Latavious Williams back on the block?

[Seymore Cox]

And it seems to be that Memphis and UK may be in deep doo doo.

The guy just gets the Memphis job and within the span of a few weeks he loses one signed player (Darnell Dodson) and two Memphis leans (DeMarcus Cousins and John Wall) to Kentucky coach John Calipari.

Then NCAA allegations surface that while Calipari was head coach at Memphis, major NCAA violations occurred. Derrick Rose is alleged to have had someone else take his SAT and Rose’s brother, Reggie, allegedly rode the team charter without paying.

Yet through it all, Pastner is keeping a stiff upper lip and spreading the word that the penalties likely won’t impact the current team or the future of the program. It seems, though, that the Tigers’ 38-win season and Final Four appearance in 2008 could be vacated.

Pastner says in this interview with MyFoxMemphis that he knew about the allegations after he became head coach but before they became public.

He also says Memphis still needs to land “a few more” players for next season, and also focus on landing recruits in the Classes of 2010, 11 and 12.

http://www.myfoxmemphis.com/dpp/sports/tigers/052809_Unedited_Coach_Pastner_Talks_Allegations

 

[Seymore Cox]

Williams has made his ACT score and needs to get a 2.5 to become eligible. He said that if he gets red flagged by the clearinghouse, he'll go to Europe. Undoubtedly if he goes to Memphis he'll get red flagged.

 

[coacht]

Do you think Capel would even bother with this kid anymore? I think his talent would obviously help the team, but I am not sure about some of the distractions that would come with the talent.

 

[Seymore Cox]

Do you think Capel would even bother with this kid anymore? I think his talent would obviously help the team, but I am not sure about some of the distractions that would come with the talent.

Personally, I don't know. At this point, it's no loss because he's doesn't have an LOI and if he doesn't get qualified, the school doesn't lose. Also, you have to take in account who might get involved. I tell you who will get involved? OSU. They'll take a kid who is close to being qualified over two kids who are on he outside looking in on being qualified. KState will also take him. What would be the ramification of this kid going to those schools and playing against you? It is said that he has already contacted to high level assistants.

 

[AdaSooner]

If he qualifies and the NCAA's Clearing House gives him the green light, I don't see how OU could lose by signing this kid.

I remember a similar situation a few years back and I still think about what could have been if the Sooners had been willing to take a chance on Brandon Rush. KU was the beneficiary of our concerns about red tape and the NCAA's scrutiny. In retrospect, maybe there was a reason to be worried back then. But I don't believe that is the case now.

 

[Seymore Cox]

The main thing that you worry about with Williams is the senario that is playing itself out with Rose. You can't recruit kids suspecting they are having someone take their test or their family members are going to ride the team plane.

 

[hoopsaustin]

If he qualifies and the NCAA's Clearing House gives him the green light, I don't see how OU could lose by signing this kid.

I remember a similar situation a few years back and I still think about what could have been if the Sooners had been willing to take a chance on Brandon Rush. KU was the beneficiary of our concerns about red tape and the NCAA's scrutiny. In retrospect, maybe there was a reason to be worried back then. But I don't believe that is the case now.

i heard Rush turned sour to us because he got embaressed in a one on one game with micheal neal when he was on campus...anyone hear about that?

 

[AdaSooner]

i heard Rush turned sour to us because he got embaressed in a one on one game with micheal neal when he was on campus...anyone hear about that?

Actually, it was Nate Carter. But I'm not sure that story was true or that it had anything to do with his decision to go to KU.

 

[BigTime]

Latavious just reaffirmed his pledge to go to Memphis per rivals.....I think this ship has sailed.