UCLA Basketball Recruiting Notes: Looking at 2012-13 Point Guards

Greg Hicks of Bruin Report Online has a story up on basketball recruits.  It is interesting but incomplete. 

If you are a junkie check it out.  If you are fan of UCLA and CBH, keep an eye on Longrus.  Hicks says of him:

Longrus has a very good body, he's an above average defender and a good passer, with a very nice feel for the game. As one West Coast scout noted, the only reason to take him is if you want to win.  UCLA had previously offered Longrus. 

Elsewhere Longrus has been compared to LRMAM. 

Another player UCLA is after and who is becoming more interested in UCLA is L.J. Rose.  For those worried about the 2012-13 PG situation; here is a possible answer.  L.J. Rose talks nicely abut UCLA in an interview here. 

Rose is an interesting player because he is a relatively big PG (6'3" or 4"), but not quick.  He is inevitably called "smart" and seems well grounded.   However, he had a foot injury in his past and depending on who you believe he may be getting quicker. 

Rose is a physical setup guy who looked a step quicker than he has in past outings and he's becoming more dangerous as a spot-up shooter when he catches with his feet set. 

If, which is a big IF, UCLA were to get Rose it would set up an interesting contrast and competition.  Larry Drew the former UNC starting PG who transferred has taken some heat for the nature of his sudden departure from UNC.  Some may say he is not "well grounded."  Drew though spoke recently to the fish wrap and said it was more of a cultural issue. 

There were several factors, including fickle fans, a breakdown in communication with the coaching staff and a failure of the Carolina experience to meet expectations.

Drew's emotionally charged departure came after he lost his spot in the starting lineup to freshman Kendall Marshall. But there was much more to his unhappiness. . . .

"I was there for 21/2 years and I didn't play my whole freshman year, so it's not if I'm playing or not playing," Drew said. "It was just a buildup of things since I first got there."

. . ."When you're winning, everything's good. When you're losing, it's opposite," Drew said. "Going to a school like that, I was aware of the potential for how things could be. I wasn't aware to the extent."

Note: it is not just Drew who said this but it was his fellow UNC transfers to UCLA the Wear twins.  I am glad Drew said it was not playing time and hope he works as hard as the Wear twins have during their redshirt transfer season. 

Of course, the ultimate prize in recruiting is Shabazz Muhammad who is in some lists the number one recruit.  There is no questions on Shabazz's ability or attitude. 

Each class has a prospect that is willing to do anything to win. For the class of 2011 it was Kentucky-bound Michael Gilchrist. For the class of 2012, it appears to be Muhammad.

The only question is on his destination:

While he says he has no favorites, he did go through each school to discuss what he liked about each one.

Many people think UCLA is the frontrunner for Muhammad, but he denied it.

"It was a great experience," he said about UCLA. "I've been to California and I love the weather. Coach [Ben] Howland is a great guy; I talked to him for a couple of hours. I got to see how it is to be a Bruin."

I am cautiously optimistic from all I have heard but these are kids.  The only thing I will say for sure is that Shabazz would be the biggest recruit for UCLA since Kevin Love.    

Go Bruins.