RE: The pipe dream of landing LeBron

[Keith Wedinger]

This would be a HUGE pipe dream.  And I don't think Huggs can recruit him
because he has already referred to Lebron by name.  I think there is a rule
that coaches are not allowed to mention recruits by name until they sign on
the dotted line.

J. Keith Wedinger 
Senior Software Developer 
Sterling Commerce 
  



-----Original Message-----
From: Shawn Hunter [mailto:address@hidden 
Sent: Wednesday, April 09, 2003 10:15 AM
To: Bearcat BB Forum; Steve Gerstein; Jason Shearn
Subject: [UC Basketball] The pipe dream of landing LeBron


You know, we do have one more scholarship available ;)


Wednesday, April 9
Gatorade winner has fun with college vs. draft queries
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Associated Press

AKRON, Ohio -- Taking exaggerated sips and filling his cheeks with Gatorade,
LeBron James mugged for his teammates, clearly having fun during another
player of the year award presentation.

Alternately smiling and playing the ramrod-straight schoolboy, fun was on
James' mind Tuesday as he pondered his future.

James, having watched good friend Carmelo Anthony lead Syracuse to the
national championship the night before, suggested that he hasn't eliminated
the possibility of going to college instead of jumping directly to the NBA.

"If he stays in Syracuse and I go to college, I'll make sure we get Syracuse
on our schedule," James said Tuesday.

James, a 6-foot-8 senior at Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary High School, is
widely acknowledged as the likely No. 1 pick in this summer's NBA draft. He
has not announced that he will turn pro.

James met with reporters Tuesday after receiving the Gatorade Award,
presented annually to the nation's top high school player.

Asked where he might play if he went to college, James said, "Somebody might
give me a scholarship, I hope."

There's little doubt many colleges would love to have the quick, muscular
swingman. Most recruiters dropped off his trail a year ago when it appeared
obvious that James would make himself eligible for the NBA draft.

James said he hasn't decided when he'll announce whether he will enter the
draft.

Regardless of where he plays next season, James said he intends to have fun,
just as a smiling Anthony did in Syracuse's 81-78 victory in New Orleans on
Monday night.

"You know it's going to be real fun, especially when you're out there
playing against people that you know," he said. "You know their game, but
when you're going out there playing basketball, you never know what's going
to happen."

Anthony had 20 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists and was chosen as the
outstanding player of the national championship game.

"If you had seen how hyped I was last night," James said. "I'm very, very
proud of Carmelo."

James said he and Anthony had talked about what they would do in the future.
Anthony also is considered a potential top draft pick, should he elect to
leave Syracuse.

"It's going to be great when I decide, whatever me and Carmelo are going to
do, if he's going to stay in college or if I'm going to go to college,"
James said. "Whatever decision we're going to make, it will be pretty good."

Asked if the championship game might influence him to play in college, James
said, "Any kind of basketball inspires me. It doesn't matter if you're being
competitive."

He said he was proud of the Gatorade award because its criteria include a
player's character and off-court volunteer work. Organizers specifically
cited James' work at a center for the homeless and his willingness to
accommodate autograph requests from youngsters.

James led St. Vincent-St. Mary to its third state championship in four
seasons last month. The Fighting Irish also were ranked No. 1 in the nation
by USA Today.

The Ohio High School Athletic Association investigated James twice during
his senior season, once for accepting a Humvee H2 for an 18th birthday
present from his mother and another for receiving two jerseys from a
Cleveland clothing store.

The state's sanctioning body for high school athletics cleared James and his
family after looking into the purchase of the truck. But it suspended James
for one game and forced St. Vincent-St. Mary to forfeit a game after he
admitted accepting the jerseys. He later returned them.

James went on to become Ohio's only three-time Mr. Basketball.