Taj Gibson

Offered per Gibson

04/18/06: Listed as the 32nd best player in his class. - www.RivalsHoops.com


09/19/05: Committed to USC.

09/16/05: Listed as the 39th best player in his class on the RSCI site - a consensus of six different recruiting services.

08/30/05: According to Hoopmasters, Gibson lists Arizona, Boston College, Connecticut, Louisville, Pittsburgh, St. John's and USC. - www.HoopMasters.com (3 to 1)

08/24/05: Huggins is fired.

08/16/05: "Right now I'd say I like Louisville, Pittsburgh, Arizona, Cincinnati, Northeastern, UConn, Texas, USC, South Florida and St. John's. I'm open right now, but those are the schools that have been hollering at me."
http://www.insidehoops.com/taj-gibson-081605.shtml

08/15/05: Listed as the 43rd best player in his class. - www.ScoutHoops.com

08/09/05: Listed as the 33rd best player in his class. - Harrington/USA Today

08/04/05: Listed as the 32nd best player in his class. - www.ScoutHoops.com

07/28/05: Listed as the 5th best prep school player in the country. - HoopScoop

07/16/05: Named ninth team All American, regardless of class. - HoopScoop

07/04/05: Listed as the 40th best player in his class. - www.ScoutHoops.com

06/26/05: Named 9th best overall player at the NBA Players Assoc Top 100 Camp. - HoopScoop

06/26/05: "He's getting up and down the floor quick, and he's benefiting from playing with two of the best point guards at the camp in Brandon Jennings and O.J. Mayo." - www.ScoutHoops.com

06/26/05: "The athletically gifted Gibson has made a decision to be more aggressive taking the ball to the basket, and as a result he's been amongst the most productive players in the camp." - www.RivalsHoops.com

06/24/05: "Still needs to continue to get stronger, but already has interest from Louisville, Texas, Pittsburgh, Arizona, Syracuse, St. John's, and Connecticut at this point." - www.HoopMasters.com

06/24/05: "Although he was not seen taking any outside shots, he did a very nice job defending and slashing to the basket with the dribble." - www.RivalsHoops.com

06/20/05: Listed as the 99th best player in his class on the RSCI list (consensus of five recruiting services)

06/08/05: Listed as the 41st best player in his class. - www.RivalsHoops.com

06/08/05: Gibson now lists seven schools in a ScoutHoops article instead of just Cincinnati and Louisville on the previous ScoutHoops article. (5 to 3)

06/02/05: "Long, lean and pretty athletic. He really is a solid defensive player despite his thinness. He's got a T Prince body. He's a 5th year player out of NYC and I've always liked him. Not surprised by his efforts last weekend at all." - Dave Telep, Scout Hoops mssg board.

05/31/05: "It becomes clearer and clearer each month that Gibson can help just about any school in the nation, provided his academics (he was home-schooled for years) and everything else are in order." - www.PrepStars.com

05/31/05: "My top two right now are Louisville and Cincinnati," Gibson said. "I also like Pittsburgh. UCONN, USC, Cincinnati and Louisville have already offered, but my favorites right now are Louisville and Cincinnati." - www.ScoutHoops.com (3 to 5)

05/30/05: "Gibson also played a huge role inside, as he was scored around the basket, was active on the boards, and blocked more than his share of shots (in a win over the Spiece Indy Heat)." - HoopScoop

05/29/05: "Taj Gibson, a 5th year prep and East Coast native is out on the West Coast for school. He might be looking to take his game back East. Interested parties include Louisville, Cincinnati, Connecticut, Arizona, St. John's, Pittsburg, Oregon State, UCLA and USC." - www.ScoutHoops.com

04/24/05: "Rivals.com national basketball analyst Jerry Meyer spoke with Gibson's high school coach and Taj has narrowed it down to four schools: Georgetown, Louisville, Arizona, Cincinnati." - www.RivalsHoops.com (2 to 3)

04/24/05: "Amongst those in attendance watching So Cal's Taj Gibson were assistants from St. John's, Cincinnati and Southern Cal." - www.ScoutHoops.com

04/24/05: "The 6-8 BF at Merced (CA) Stoneridge Christian is thin and still needs more offense but has improved himself significantly. His primary abilities are quick offensive rebounding and bouncy athleticism to block shots. His second leap is particularly quick." - www.PrepStars.com

12/17/04: "According to Stoneridge coach Ron Slater, two schools have emerged as leaders for the 6-foot-8, 210-pound Gibson. "I would say that Arizona and Cincinnati are in the lead right now, but he is still open," said Coach Slater. "He is also hearing from Texas, Oklahoma State, UConn, Syracuse, St. Johns, Memphis and Oklahoma to name a few. He gets a lot of mail everyday." - RivalsHoops.com

11/01/04: "Not too many people around prep school circles know about Stoneridge Prep (Tarzana, Calif.), but that’s about to change. Ron Slater’s program is loaded with talent and it starts up front with 6-10 senior forward Trey Duty and New York native Taj Gibson, a 6-8 power forward who has been reclassified into the Class of 2006." - InsisdersHoops.com

10/26/04: Participated in the Southern California Competition Clinic at Azusa Pacific University. Gibson was one of 19 players selected as 'top prospect' at its completion. Only six of the 19 were class of '06. The rest were older. A total of 175 players participated. - FullCourt Press

09/03/04: "It(the Big East) is a conference that I have always followed." - RivalsHoops.com

08/05/04: "Gibson was home schooled for much of his life before enrolling for a year at Telecommunications High School in Brooklyn for the 2002-2003 school year. Gibson, who spent this past year at Stone Ridge Prep in Southern California, told the Insiders Report he will return to that school for the 2004-2005 season. "I plan on going back to the West Coast soon. (snip) - NewYorkInsider.com

07/31/04: "Taj Gibson finished averaging 9.3 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 4.3 blocked shots per game." - InsidersHoops.com notes from the Reebok Summer Classic West Tournament in Fullerton, California. Gibsons SCA team, that included Taylor King (2007), finished the tourney 6-0.

06/06/04: ". . . defensively he blocks a lot of shots and his long frame allows him to be a force on the glass. His offensive game isnt defined yet but he has good footwork and nice size." - RivalsHoops.com

05/12/04: "Taj Gibson has seen both sides of the country thanks to the game of basketball. Originally from Brooklyn, N.Y., the 6-foot-8, 210-pound combo forward has taken a trip to the West coast for his school years at Stoneridge Prep in Tarzana, Calif. Now the class of 2005 prospect is looking everywhere in between for his next stop in college." - RivalsHoops.com

09/05/03: "Taj does not play for one of the city's traditional high school powers but his play this summer with the Gauchos established him as one of the city's most improved players and a solid mid major prospect. He's reed thin but runs the floor extremely well. Early in his career he was a kid who seemingly got his hands on every rebound but did not have the balance or timing to secure many. Now, through hard work and the normal maturity that comes with age he has improved to the point where he can get those rebounds and get the ball back up to the basket. And with improved footwork, he shows the beginnings of a nice low post game as well. His thin frame likely makes him not recruitable by high majors as a power forward but all mid major programs should look long and hard at Taj, because he has quickness runs the floor with purpose and may well end up being the kind of kid who plays his best basketball in college." - NYCNJHoops.com

06/23/03: "Another player we didn't know anything about, but who was one of the better players in the tournament was 6'8 Jr Taj Gibson from Brooklyn (Telecommunications) NY. . . . Gibson isn't very strong, but he's so long and athletic and has soft hands, a nice touch, and a good nose for the ball, which make him very effective around the basket." - HoopScoop