Eddy Curry

6/11: "Curry told us he measured in at 6'11" with shoes and weighed in at 300 pounds. However a source at the physical told us later that Curry was rounding up. He measures 6'10" and a half. That should reinforce talk among teams that Curry's position is power forward in the pros, not center." - NBATalk

6/10: "No offense to the Bulls, but Eddy Curry would rather be picked by Michael Jordan's team at the June 27 NBA draft. Jordan's Washington Wizards own the first pick and the Bulls select fourth. The 6-11, 300-pound Curry, who graduated from Thornwood on June 2, is hoping to be the first prep player chosen No. 1. "I don't really want to be around for the fourth pick," Curry said. "I'd love to play for the Bulls. That would be a good story to write about, a hometown boy stays home, but I don't want to be around for the fourth pick." Based on the needs of teams drafting ahead of the Bulls, it's possible Curry won't have far to move as a pro. Of the first four teams, the Bulls have the most urgent need at center. "Need will affect where I go," Curry said. "The position a team needs to fill means a lot." The Bulls still haven't exercised the option on the last two years of Brad Miller's contract, and the deadline to do so is before the draft. If the Bulls pick up the option, it may signal that they won't draft a center, although it may take an 18-year-old such as Curry at least one season to prepare for the NBA. Curry believes he's ready now. And he's not just basing that on how he played at Thornwood. As a result of working out with Michael Jordan's trainer, Tim Grover, at Hoops, Curry has been able to play in pickup games with Jordan and other NBA players such as Antoine Walker, Quentin Richardson and Corey Maggette. "You almost feel like you have to be perfect playing with Mike because he's the greatest player ever," Curry said. "The pickup games are fun, too, seeing him take over a game like that. To witness something in person that you've seen on TV growing up is great." And how does the present-day Jordan compare to the player Curry saw on television? "He's probably better," Curry said. The prospect of being drafted first excites Curry not only for the historical significance, but also for the possibility of playing with Jordan, who may be preparing for a comeback. "That would be a dream come true," Curry said. "Not many people can say they've got a chance to play with the greatest player ever. Just the chance to step on the court with him for at least one season would be great. "And if Jordan comes back, we would have a real chance of winning the championship. He's that good. He's capable of wrapping players up defensively and capable of scoring on anybody." Curry had considered attending DePaul, but the Blue Demons' 12-15 record made the decision easy. Curry also said he was scared off by players such as DePaul's Quentin Richardson staying in college and seemingly hurting their draft status. "The fact DePaul didn't win many games made it harder to want to go to school," Curry said. "And I've seen too many cases of guys who should have come out not go as high as they would have." - Chicago Sun Times
http://www.suntimes.com/output/basketball/camp10.html

6/10: "Jerry Krause became such a fixture at Eddy Curry's Thornwood High School games last season that the 18-year-old Harvey native practically included finding the Bulls' general manager in the stands with his pregame routine. "I expected to see him up there every now and then," Curry said. "I'd be like, 'Where is he? He's not here yet.'" Whether Krause's diligence results in Curry staying close to home and joining the center-starved Bulls will have to wait until the June 27 NBA draft. That's when the Bulls, barring a trade, own the fourth overall selection plus the first pick in the second round. But Curry, while acknowledging a fondness for the Bulls' staff, is just as forthcoming about his desire to be long gone by the time Krause decides whom to select. "I really don't want to be around at that point," Curry said. "Hopefully I'll be in that top two or three. Nobody from high school has ever been the No. 1 pick. Eventually somebody's going to do it. I want to be the first one. And to be drafted by Michael Jordan, that would mean a lot." Jordan's Wizards are the only team for which Curry has had an individual workout, although he will visit the Bulls later this week. "Still, I'd be satisfied playing for Chicago," Curry said. "A positive is I would get a lot of support. A negative is it'd be a lot of added pressure on me. But I don't think it's anything I can't handle." The Los Angeles Clippers own the second pick. Close friends and fellow Chicago natives Quentin Richardson and Corey Maggette play there, as well as East St. Louis' Darius Miles, who also made the jump from high school to the pros. Curry is working out with Jordan's trainer, Tim Grover. Curry's weight has dropped from 310 to 285 pounds, and his body fat is down to 13 percent." -Chicago Tribune

6/6/01: "Tim Grover, trainer to the stars, does not have his top prospect at the NBA pre-draft camp this week at Moody Bible Institute. Thornwood's Eddy Curry is skipping the scrimmages along with most of the other assumed lottery picks.

Grover said Curry already is physically ready for the rigors of an NBA schedule. He said concerns about the conditioning of the 6-11, 300-pound center are no longer valid. "He's made a lot of progress," Grover said. "His body fat checked in at 13 percent, and for somebody 300 pounds, that's excellent. "He's just now learning how to work out properly and eat correctly and what it takes to get to the next level."

Curry, who graduated from Thornwood on Saturday, is expected to go in the top three picks of the June 27 draft. "People forget he's 18 years old," Grover said. "It's going to take him a little while to understand everything, but he's starting to grasp it. "He already has an NBA body. The frame is there, and now it's just a matter of training the muscles the correct way. His body already matured to the point where he has an NBA frame, and he doesn't have to worry about filling it out. He can go in and bang with the best of them, but we're trying to train the muscles to get them to work correctly, and it's a three-month process." - Chicago Sun Times

5/30/01: "Eddy Curry, the Illinois high school center projected by many to be the top pick in the NBA draft, and Gerald Wallace, a small forward who played one season at Alabama, visited the Laker training facility on Tuesday. They met O'Neal, and Wallace spoke for about 20 minutes with Robert Horry, who also attended Alabama. The Lakers, who don't have a draft pick and don't expect to trade into the draft, watched them at a workout last week." - LA Times

5/21: "If there's one kid (Michael) Jordan should know inside-out by now, it's Curry, from Chicago's south suburbs. He is working out with the same personal trainer who has been Jordan's personal trainer in Chicago. Jordan will be privy to every detail about the kid. Although, as a rule, Jordan ain't a center guy. He always won without 'em. He likes athletes, guys who can play a couple of positions." - M Wilbon, Washington Post

5/6/01: "If (DaJuan) Wagner is the next Iverson, perhaps Curry is the next Shaquille O'Neal. Curry, aka "Baby Shaq," reminds some of the Los Angeles Lakers' monstrous center. But is he the real deal like O'Neal? Depends on whom you talk to. Curry pushed his pro stock into the stratosphere with an MVP performance at the McDonald's All-American Game, scoring a game-high 28 points to power the West to a 131-125 victory. His point total fell just three shy of the game record set by Jonathan Bender in 1999.

Curry, from South Holland, Ill., signed with DePaul before deciding to turn pro. Now it appears he'll be a lottery pick in the draft. "I love Curry," said Albert Lin of CNN/Sports Illustrated. "I tend to think I'm higher on him than other people. I just think the guy is the ideal low-post center. You don't find a lot of that these days. He's obviously huge. He has great hands. He has pretty quick feet. He's a lot more nimble than you'd think, given his size. As long as he keeps his weight in check, he'll be fine."

