Breaking down Emmanuel Negedu’s possible destinations
With his recent release from Arizona, Emmanuel Negedu is the top remaining player on the board for the 2008 class and will consider Georgia Tech, Memphis, Tennessee and Indiana. Inside the Hall takes a look at his list and breaks down how Negedu could fit in at each destination.
Georgia Tech: Paul Hewitt’s club loses Jeremis Smith (10.5 ppg, 7.1 rpg) to graduation and Tech’s lone 2008 recruit is a point guard. Zack Peacock is their top returning big man in terms of scoring (9.9 ppg), but he didn’t start at all this past season. In other words, Negedu would likely step right in for the Yellow Jackets at the four spot.
Memphis: All five Memphis starters will be eligible for the NBA Draft (although Antonio Anderson and Robert Dozier have not signed with an agent) which means that John Calipari is in search of players to fill out his roster. Couple that with the fact that Calipari recently hired Josh Pastner (who recruited Negedu to Arizona) to anchor his recruiting and Memphis might be the school to beat.
Tennessee: Negedu considered the Vols strongly before pledging to Arizona back in April of 2007 and recently told Volquest.com that his relationship with the coaching staff is a big reason he’ll consider them again. His athleticism and versatility at the four spot would fit in nicely with Bruce Pearl’s system.
Indiana: With Brandon McGee’s departure on Thursday, there’s no question that IU has a spot for Negedu and he’s familiar with Bloomington having lived there before heading to Brewster Academy. Kelvin Sampson and staff did recruit Negedu, but the new staff has ground to make up as he has more familiarity with Pastner and the Tennessee staff. The big draw is the availability of playing time: Negedu would instantly become IU’s first option up front.
Analysis: If Crean and staff can convince Negedu that Indiana’s style of play will fit his game, the Hoosiers should run neck and neck with Memphis and Tennessee for his services. Winning a recruiting battle against John Calipari and Bruce Pearl is no small task, but Indiana can offer the most immediate playing time of the four schools which should be a huge selling point. Negedu will likely take visits before making a decision this summer.
Filed to: Emmanuel Negedu