Negedu to sign with Tennessee
Posted on: June 17, 2008 2:00 pm
Edited on: June 17, 2008 2:07 pm
Score: 94
Emmanuel Negedu has verbally committed to Tennessee.
"I'm going to the University of Tennessee," Negedu said by phone Tuesday in an exclusive interview with CBSSports.com. "Tennessee was one of the schools I considered before I (signed with) Arizona (last November), and when I visited there I liked the campus and I really got along with the players. It just seemed like a family. I love it. And I feel like I've known the coaches forever."
A 6-foot-7 forward, Negedu is the one-time Arizona signee who asked for a release from his national letter of intent last month, unhappy with the uncertainty surrounding Lute Olson and the Arizona program. When the release was granted the African import immediately became the central recruiting target for multiple elite level programs -- specifically Tennessee, Indiana, Memphis and Georgia Tech, all of which were searching for an impact frontcourt player to add to the 2008-09 roster.
Rivals.com ranks Negedu as the 40th-best prospect in his class while Scout.com has him at No. 71. Either way, he's an extremely athletic, explosive post presence who should immediately help the Vols as he competes for minutes with veterans Wayne Chism and Tyler Smith.
For Bruce Pearl, this is a huge development.
It not only solidifies Tennessee as a preseason top 10 team, but it's an example of Pearl -- aided by assistant Steve Forbes -- beating rival John Calipari and Memphis on a "national" recruit as the two programs continue to compete for supremacy in the state. Negedu's pledge also pushes Tennessee's recruiting class solidly into the top 10 considering he's the fourth Rivals.com top 70 prospect to commit. The best of the group is McDonald's All-American Scotty Hopson, who will start in the backcourt beside junior college standout Bobby Maze for a team that should win the SEC and could advance to the Final Four.
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ittsme53792
Reputation: 0Level: Amateur Since: Jun 21, 2008 |
Posted on: June 21, 2008 2:39 pm
Score: 22
Negedu to sign with Tennessee |
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ittsme53792
Reputation: 0 Level: Amateur Since: Jun 21, 2008 |
Posted on: June 21, 2008 2:33 pm
Score: 13
Negedu to sign with TennesseeGary: TN did "beat" Memphis for a recruit.....AFTER...Calipari |
dbljfromuofa
Reputation: 94Level: All-Star Since: Jul 24, 2007 |
Posted on: June 18, 2008 12:12 pm
Score: 82
Negedu to sign with TennesseeCEF3- Leave Tucson, do us all a favor. If you can't even spell Coach Olson's name correctly, why are you making idiotic statements about a team you obviously know nothing about? I'm not sure how long you've been in Tucson, but get out of the sun, it's done something to your brain. When Arizona makes it's 25th consecutive trip to the NCAA's this next year, will you still consider the program a disgrace? Get a grip. And please, log off.
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dbljfromuofa
Reputation: 94 Level: All-Star Since: Jul 24, 2007 |
Posted on: June 18, 2008 12:05 pm
Score: 82
Negedu to sign with TennesseeDo you think a verbal commitment is binding? His written commitment wasn't. Give the kid a chance. He can still change his mind again. |
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CEFIII
Reputation: 0 Level: Amateur Since: Jun 18, 2008 |
Posted on: June 18, 2008 12:21 am
Score: 36
Arizona program in freefallI'm from Tucson and what's happening here is a disgrace. What has happened here with the coaches is absurd. UofA let Coach Olsen take a year off so he could what? - Get a divorce? Prior to the last season they let go of the No. 1 assistant coach who had been with the team for twenty years. Then they hire a new coach O'neil tell him his job is secure and now he's gone. Any wonder why the rest of the coaches left? Olsen hasn't been in tune with his teams for years and the team has ended the season in turmoil year after year. The best talent leaves. The coach doesn't appear to know the quality of his players. When Gilbert Arenas was here he was the third option on offense. Don't look for Arizona to be at the top for some time to come. |
Ybbodeus
Reputation: 83Level: All-Star Since: Mar 22, 2007 |
Posted on: June 17, 2008 3:03 pm
Score: 26
Negedu to sign with TennesseeDo we know when the game between the Tigers and Vols will be this season? May I presume it will be pre-conference this time around versus late in the regular season? |
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NateO Level: Superstar Since: Feb 13, 2007 |
Posted on: June 17, 2008 3:01 pm
Score: 96
Negedu to sign with TennesseeBuggrit, Indiana could have really used this guy. Oh well...
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Jurevicious Level: All-Star Since: Feb 22, 2008 |
Posted on: June 17, 2008 2:34 pm
Score: 83
Negedu to sign with TennesseeThe Vols will be loaded this year. I went to the Rocky Top Summer League games last night and I was impressed with what I saw. Tyler has 32 points, Tatum had 37, Hopson 25, and BWilliams a surprising 21. Watch out for them Vols in 08-09. Way to go Bruce on getting Negedu over Calipari
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TigerDrew
Reputation: 96Level: Superstar Since: Dec 6, 2006 |
Posted on: June 17, 2008 2:21 pm
Score: 95
Negedu to sign with TennesseeThis will definitely help the Vols but they will still miss Duke Crews and Ramar Smith...
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bamajc3
Reputation: 95Level: Superstar Since: Feb 19, 2008 |
Posted on: June 17, 2008 2:21 pm
Score: 95
Negedu to sign with TennesseeIt sure wont hurt anything! The vols will be good as usual, still cant beleive Duke got that kid out of Memphis
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TN did "beat" Memphis for a recruit....AFTER....(1) Cal and Pastner told Negedu to stay at AZ, (2) they entered the recruiting fray well after TN and others had actively began pursuing Negedu, and (3) for a recruit whom TN had actively recruited earlier.
Don't think that is such a "beating". &nb
sp; But since "beat' is your chosen metric, how about the last major recruits that TN can't even get into the door on....including Rose, Evans, etc.
And as to this recruiting class, Rivals/Scout has Memphis 5/6 and Tn as 10/17.
A 6'6" "big" doesn't move the bar drastically upward. Note the emphasis of the NBA height measures, and how far some of the supposed "bigs" dropped after ther true height became known.