Curry underwent a weightlifting and conditioning program to trim down to 290 pounds from the 320 he carried early in the season. In one game he seemed so slow and unmotivated that the Chicago Tribune ran an anonymous quote from an NBA general manager who said Curry did remind him of a former Louisiana State center: Stanley Roberts. Forty-five NBA representatives watched Curry in a regular-season matchup with another superstar, 7-1, 230-pound Tyson Chandler of Compton (Calif.) Dominguez. Each scored 16 points, but Curry's team lost 54-50. He missed seven of his first eight shots and finished 5 for 18.

That's not the kind of production one would expect from a player who averaged 22 points, nine rebounds and six blocks a game and shot 64 percent from the field during his senior year at Thornwood (31-1). "I don't think he comes to play hard a lot of the time," Francis said. "There was one game when there were 12 NBA scouts in the gym and he had eight points, six rebounds and four blocks. Big deal. You're going to the NBA with those kind of numbers?" - Louisville Courier Journal

4/27/01: Almost Famous
He's destined for NBA riches, coveted by college coaches everywhere and feared on Illinois' high school courts. Can Eddy Curry weather the distractions, enjoy his senior year and carry Thornwood to a state title? BY BRIAN C. HEDGER

The media attention surrounding him is getting to be old hat for Thornwood's Eddy Curry, left, and his family, who last week watched Eddy's television interview after signing a letter-of-intent to play for DePaul.

THE PHONE IN THE kitchen of Eddy Curry's house is occupied by a reporter talking to his editor back in the newsroom. The call-waiting feature is clicking as if someone's desperately trying get a message through via Morse Code. A few feet away, a pager is beeping like a forgotten alarm clock. The television is blaring from the living room. On the table rests a University of Illinois basketball media guide, and outside the window, the first snow of the season falls gently to the ground. But in this house, nobody cares. Not on this night, because this night is special.

Mr. All-American
The reason happens to be sitting in the living room. He rarely says a word as he sits in a comfy chair watching the television screen. Sitting in that chair, with his legs piled almost on top of each other, Thornwood senior Eddy Curry – all 6-foot-11, 310 pounds of him – watches the screen with amusement. The hype that has engulfed him throughout his high school career has reached a new plateau – and it's being played out over the airwaves right before his eyes. It is playing in the form of an interview he and his parents – Eddy Sr. and Gayle – taped moments earlier at Thornwood High School. The topic of discussion is Curry's decision to sign a national letter of intent to play basketball at DePaul. As the interview rolls, Eddy is flanked by a young cousin, who is watching him watching himself. A surreal scene, indeed. But it's one that doesn't faze the Curry family anymore. Not since their Lil' Eddy became everybody else's Baby Shaq. "With all the media attention, I guess people expect Eddy to have a big head," says Gayle. "But I guess that's due to the fact that we are not his fans. We are his parents, and he's our son. That's how we've treated him all these years, and that's how it's going to stay."

Lil' Eddy has a big following
This is the life of a 17-year-old superstar in the making.
It's one in which it's not a surprise to see Kobe Bryant's name and number on your caller ID. It's one in which you have the option of attending college on a basketball scholarship or jumping straight to the NBA. It's one in which teens from all over the country flood your school's office with fan mail. And it's one with a curfew. Gayle means what she says about keeping life "real" for her son. Though Curry's legend builds with every dunk he slams over some helpless opponent, Gayle and Eddy Sr. have worked to keep their son's ego in check as much as possible. They've informed him that grades are the most important thing for now. What about hanging out with friends? Not unless his homework is completed. "Homework is supposed to be done at home; that's why it's called homework," Gayle says. "It's not something that's supposed to be done before school way early in the morning. We have rules in this house." And Eddy, the top high school player in the nation, abides by them. Two years ago, the hype machine was just beginning to whir in South Holland. Eddy was 6-foot-10 back then, and weighed roughly 255 pounds. The potential was there for all to see. It was as obvious as he was massive. Only a sophomore at Thornwood, Curry was just beginning down a path that would eventually lead to where he stands right now – on the cusp of Shaq-esque stardom. Say his name in almost any basketball crowd, and most people will know exactly who he is, where he lives and what he likes to eat for breakfast. Type his name into an Internet search engine and see what happens. "I was just messing around one day at class, and typed it in when I was on the Internet," says his older sister Nicole Curry, who attends Robert Morris University downtown. "I went to Yahoo.com and did it, and he has something like 4,110 sites that come up. It was just funny to me. I don't think it's really sunk in yet. He's just Lil' Eddy to us, and that's all he is to everybody." Well, not everybody. To those who don't know him well, or have just seen articles about him in ESPN The Magazine, Sports Illustrated and Slam!, he is big Eddy. Huge Eddy. Enormous Eddy. In fact, some have taken to calling him, "Baby Shaq," a moniker he knows is a compliment even if he feels his free-throw shooting and outside range right now are better than O'Neal's. "He's definitely a Shaq-type guy," said Dan Wetzel, who is the national college basketball writer for HoopsTV.com. "He's a recruit that any college coach in the country would just about sell their soul to get. He'd take you to a Final Four. He'd be a difference maker. They don't come along every day at (6-11, 310) with the kind of skills he has." Which is why Wetzel has him ranked as one of the top 5 high school players in the country, and why just about every other recruiting service or magazine in the nation has him ranked No. 1 or No. 2. It's also why his phone keeps ringing off the hook. Just ask Gayle Curry what it's like each day in the family's first-floor apartment on Calumet City's west side. Ask her about the fame that goes along with being everybody's All-American, and see what she says. "Puh-leze," she says. "Do you want to see my phone bill? It was OK until recruiting season started, and the coaches weren't allowed to call. Now, it's OK, but it never seems to stop. We have an unlisted phone number, but everybody still seems to get it." For now, the phone calls should subside some. Curry's announcement last week that he was heading to DePaul next year if he opts for college should ease the burden some. That is, if he doesn't decide to head right into the NBA a la Bryant, Kevin Garnett or Darius Miles, a rookie with the Los Angeles Clippers, who just last year was playing at East St. Louis High.

