide if he is eligible. If he can't even academically qualify for ASU then his chances for UCLA seem slim. Which may lead him to St. John's. It seems likely Lavin would take him if at all possible as he would love to crow about "beating" UCLA and his buddies at ESPN will serve as an echo chamber. A few excerpts from the ESPN Blog post:

[T]he NCAA that has yet to clear him while it scrutinizes an academic record involving high schools spanning two continents.

"It's killing me," Barry said Friday in between games at the Nor Cal Summer Tip Off. . . Barry said he has yet to decide in part to avoid a personal letdown should the NCAA not rule in his favor. He especially does not want to disappoint coaches from the programs he's considering.

On UCLA's Ben Howland: "He's a nice guy. He won't lie to you. If he tells you something, it's true."

On St. John's Steve Lavin: "He knows everybody. He's like a big daddy. You can trust him."

The Lavin "daddy" comment makes me wonder if Lavin is again taking advantage of a young naive kid and, in this case, preying on someone who is likely vulnerable. Keep in mind, if Barry selects St. John's it may be in part due to him failing to live up to UCLA and ASU's academic standards

In any case, it seems likely that Barry will not be able to meaningfully contribute to any team this season as he will need to get use to top competition , regular practices, etc. He may be best served by going to a JC.

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of BruinsNation's (BN) editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of BN's editors.

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Comments

I am not sure I want a guy on our squad

that thinks highly of Lavin

A bruin is good forever, a Trojan is only good... ahh eff it, just use tin foil

by MaltBaa on Jul 12, 2010 9:07 AM PDT reply actions

Like I said he is vunerable and naive

Reading between the lines on what Remi may be saying:

CBH tells you where you stand and doesn’t BS you. (In other words, Barry may need to red shirt, work on D, etc.)

Lavin: Brags of his connections and talks to everyone. So the naive kid thinking goes, hey he knows everyone at ESPN and drops all these names, he must be a good coach.

by DCBruins on Jul 12, 2010 9:22 AM PDT up reply actions

Yup

Lav is totally putting on the hard sell so that he can pimp out a headline in NY Post saying “Lavin Beats UCLA For Berry.” As you noted there are questions right now whether he even has the academic credentials for ASU. Imagine that.

by Nestor on Jul 12, 2010 10:02 AM PDT reply actions

Lavin will say what Lavin wants to say

Never mind. Tune him out because we cannot control what someone says one way or the other. The important, vital thing to do to repudiate that is to beat him on the court, if and when we play. That I feel would be the most devastating means to deal with this guy. In other words, shock and awe him, then say to him " now you shut the f _ _ _ k up and get out of here "

by Htse005 on Jul 12, 2010 4:50 PM PDT up reply actions

Academic Credentials

Do we vet a prospective candidate’s academic credentials before offering a scholarship or are the offers conditional based on an investigation conducted after they are accepted (i.e. might Barry already have cleared our academic hurdle)?

by snorkeldorf on Jul 12, 2010 3:50 PM PDT reply actions

Not sure if anyone will read this, slightly stale fanpost but...

If he does go to UCLA

His mother is the one pushing him to get an American college degree, and he wants one as well while measuring himself up against NCAA competition.

Does that sound like a player who will stick around for all years of eligibility and not one that will jump to the NBA at the first chance? or is it just all talk.

I hope if he sees CBH as a nice guy, that nice guys don’t finish last in this case.