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Connecticut leads the recruiting race for big man prospect Ater Majok, the Sudanese native who wowed the Derby Festival Basketball Classic crowd earlier this month.
But his coach/adviser, Ed Smith, noted the possibility that Kentucky or the other school still in the running, Baylor, could still get a commitment from Majok. Smith suggested that UConn led, in part, because it's the last suitor to embrace Majok.
The player visited UConn this past weekend.
"When he visited Baylor, he thought it was awesome, off the wall," Smith said on Sunday. "He committed."
After time passed, Majok changed his mind and reopened the recruiting process. He visited UK while in the area to participate in the Derby Festival game.
Now, Smith has advised Majok to take some time to put perspective on the UConn visit.
But Majok apparently won't take much time. Smith spoke of a commitment as soon as early this week. Majok plans to talk with his parents about the decision on Monday, the coach/adviser said.
"We want him to go away, reflect and think about it and evaluate everything," Smith said. "We don't want anything to go to his head. We're giving him that time."
Majok, a 6-foot-11 center/forward, made a big impression at the Derby Festival with his game around the basket and on the perimeter. The night's biggest cheers might have come when he swished two jump shots off the fast break.
Recruiting analysts generally consider Majok the best big man prospect still available. He was born in Sudan, then moved to Egypt and then Australia.
On another recruiting front, junior college forward Nicola Kecman continues to weigh options, his coach at Eastern Arizona College, Tim Walsh, said.
Kecman visited Ohio State this past weekend. He's scheduled to visit with Ole Miss Coach Andy Kennedy on Monday. The two are expected to discuss Kecman making a visit to Ole Miss before making a college choice.
Walsh said he could not be sure if Kecman would visit Ole Miss before choosing among the Rebels, Ohio State or Kentucky.