To go, or not to go?
With an eye on Miles' progress, the NBA world is buzzing about the possibility of Curry coming out next year. That possibility also had college coaches wringing their hands, wondering whether Curry was a prize that could be reeled in or the big one that would snap the line. Even recruiting Curry was a risk. Though DePaul coach Pat Kennedy is the one with the winning lottery ticket right now, he might not cash in if the Currys determine that Eddy would be among the top five picks in the NBA draft next June. For many schools, it wasn't worth the time, effort or risk. So they backed off, leaving a few who were still interested – including DePaul, Illinois, Cincinnati and Memphis. "I just think a lot of schools don't want to waste all their time and money on recruiting a top player who will make other good players not want to come to their school because they would be behind him," Curry said. "Then, that top player doesn't come there, or leaves after one year, and it's almost like it wasn't worth it. Then (the coaches) think they should have just done all that and gotten a good player who will come and play for four years instead." How else to explain the lack of interest? "From the whole start of this recruiting process, I've gotten calls from maybe five coaches," Curry said. "People would be asking me if I had my choices narrowed down to the top five, and I would be like, 'Yeah, I only have five coaches calling me.' "

The Basketball Gods are calling
Now those coaches have dwindled to one, but the other calls – ones from the inquiring minds of those still interested in his NBA propects – will continue. His fame is still growing. It would be easy for any of his family members to get caught up in it, especially when they can walk over to the caller ID box and see the names of Bryant or Rod Strickland. "Ron Harper calls here sometimes, just to check up with Eddy," says Eddy Sr. "I was on the phone one time, and the call waiting started clicking. So I clicked over, and it was Michael Jordan on the other line. That was pretty neat." And so is Eddy Sr.'s teasing about his son's potential salary in the NBA. "You know, we always joke about when he gets to the NBA, what he wants to buy us," says Eddy Sr. with a laugh. "We always just say we want our food money back. Then we can buy a big house and live comfortably for a long time."

So how do you stop him?
The area's high school coaches – save for Thornwood coach Kevin Hayhurst – probably wouldn't mind if Curry were already in the NBA. After all, they're the ones who have to try and come up with a plan to stop the big man this season. Curry would like nothing more than to lead his teammates to a state title before he leaps to the next level. "This year's our last chance. All of us are going to move on somehow," Curry said. "Now, we all want to do something together before we drift apart." Everything seems to be in place for him to have his biggest year yet, which is saying something. Last year he shot 62 percent from the field, and averaged 24.6 points, 11.2 rebounds and 4.2 blocks per game. "Last year there were all these big bodies (in the SICA East), and they could at least bump up with him," said Bloom Twp. coach Gary Meyer. "But they all graduated and left Eddy here all by himself. He's not going to have anybody to challenge him this year. He's going to average 25 points and 11 rebounds by accident." Meyers isn't the only local coach fearing the worst from Thornwood's rock in the middle. Thornton coach Rocky Hill has seen about as much of Eddy Curry as he would like to.
And when the idea was raised of simply trying to keep the ball out of Curry's hands, he scoffed at the notion. "Yeah, but how are you going to do that?" he asked. "Eddy Curry is a mountain man. He's a mountain of a man. He's huge, and he's going to get the ball one way or another. You can't stop him."

= =
A look at where some of the experts rank Thornwood's Eddy Curry with the nation's top high school players:
The Sporting News: 1st
CNN/SI.com: 1st
ESPN.com: 4th
USAToday.com: Top 10
FoxStudentSports.com: 1st
Rivals100Hoops.com: 1st
HoopsTV.com: Top 5
Basketballphenoms.com: 1st
Db-sports.com: 2nd

TheTimesOnline.com 4/27/01


4/17: "DePaul top recruit Curry to skip college, declares for NBA
By Jamie Smith The DePaulia -- Eddy Curry made big news when he signed a letter of intent to play at DePaul beginning in the 2001-2002 season. Apparently it wasn't big enough news for the big man out of Thornwood High School, for he announced April 9 that he would skip any time at DePaul and declare himself eligible for the 2001 NBA draft. Curry, the 6-foot-11-inch center averaged 22 points and ten rebounds per game in his senior season at Thornwood. He would have been part of the nation's top recruiting class at DePaul next season. Now Curry is expected to go in the first round of the draft, and as high as the top ten. As reported by ESPN, of the top ten high school recruits in the nation, Curry is one of two going straight to the NBA. DePaul's head coach Pat Kennedy feels that with a player of Curry's caliber, you have to gamble when recruiting him." - The Depaulia

4/10: "Eddy Curry chose his final high school basketball game, appropriately an all-star game, to announce the biggest decision of his young basketball career. The 18-year-old Thornwood senior said Monday that he will bypass a college scholarship at DePaul to enter the NBA draft. He made the announcement after he scored 26 points in the EA Sports Roundball Classic at Northwestern's Welsh-Ryan Arena before an announced crowd of 5,712. "Everything pointed to the NBA," Curry said. "I was projected to be a high pick. I said all along I would do it if it was possible for me to be a high pick. It happened that way." - Chicago Sun Times

4/1/01:
http://www.chicagosports.com/preps/content/story/0,1984,135788,00.html
http://www.suntimes.com/output/prep/eddy01.html

3/27/01: "Some guys actually thought the McDonald's experience would hurt their NBA Draft status. Not Eddy Curry. Since his arrival in Durham, Curry has consistently played hard and played well. He obviously knows the spotlight is centered around him being the first high schooler taken in the draft, and with dozen of NBA-types looking on, he's delivered the goods. The NBA guys have been impressed with everything from his work ethic and nimbleness to his desire and drive. So far, it's been a great few days for Curry and the McDonald's experience has helped his draft status." - Rivals100 Hoops

3/20: "Eddy Curry's season ended with a loss in the state championship game. However, in the course of growing up, this wasn't the first or the last setback the mammoth prospect will endure. According to his mother, it was a great ride. "The sun still shines, so he's alright now. Nobody ever wants to lose and everyone gets on the floor with the anticipation of winning. They had real big support from the fans and the kids at schools. They still came home a winner," Gayle Curry, Eddy's mother, said. "The reality had set in that once he got out of the uniform that was it as far as basketball goes. He sat in the locker room for about two hours. He just wanted to sit in that uniform." So, next up on Curry's agenda is probably the biggest decision of his life. Does he make good on a letter of intent with DePaul or bolt for the NBA? The word inside basketball circles is that he'll select the NBA, but Curry's mother says no decision has been made. "Maybe when he gets that [high school] diploma maybe he'll know. Maybe he'll know before hand." Next week, he'll play in the McDonald's All-American Game and after that it's the Roundball Classic. Right now, Curry is spending time with his family, getting ready for whatever journey he chooses to take next. "The way I feel as a parent is I look at it that Eddy has the hunger for basketball. I don't think you can have a better job than doing something you love doing." Mrs. Curry, let's not forget to mention the pay isn't' bad either. Eddy Curry, the high school basketball player, is an attraction. He's just a kid, but he's a household name and he hasn't graduated from high school yet. "To me," Gayle Curry said, "it's amazing that anyone who follows basketball knows his name. That just blows my mind." It's hard to imagine a young man this size - 6-11, 290 - was born prematurely and was once a tiny little newborn. However, his father is 6-2 and mom is 6-1, so he had genetics on his side even if his parents are 10 inches shorter than their son. Mrs. Curry said it's not really tough feeding the big fella. Sometimes, Curry doesn't eat breakfast. Sometimes he does, but it's not like he's a bottomless pit. "If he gets a Big Mac, it's going to be super sized. But, to eat each day all day, that's not him. When he eats, he eats. He burns it up so fast because he stays so active." Who knows, he could be a dining hall attraction at DePaul or per diem guy on the road in the NBA. Either way, he's got a choice to make in the next few months. "Some things you don't want to speak ahead on. You can always change your mind," Gayle Curry said. "It's better to keep people guessing and you don't have to hear people come up to you and tell you what's best for your child." So, will it be dining hall or dining out at a posh restaurant? We'll know sooner than later." - Rivals100 Hoops

