Lefty was a great recruiter, but maybe not the best coach in the world. Gary is a great coach, but maybe not the best recruiter we have ever seen. In this season of renewal, Gary may be bringing in a class that we match anything Lefty could come up with.
We have already discussed in early columns on Bleacher Reports the two big men that are committed to Maryland for fall 2009. Four-star recruit Jordan Williams (center) and James Padgett (PF) will make the front line formidable.
Today’s news is that Braxton Dupree (PF, No. 4) has asked for his release from Maryland. That opens up one more scholarship.
My intuition says that DeShawn Painter (PF) will come in for either fall 2009 or 2010. He is at Hargrave Military right now. Over the past weeks, since he de-committed from Florida, he has become a Terp lean.
In other news, probably bigger but not certain, is that Lance Stephenson (a.k.a. Born Ready) is now down to St. John’s and Maryland. Xavier Henry has picked Kansas over Kentucky. The slot Henry now occupies with KU was the opening that BR was to take. That narrows BR’s choices and gives the Terps a chance.
On a personal note, I am tired of the Lance (BR) recruitment. It has been dragging for a long time. Lets end it one way or the other.