3/17: "In Thornwood's state AA quarterfinal game against Peoria Richwoods on Friday night, Curry was absolutely dominant in the paint. In front of an estimated crowd 12,097, Curry sank 12-of-14 free throws to lead No. 1 Thornwood (31-1) to a 65-36 blowout over Richwoods (28-4). Thornwood will play Public League champion Morgan Park on Saturday in the semifinals. Curry finished with 27 points nine rebounds and three blocks on the night as his team won its 27th game in a row. Most importantly, he lived up to his reputation as one of the most coordinated players for his size to ever come out of the high school ranks. Like Shaq, he is tough to defend inside, but opposing teams cannot take the easy way out and send him to the charity stripe. Curry makes them pay." - FastBreak

3/1: "With little drama until season's end, when Tim Floyd decides whether he wants to tolerate this futile madness another year, a healthy debate already is beginning in the Bulls organization. That is, why pursue Yao Ming when Eddy Curry is 8,000 miles closer, down the road at Thornwood High School, still drawing comparisons to a raw Shaquille O'Neal? Between Krause, heir apparent B.J. Armstrong and scouts such as Pete Myers, the Bulls have seen all but a handful of Curry's games. They even dispatched Al Vermeil, their weight-training guru, to a game last month. It is becoming increasingly clear, especially after DePaul's problems, that Curry will bypass his college commitment. For the money that awaits him as a top-five pick, he should. For the grief that awaits him at DePaul, he should. So who's it going to be? Yao or Curry? Personally, I might take Jason Williams, the Duke point guard, the most talented collegian in the land and the best of the three Jason/ Jayson Williamses out there in recent years. "I'd love to play with Jason," said Elton Brand, always loyal to the fellow Dookie. But you know Krause. He drafted Jamal Crawford and he's going to stick by him, even if Floyd won't play him because he's not ready. Assuming Sleuth is still the boss come late June, he is due to choose the most unique option. Yao and Curry both apply as unique. The knock on Curry is that he'll need a few years to develop into an NBA standout. Yao, despite his rawness, should make bigger contributions much quicker. No doubt the upside to Curry is greater, that his maximum potential is the sky. Yao can touch the sky, but offensively, he'll never score more than 12 points a game. The best comparison, is O'Neal vs. Dikembe Mutombo. Would you want Shaq at his best or Mutombo at his best? Advantage, Curry." - Jay Mariotti, Chicago Sun Times.

2/28: "Nationally ranked Thornwood (IL) 76-32 over Oak Park (IL) in an opening round sectional game. Eddy Curry finished with 30 points and 10 rebounds in three-quarters of action for the Thunderbirds (26-1)." - AllStar Report

2/28: "When Eddy Curry was in junior high school, his idol of choice wasn't Kareem Abdul-Jabbar or Hakeem Olajuwon. It was Dominique Dawes, the Olympic gymnast. "She was real cool," Curry says. "I thought she looked good, too." Curry played basketball back then, but that sport brought him more embarrassment than glory. Because his uniform wasn't big enough, Curry used to tell his parents his game was canceled so they wouldn't come see him play. "Everything was too small for me back then," he says. "There were a lot of mean kids around the neighborhood who would talk about me and call me the Jolly Green Giant. That can be real traumatic for a kid." Curry is only starting to understand just how much size matters. The 6-foot-11, 295-pound senior at Thornwood High School in South Holland, Ill., is arguably the top center prospect in the nation and is widely expected to be a top-10 pick in the 2001 NBA draft. In an age when every 7-footer dreams of being a point guard, Curry, who can still complete a backflip, is a genuine throwback who doesn't mind throwing his weight around. Alas, he has had a little too much weight to throw around at times, but Curry has gone a long way this season toward answering concerns that he's not so much the next Shaquille O'Neal as he is the next Oliver Miller. "He's bigger than Shaq was when he came out of high school," recruiting analyst Bob Gibbons says. "He's about 30 pounds lighter than he was last summer. I'd say he's the leading candidate for national high school player of the year." - CNN SI

2/18: "Young (13-10) did a masterful job of fronting Eddy Curry with backside help, forcing Thornwood to rely on Thomas, Buckley and David Moss. Curry was held to eight points, six rebounds and four blocks before fouling out with 40.5 seconds left. There were reps from a dozen NBA teams on hand to watch the 6-foot-11-inch, 290-pound Curry, including Bulls General Manager Jerry Krause and scout B.J. Armstrong. Even though Curry was held in check by Young, one Eastern Conference scout said he didn't see how Curry could go any lower than fourth. "If the Bulls have the worst record, the lowest they can pick is fourth," the scout said. "There's no way they would pass on Curry. They were videotaping tonight's game and Krause has had [strength and conditioning coach] Al Vermeil take a look at Eddy. "Right now a lot of scouts think Duke's Jason Williams would be the No. 1 pick in the draft. But nobody's sure he'll enter the draft. [Curry's] not ready for the NBA right now, but watch out in three or four years." - Chicago Tribune


2/7/01: "In the past week alone, Thornwood center Eddy Curry scored 33 points in a 73-51 victory at Champaign Centennial and had a career-high 43 points last Friday against No. 5 Shepard, along with nine rebounds and four blocks. Thornwood (ranked No. 1 in Chicago, No. 18 in USA Today) is now 19-1, while the 6-11, 300-pound Curry continues to show why he should be considered the nation's most dominant player." - FastBreak

2/3: All you had to know about Eddy Curry's performance Friday was etched on his left arm. "Beast Among Men" is inscribed above a tattoo of a scary-looking, powerful figure.

Too often, Curry has been criticized for not dominating the way a 6-foot-11-inch, 290-pound center should. But on a night when Bulls General Manager Jerry Krause and scouts from the Toronto Raptors were in the stands, Curry erupted for a career-high 43 points to go with 19 rebounds and six blocked shots in leading No. 1 Thornwood to a 69-57 victory over No. 5 Shepard. On Dec. 15, Shepard (17-3, 4-3) held Curry without a basket. Curry critics had a field day, saying the Thornwood standout wasn't ready for the NBA if he couldn't score against Shepard's double-team defense of 6-4 Mike Hall and 6-1 Jon Cleveland.

All week, Curry had to endure the slings and arrows from his own teammates. "We kept teasing him about that," said Thunderbirds forward Melvin Buckley, who contributed 17 points and five assists. "They called me overrated and stuff like that," Curry said. "Melvin has his ways. But he'd better be close to the door when he says stuff like that."

"It was a little tense because when we'd score a basket, and they would come back and hit a three," Curry said. "But in the fourth quarter, we started getting in their faces and challenging them on defense. We finally started rebounding and boxing out.

The victory lifted Thornwood's overall record to 18-1, and at 7-0, the Thunderbirds clinched a share of the SICA East title.

Shepard coach Tony Chiuccariello said the difference from the first time when the Astros lost 46-36 was that Hall didn't get help quickly enough while checking Curry. "Eddy's the kind of player where you'll never do that again," Chiuccariello said. "He is a very special player. Last time we had two guys sagging off on him with a third ready to help out."

Hall noticed a big difference in Curry's stamina. "I think he was in much better shape this time," Hall said. "I read about how he is in a conditioning program now. I also did a poor job fronting the post."

"The revenge part was sweet," Curry said. "It felt good going to the free throw line knowing you're not going to miss. It was one of those nights when everything kept falling for me." - Chicago Tribune


1/23: "While a growing number of scouts believe that Thornwood High School senior Eddy Curry would do well to attend DePaul for at least one year, the Bulls apparently do not agree with them just yet. At this point, the primary question is whether the 6-foot-11 man-child is physically equipped to withstand the rigors of the NBA game.
With that in mind, strength and conditioning consultant Al Vermeil joined Krause, operations assistant B.J. Armstrong and scout Pete Myers on the Curry trail in Rockford last week." - Daily Southtown

1/21: "Included in the crowd were Bulls scouts B.J. Armstrong and Pete Myers and ex-Rockford Boylan star Joe Tulley, who hours earlier had hit the game-winning three-pointer in DePaul's victory over Temple. What a MetroCentre crowd of 5,774 saw was a 6-foot-11-inch Curry who has undertaken a weightlifting and conditioning program that has reduced his weight to 290 pounds from the 320 he carried in last month's St. Louis Shootout, when Curry was criticized by many for being out of shape. An animated, energetic Curry put on a one-man dunk show in leading No. 1 Thornwood to a 77-52 rout of Guilford. Curry finished with 23 points, 15 rebounds and nine dunks, including a two-hand, backward, alley-oop off a lob from Jeremy Jones. In the second game of the double-header, Young lost to Rockford Boylan 64-49. Thornwood coach Kevin Hayhurst had suggested that the Thunderbirds would benefit playing with a center who's lighter on his feet, and has been personally supervising the workouts. "Coach knows what's best for the team," Curry said. "I've been doing more running than anything else, with some weightlifting. I can feel a big difference because I don't get tired as much. All of this makes me more valuable to the team." "He's been losing some of that weight, but I hope the weight training doesn't affect his shooting touch," said Curry's father, Eddy Curry Sr. "It seems like his free-throw shooting had been a little off recently." Thornwood led 34-24 at halftime and put this one away with a Curry-inspired 18-7 run to enter the fourth quarter with a 54-33 lead. "We shouldn't be limited to playing just a half-court game," Hayhurst said. "With Eddy getting all the rebounds, that gives us chances to get out and run. With Eddy in better shape, and with his 33-inch vertical leap, you can see what he is capable of." When questioned about his basketball future, Curry, who has orally committed to DePaul, said it's college for now. "I want to wait until after the season before I start focusing on making a decision," Curry said about the widespread speculation that he will enter the NBA draft. "It would be tough to turn down millions of dollars." - ChicagoSports.com

1/19: "DePaul coach Pat Kennedy says he'll petition the NCAA for a sixth signee in the class of 2001, one more than the maximum allowed, with the expectation that signee Eddy Curry will leave for the NBA and sophomore center Steven Hunter and junior guard Bobby Simmons could declare for the draft. DePaul signed six players in November, but are expecting at least one or two players not to make it academically in addition to possibly losing Curry." - Andy Katz, ESPN

1/13: "When a star athlete's abilities start to catch up to his potential, he can carry his team in crucial games. Eddy Curry reached that point Friday night against Bloom. Curry led everyone with 31 points, 12 rebounds and five blocked shots in leading host Thornwood to a 58-47 SICA East win over Bloom before a crowd estimated at more than 2,700 people. "Eddy is so much better now than earlier in the season," Thornwood coach Kevin Hayhurst said. "He's just starting to hit the potential that he has in him and I think that's what has people at the next level so excited." "Eddy was the difference in the game," Thornwood's Melvin Buckley said. "When he gets two in a row, they're not going to stop him for the rest of the night and that's what happened." With the game tied at 41 to start the fourth quarter, Curry took over. The 6-11 senior dominated the inside play by scoring 13 points in a 15-1 run in the first five minutes of the fourth quarter. When Curry was done, Thornwood (13-1, 4-0) had turned a close game into a 56-42 lead with 3:18 to play. The way Curry scored is what has NBA scouts keeping a close eye on him. He used his soft touch on some deft post moves and then used his strength and footwork to beat smaller defenders to the basket. "In the last quarter, I put it all on the line," Curry said. "We just didn't want to lose." "Eddy is so unselfish at times that he looks for the other kids to score," Hayhurst said. "We would like to see him become more demanding at times and take what happened in the fourth quarter to the whole game." - Chicago Sun Times

12/31: "scored a game-high 25 points as Thornwood (IL) earned a 65-64 victory over Marshall (IL) in Saturday's Class AA final of the State Farm Classic." -All Star Report

12/22:
http://highschoolelite.com/news/12-22.html
He walks, a little kid dashes in front of him. Politely, his father asks him to oblige for his autograph, claiming the kid would appreciate it. Over on the side, a group of kids point, whisper and amaze at his stature and build. Not taking into account his presence and the fact that he is able to overhear all of their awe inspired comments only a few feet away. Smile! Another crowd makes their way over, asking him to pose for a picture with the group. Walking, his stride is slowed substantially as the people continue to gather around him like a movie star. This is the journey of a basketball player, but not a typical journey.
Who is this star, this dignitary, this...young man? Why yes, he is a senior in high school and his name is Eddy Curry: as if you didn't already know. He is the most talked about player coming out of Illinois in quite some time. There was KG, but he originated from South Carolina and was imported here for only his senior year, so he isn't considered true-blue Land of Lincoln material. Then there was Terry Cummings, Isiah Thomas, Doc Rivers, etc. But this young man, in the media crazed world that we live in today, arguably has the public's eye on him more so then any of his predecessors.
His life has been written about by most any basketball publication on the market. He keeps a monthly diary in a top national magazine and a weekly diary in one of Chicago's mainstream newspapers. It has been predicted by scouts that he would be the highest picked player in The League if he were to go straight from high school. The only thing is, he just committed to a college.
Unlike many of his predecessors; the aforementioned Garnett, Darius Miles, Jermaine O'Neal, etc., Curry does have the grades to go to college. Already having committed to Depaul University, where his uncle recently garnered an assistant coaching position, Curry still has the option of not honoring his letter of commitment to the Blue Demons and bolting to the NBA, just as Miles did last year with St. John's.
You see, Curry is no dummy. Growing up in a south suburb of Chicago, in a middle class family, Curry was raised in a solid foundation with a family that nurtures, loves and cares for their 'Lil Eddy.' With above average marks in the classroom and an already qualified ACT score, Curry does it on and off the court.
"I know this sounds funny, but he's educational," said Curry's good friend, Jason Straight. "He teaches when he talks. You can learn something from him when you talk to him." But to get to talk to and actually get to know Curry is the hard part.
"A lot of people that don't know him, think that he doesn't talk a lot and is a big shy person but he is actually very talkative," said Straight. "Anytime you are 17 years old, still in high school and go to a mall and get ambushed and your not a rap star or nothing, then I think it's a little crazy. I imagine what he goes through when people call my house to talk about him and I'm just his friend."
Rounding out the third part of the triangle friendship with Jason and Eddy is Morgan Park's Najeeb Echols. All have been there for each other since the seventh grade when they first met, and have been positive influences on each other since.
As many positives that come Curry's way, there are always negatives as well. Fortunately he has a good support system which helps him shield away many of the nuances that would potentially come barreling his way. One of those people that are out for the well being of Curry, is his AAU Coach, Stan White.
"Traveling with Eddy is like traveling with a rock star," said White. "When we went to Disney World [for AAU Nationals] he couldn't go on a ride. Usually everyone is to small, but Eddy was to big with his legs hanging over the sides. "In the end I know he'll make the decision that is best for him and his family regarding his future."
There lies the question of, should Eddy turn pro after this year ? Two weeks ago at the KMOX Shootout, Curry went up against another top rated player in the nation, 7'1" Tyson Chandler from California. At this shootout in St. Louis, where the two titans met, Curry came away on the losing end as his team fell to Dominguez while Chandler finished with 16 points on 7-10 shooting from the field.
Following this shootout, Curry's Thornwood team faced a conference foe, the good, not great, Shepard Astros in a SICA East battle. The result: Curry finished with zero field goals and 11 points, all on free throws.
After both of these sub-par efforts, Curry lost his nickname of Baby Shaq and started to get attached to what would seem a more deserving one of Baby Stanley Roberts. However, in all fairness, Curry was ill with the flu in the game against Chandler and in the matchup against Shepard he was constantly harassed by virtually the whole Shepard team throughout the game.
As a prospect for the NBA Draft, Curry's future is still looking bright. Players are not always picked on their abilities, but rather their potential that they bring with them. Still raw in many ways and with an enormous frame, Curry has potential oozing out of his ears.
"He's a premium player," said national recruiting scout Clint Jackson of High Major Hoops. "His size, strength and mobility at 6'11 and 285 pounds is tremendous. If he plays hard consistently he'll be an NBA All-Star someday. He's almost a lock to be drafted in the top 3 or 4 picks, if he were to declare. Centers are less plentiful than guards and forwards, and Curry ranks as a top center in high school and college."
With scouts picking him to be a top lottery pick (based on potential) will Curry instead opt to pass up the lure of the money and further his education and game at Depaul? Only time will tell, but currently Curry has bigger things to worry about.
Curry is a very skillful young man. Among his many talents he has been described as a very good free-hand (artist). "He will sit at the table and draw away with my daughter," voiced White. "But pretty much, a lot of people beat him at NBA Live," said White referring to Curry's lost skill of playing video games. "I guess he's just waiting for that Eddy Curry Player to come up on the screen."

12/14:
http://www.sportingnews.com/voices/kyle_veltrop/20001214.html

12/16: "For the first time in his high school career, Curry was held to no field goals in a game, but did convert 11 of 16 free throws to lead Thornwood to a 46-36 victory. "We're running a different type of offense this year and I'm not in the post as much. I move around all over the floor," said Curry. - The Times Online

12/15: "while Curry might be the nation's top high school player, he has a long way to go before he becomes a competent pro. "Curry has soft hands, but he can't run up and down," one NBA executive said. "I'd advise him to get a personal trainer--and stay in school." Another NBA talent evaluator disagreed, saying, "If Curry decides to come out, he'll be a top-10 pick." - Chicago Sun Times

12/14: "Eddy Curry was listed as the No. 1 senior in the country by all five Rivals publishers who weighed in on the Top 100 players." - Rivals100Hoops

12/8: "Tyson Chandler scored 16 points and showed off his athletic ability as he consistently beat Curry up and down the floor for dunks. Eddy Curry showed he has great power and has a nice touch for such a huge player as he also scored 16 points. But all in all it was an uneventful clash of titans so to speak. The final score Tyson and Dominguez 54 - Curry and Thornwood 50." - MidWest Hoops

12/8:
http://www.chicagosports.com/preps/content/story/0,1984,127446,00.html


12/8: "42 NBA GMs and scouts from 28 teams requested seats to watch a couple of high school basketball games Thursday night at the Savvis Center."
"But several scouts were disappointed by how out of shape the wide-load Curry looked. . . Curry has a lot of work to do. His loss (of immediate top-five draft money) could be DePaul's gain." - Skip Bayless, Chicago Tribune

12/7: "Scouts from virtually every NBA team will join an anticipated crowd of 15,000 Thursday night in the Savvis Center to watch 6-foot-11-inch, 290-pound Eddy Curry of Thornwood and 7-1, 230-pound Tyson Chandler of Compton (Calif.) Dominguez go head-to-head in the marquee attraction of the 20th annual KMOX/Shop 'N' Save Shootout. The last time a high school showdown came close to Curry versus Chandler was the duel 13 years ago at this event between Alonzo Mourning (Indian River, Va.) and East St. Louis Lincoln's LaPhonso Ellis. "This is an opportunity for Chandler to show everyone that he is the equal of Curry, who is the No. 1 player in the country," national recruiting analyst Van Coleman of North Liberty, Iowa, said. "This will help to establish the pecking order for the NBA people, and that's what makes this so intriguing." - Chicago Tribune

12/5: "The marquee matchup on Thursday (7th) pits 6-11 Eddy Curry of Thornwood against 7-1 Tyson Chandler of Dominguez High. Billed as the "Battle Of The Big Men, many consider this the best individual shootout matchup since the Alonzo Mourning-LaPhonso Ellis battle in 1987. According to various sources, 23 NBA teams have requested credentials. ...while Tyson can step outside and hit the 18-foot jumper, he still lacks the strength of Curry, who is reportedly up to 300 pounds now." - AllStar Report

11/28:
The Sporting News: Eddy Curry, who you tried to get, signed in November with DePaul. Think there's any chance you'll actually have to coach against him in Conference USA?
Bob Huggins: No.

TSN: If you were an NBA general manager and you had a chance to take him No. 1 in the draft, would you?
BH: With what's out there? Sure. All they talk about is upside and he's got better upside than those other guys.

TSN: He's the best high school big man you've seen since who?
BH: Well, he's the biggest and strongest.

TSN: Ever?
BH: Well, no. Not ever. I saw Darryl Dawkins, Moses Malone, those guys.

TSN: We've heard Shaq comparisons.
BH: He's not Shaq, either. I don't think he's ever going to be that big.
- The Sporting News

11/00:
http://www.slamonline.com/in_print/punks/curry/

11/24:
http://www.suntimes.com/output/prep/eddy24.html

11/14: Curry picks DePaul BY CLYDE TRAVIS
Thornwood's 6-10 All-American Eddy Curry said Monday he will sign a national letter of intent to play for DePaul on Wednesday, the last day of the early signing period. And for now, Curry, who some rate as the No. 1 prospect in the nation, is putting talk of the NBA on hold. Curry chose to join coach Pat Kennedy's program over Illinois and Memphis. He will bolster a recruiting class that will include 6-4 guard LeVar Seals of Providence-St. Mel; 6-9 Kenny Adelke of New York; 6-8 Sam Hoskins of Livonia, Mich; 6-7 Quemont Greer of Homestead, Fla.; and 6-4 guard Drake Diener of Fond du Lac, Wis. Kennedy and his staff could not comment because of NCAA rules that prohibit a coach from commenting on a prospective student-athlete before the school receives a signed letter of intent. The addition of Curry to the five who committed earlier gives DePaul the No. 1 recruiting class in the nation, according to analyst Bob Gibbons of Lenoir, N.C. "One of the things I really took into consideration is that it will give my family and friends an opportunity to come see me play," said Curry, whose sister, Beth, is a DePaul junior. "I wanted to make a choice just like any other high school athlete makes who is going to the next level. "Playing professional basketball is not a major concern for me right now. Just like everyone sets goals, that is one of my goals, but it's been proven that everyone should not make that leap unless they are absolutely ready. "My priority is to get my [high school] team Downstate this season and win a state championship." Curry said that talk of his going directly to the NBA limited the number of schools that recruited him. "I was surprised at the number of schools that didn't recruit me," Curry said. "I'm like the pretty girl with no date because everyone always assumes that she already has a date. Most schools automatically thought that I was going straight to the [NBA]. When the time comes, I will make that decision along with my parents." Curry's mother, Gayle, said the attention focused on her son has been hard to get used to. "The hardest thing for us is to get in our minds that Eddy is more than just Eddy," Gayle Curry said. "He's a low-key kid who really doesn't like all the attention that he is getting. We're starting to realize how it is, that there is going to be a certain amount of press and publicity. He just wants to be a normal kid." Curry agreed with many others about the hardest part of the recruiting process. "One of the most difficult things I've had to do was to tell Illinois and Memphis that I wasn't attending their school," Curry said. "I really felt comfortable with all three coaches. They were all coaches that I could play for. But you can only choose one, and I chose DePaul." Last season, Curry averaged 24.6 points, 11.2 rebounds and four blocks. "I wanted to get this out of the way and not have it drag on throughout the season so I can concentrate on what's important and have a halfway normal life," Curry said. "I didn't want to make a big deal about it, but with all of the calls I've been getting from the media, I'm glad to get it over with now." - Chicago Sun-Times

11/14:
http://www.suntimes.com/output/mariotti/jay14.html

11/13:
http://www.foxsports.com/highschool/basketball/stories/hs111300ecurry1.sml

11/13:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/college/recruiting/news/2000/11/13/curry_signs/index.html

11/13: "Someone who was supposed to have committed last week, but got pressure from his parents to postpone announcing his decision, was 6'11 Eddy Curry from South Holland (Thornwood) IL, who ranks #6 nationally by the HOOP SCOOP. But now Rob Harrington is reporting on PrepStars.com that Curry has signed a National Letter-of-Intent with DePaul. As a result, we are counting Curry as committed to the Blue Demons, which means their recruiting class moves up to #2 behind Memphis and ahead of UCLA. However, we still reserve the right move DePaul back down, if Curry fails to mail the letter to the DePaul basketball office this fall or he decides to put his name into the NBA draft next spring." - HoopScoop

11/5: "Eddy Curry, the top high school senior in the nation, sat in a chair along the sideline while making an official visit campus. The signs hung over the guardrail from the upper deck. "Do we have a Krush on Curry?" asked one, evidently held by an Orange Krush co-ed. "We want Eddy," said another poster that included a computer-generated photo of Curry wearing a No. 25 Illini uniform. The poster is probably the best shot at catching Curry in an Illinois uniform, since he's also weighing his options with the NBA draft next summer. Though his father claimed otherwise on Friday, Curry is expected to announce his college decision on Wednesday. With his mother's cousin hired on the staff at DePaul, the Blue Demons are considered the front-runner, though the NBA looms on the horizon. The 6-foot-11, 275-pound Curry averaged 24.8 points, 11.8 rebounds and 4.1 blocks last season as a junior at South Holland Thornwood. Nicknamed Baby Shaq, he has better strength and agility than anyone coming out of high school since Shaquille O'Neal. Thus, nbadraft.net ranks him the No. 1 draft prospect. No. 1. It's the kind of commitment that could send Illinois recruiting into another gear under first-year coach Bill Self, and his staff was working the full-court press. With assistant Rob Judson sitting in folding chairs with Curry and his parents, the Illini coaching staff brought its A game, and Illinois did its best to show the campus experience that's unavailable at DePaul. After the morning basketball practice, Curry, Self and Judson watched the Illini football team hold off Indiana 42-35 at Memorial Stadium. There was also time between his Friday arrival and Sunday departure to check out a full-sized campus. And he heard fans shouting his name from the balcony in the basketball practice facility during a session conveniently left open to the public. The Illini put their best foot forward, even if it would be for one year before Curry would leave for the NBA and its millions. It's a longshot. For weeks, Curry has been included in plans for a press conference on Wednesday, the first day high school seniors can sign a letter of intent. One internet site is reportedly issuing credentials for the event, and Curry's mother already confirmed the press briefing. DePaul is the leading candidate for a college commitment, with Donnie Kirksey, the cousin of Curry's mother, hired on Blue Demons' coaching staff in the offseason. "We read the internet sites," Eddy Sr. said Friday, who added the family has been in touch with Joe Bryant, Kobe's dad, to ask for some advice while also mulling offers from CINCINNATI, Connecticut and Memphis. "We want to gather more information,'' Eddy Sr. said. He has heard his son would be taken anywhere from No. 1-9 in the draft." - Springfield State Journal Register

11/5: "We want Eddy!" That was the message lettered on one of several signs held high in a packed crowd that turned out Saturday morning to watch the Illini men's basketball team barrel through a spirited scrimmage. The fans came to watch the team, but they were stacked three, four and five deep to catch a glimpse of Thornwood's Eddy Curry, the 6-foot-10 center who rates as the nation's No. 1 high school senior. Curry, who sat courtside at the Ubben Basketball Complex along with his parents and assistant coach Rob Judson, is in Champaign this weekend making his official campus visit. He has already visited DePaul and despite reports that he will announce his college decision on Wednesday, his family is indicating visits to colleges like CINCINNATI, Connecticut and Memphis may be possible. Saturday's crowd was so congested that some fans hauled a chair out of coach Bill Self's office and stood on it in an attempt to see over a mob of people squeezed up against the balcony rail." - Decatur Herald

11/4: "Thornwood basketball standout Eddy Curry, who is on an official visit to Illinois with his parents this weekend, will not attend a signing-day news conference to announce a college choice, his father said Friday. The 6-10, 275-pound Curry, who might be the top high school basketball prospect in the nation, is not even close to a decision on his future, Eddy Curry Sr. said. "We read the Internet sites. None of the rumors are true," said the elder Curry, adding that his son instead will be at a basketball practice Wednesday night. Curry already has visited DePaul and is considering CINCINNATI, Connecticut and Memphis. If speculation that he will be a top-five NBA pick proves accurate, Curry seems likely to turn pro. But his father said the family is in no hurry to make a decision. The elder Curry also denied that because a relative was hired by DePaul, the Blue Demons have the inside track." - Chic Sun Times

11/3: "There has been growing speculation in recent weeks that Bill Self and his staff have made great inroads in the recruitment of Eddy Curry. While most people still feel Curry is headed to the NBA after this season, the feeling is that he may be shifting his favor in terms of a college to Illinois over DePaul." - MidWest Hoops

11/3: "will announce his college decision Wednesday night. Curry, rated by many the nation's No. 1 high school basketball player, is reportedly leaning toward DePaul. Curry has said he would consider skipping college if he is likely to be a top-five pick in the NBA draft." - Chicago Tribune

11/1: "As it stands now four of our top 10 are still available, but 6'11 Eddy Curry from South Holland (Thornwood) IL and 7'0 Tyson Chandler from Compton (Dominguez) CA both will likely bypass college and go straight into the NBA draft. Sure, Curry will probably announce for DePaul at his scheduled press conference a week from today, at 7:00 PM, at ESPN Zone in Chicago, IL. However, based on the fact that DePaul already has five verbal commitments...how are they going to take Curry? Our guess is they won't, because he'll declare for the draft in the spring." - HoopScoop

10/31: "is visiting Illinois the weekend of Nov. 4. Curry wants to decide next week at a press conference with his friend IL WF Najeeb Echols. He’s also considering the NBA. It’s now looking like Illinois, DePaul and the NBA." - Rivals100 Hoops

10/25: "I am the one organizing the event to be held at ESPN Zone in downtown Chicago. I am working with Eddy and Najeeb to coordinate the event. However, we are still finalizing a date, but the press conference will indeed take place in early November and very likely still be held on the 8th. I will let you know when the date is finalized for sure. We have Najeeb making his announcement before Curry's press conference will be held. Eddy will be announcing his collegiate decision, and will not address the NBA issue at all. I will be sure to provide both of you with press credentials if you are interested in coming. Most likely the press conference will be broadcast LIVE on CLTV. G.J. King - RecruiterOnline.com

10/24: "The recruitment of Eddy Curry, the Thornwood (Ill.) High 6-foot-11 star and FoxStudentSports.com's No. 1 prospect in the country, is reaching its final stages, and it appears DePaul and coach Pat Kennedy might have locked up the big man — at least for now. According to sources close to the situation who wished to remain anonymous, Curry will commit to the Blue Demons the first week of November, picking them over CINCINNATI, Connecticut and others. "I would be shocked if Curry didn't commit to DePaul in the early signing period," one source said. "I would also be shocked if he ended up playing there. The prospect of being a top two or three pick in the NBA Draft [in June] will be too much to turn away." The rumors lately have been that Curry is giving more and more thought to playing at least one year at the college level, which, of course, would be great news for DePaul. But another source close to the recruiting of Curry reiterated the thought of Curry making the jump to the pros. "He's going to commit to [DePaul], but he's not going to play college basketball," the source said. Interestingly, DePaul already has more players committed for next year than they have scholarships for. With a commitment last week from Kenny Adeleke, a star forward from Robeson High in Brooklyn, N.Y. the Blue Demons, with a commitment from Curry, would have two too many scholarship offers for the 2001-2002 season. DePaul, though, would have until August to straighten out the scholarship situation to get down to the allotted 13." - FoxSports

10/24: "Frank Rusnak of High School Elite reported last week that Curry had made a decision on the time that he was going to announce (link) and it's currently scheduled for November 8th along with his pal, Najeeb Echols. Echols is having his press conference at ESPN Zone in downtown Chicago and we'd assume that Curry will also announce there. The majority of sources around Curry expect him to declare for DePaul or Illinois, but his NBA draft status is so high in the lottery that we'd expect his skipping college altogether is almost automatic. So, if he announces for a collegiate destination, the odds are better that the Clippers win the NBA title this year then Curry ever setting foot on a college campus." - High Major Hoops

10/24: "It's not Tyson vs. Holyfield, it's not Jordan vs. Vince Carter, but to prep basketball junkies, college coaches, NBA scouts and passionate fans, it's the match up that everyone wants to see.
>Eddy Curry vs. Tyson Chandler< The date has been set for December 7th, the location is St. Louis, Missouri at the Savvis Center." - High Major Hoops

10/23: "Eddy Curry and Ousmane Cisse from Montgomery, Ala....are trying to decide between an immediate flight to the NBA and a year of season. Calipari will take either. "Right now, the top three players in the country (Curry, Kelvin Torbert, Wagner) have either visited us or are coming," Calipari says. "Some people say, 'John, these kids will only be in school a year or two.' I don't care. If that happens, we'll recruit another crop. If there's a player who's going to the NBA and wants a gap year, wants to get in good condition, learn the game and get great strength and conditioning training, he should come to Memphis." - Sporting News (clipped)

10/23: "We hear (Tyson) Chandler already has an agent, so even if he wanted to, he wouldn't be able to go to college next year. But that does solve some problems for him, like worrying about his grades or trying to pass the SAT. Curry may verbally commit to DePaul this fall, but they just don't make guys this big very often and, ready or not, some NBA team will probably make him a high lottery pick. In other words, just like Chandler, Curry really doesn't even have a choice." - HoopScoop

10/20: HS "Dream Team" selected by major recruiting analysts.
http://www.highmajorhoops.com/HMH_Dream_Team.html
Curry is the only player listed on all 5 experts lists.

10/16: Najeeb Echols and Curry are having a press conference at the Chicago ESPNZone on November 8. However, it is not clear if an announcement will be made at that time. - AllStar Report

10/14: Eddy Curry attended DePaul's Midnight Madness. He was easily recognized and mobbed by autograph seekers.

10/6/00: "got in touch with the source for Curry, his AAU coach, Stan White. We asked White about his big center's recent in-home visit with the North Carolina Tar Heels, to which White offered "I don't think that affected him that much, one way or the other." White still says that Curry would like to make some sort of collegiate decision by the Fall, and still keep his (NBA) options open. The list of preferred programs for Curry's verbal commitment are 1-DePaul, 2-Illinois, 3- CINCINNATI and North Carolina as "the dark horse," according to White. White told us that the NBA scouts have made the Curry camp well aware that he is very likely to be drafted high in the next NBA draft if he were to skip college altogether. In fact, White offered that "most think he would definitely be a lottery selection." So, in conclusion, while Curry plans to verbally commit to a college of his choice, we wouldn't get to excited, because this kid will declare for the NBA, and that's something else to bet the inheritance on, just like JJ Redick picking Duke, yesterday. Curry is a huge and strong center that has an NBA level physique and excels at scoring on the blocks, rejecting shots and securing a large amount of rebounds. He has good mobility, nice pivot moves and drop steps and brute size and strength that is unmatched at this level and probably the collegiate level as well. We would not at all be surprised to see his name called in the