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UCLA Basketball & New Pauley Pavilion -- It's Time to Come Home

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Published on Apr 24, 2012 by UCLABRUINSdotCOM

Synopsis: New Pauley Pavilion at UCLA opens this Fall. Season tickets are available now to all UCLA fans for the first time. To explore New Pauley Pavilion and get your tickets, visit http://www.uclabruins.com/pauley-pavilion-seat-selection.html

UCLA recruit Shabazz Muhammad's genes a great fit for basketball

UCLA recruit Shabazz Muhammad's genes a great fit for basketball

Shabazz Muhammad's father Ron Holmes and mother Faye Muhammad were basketball stars at USC and Long Beach State, respectively. The family tree also includes a former NFL receiver and other athletes.

By Chris Foster
The Los Angeles Times
12:10 PM PDT, April 21, 2012

Ron Holmes, then a USC basketball player, was with a buddy at a summer league basketball game in 1982 when he saw his future on the court.

Watching Faye Paige play, Holmes said to his friend, "See that No. 10? She's going to be my wife and we're going to make some All-Americans."

Shabazz Muhammad has a chance to fulfill that prediction.

Muhammad, Ron and Faye's 18-year-old son, is a 6-foot-6 swingman who is widely regarded as the nation's best or second-best high school senior. He's set to begin his college basketball education at UCLA in the fall, but has already been extensively home schooled on the subject.

Shake his family tree and basketballs drop out.

Or, as Holmes puts it: "The athletic genes were there."

Holmes scored 1,211 points, 20th in school history, in four seasons at USC, and his allegiance to the Trojans has prompted some early personal ground rules about cheering for UCLA. For example, "I won't do the eight clap," he says. Also, powder blue remains out of the wardrobe.

Paige, who changed her name to Faye Muhammad after converting to the Muslim faith, played for Long Beach State teams that were so good, she says, "We barely took note of the Bruins."

Shabazz's aunt, Robin Holmes, played at Cal State Fullerton. She recalls UCLA being "hated," and games with Long Beach State having a family feud feel.

"Faye was a very difficult person on the court," Robin says diplomatically.

All three played in Pauley Pavilion and won in their final games there. All are eager to see Muhammad begin his career in what next season will be a renovated arena.

Faye jokingly attributes her son's college choice to "karma."

"Shabazz got a UCLA throwback jersey when he was younger and came home one day to find his dad had cut the 'UCLA' out of it," she says. "I brought that up the other day. I told Ron that he should have never done that to the jersey."

Holmes says his son's decision "felt a little weird," but blood is thicker than water under the bridge.

"The UCLA coaches are all good guys," Holmes says.

Holmes, who played at El Toro High, taught his son the game as it was passed down from his parents. Leroy and Ethel Holmes both played in high school.

"This goes back a lot further than Ron and Faye," Robin Holmes says. "Our mom was the matriarch. She used to take us out and school us."

Robin says she has one concern about her nephew: that he will be too much like her brother.

"Ron wouldn't know defense if it bit him in the butt," she says. "I tried to work with Ron. It didn't help."

Her remark stems from a good-natured sibling rivalry. A more intense type grew from Long Beach.

Faye Muhammad was taught to compete by her older brother, Mel. But basketball wasn't the first lesson. Stephone Paige, another older brother, had 377 receptions in nine seasons with the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs.

Faye's first athletic challenge as a kid?

"Mel made me put the football equipment on and play defense on [Stephone]," she says.

She fared better in basketball.

"It kept me out of trouble," Faye says. "My mom would go house to house, picking up my friends in our yellow station wagon, and take us to play. It was nonstop basketball. I was hooked."

Faye was a star athlete at Long Beach Poly High, and she made a quick transition to Long Beach State, where she was third in the 400-meter hurdles at the NCAA track and field meet as a freshman.

A knee injury slowed her athletic career, but she remained a vital part of the 49ers' success in basketball. Long Beach had a 130-27 record during her five seasons in the program; her senior year the 49ers went 29-5 and reached the 1986 NCAA West Regional final.

Faye scored 1,245 points for Long Beach and never lost to UCLA, including a final 85-69 victory at Pauley Pavilion. "We always handled them, whether at home or Pauley," she says.

Her husband also had some success on UCLA's home floor. Ron and USC defeated the Bruins twice in 1985, his senior season, including an 80-78 four-overtime thriller at Pauley Pavilion.

"All I remember is I missed some free throws in that game," Ron says. "It should have never gone to overtime."

Assuaging the pain is the knowledge that he pulled in the rebound that ignited a rush up the court for the buzzer-beating layup that won the game. The victory gave the Trojans a share of the Pacific 10 Conference championship, their last regular-season title.

Robin also won her last game at Pauley Pavilion, a 65-55 Fullerton victory in 1985, her junior season. Now vice president for student affairs at the University of Oregon, she finished with 1,731 career points, fifth on Fullerton's all-time scoring list.

Robin's games against Long Beach and her future sister-in-law are remembered as stressful for everyone.

"I would tell Coach, 'Please don't put me on Robin, her family is going to be here,'" Faye recalls. "We'd get to the game and the first thing Coach [Joan] Bonvicini would say was, 'Faye, you have Holmes.'"

The tension was just as thick in the other locker room.

"I remember every game," Robin says. During one, Faye was playing so well that Robin says she ended up pleading with her: "I said, 'Back off, you're killing me.' She kept sticking it to me."

The real pressure, though, came from the stands.

"My mom was pretty vocal, and she did not like that Faye was so tenacious," Ron says. "I wanted Robin to do well, too. But Faye and I were dating."

His solution?

"I kept quiet," Ron says.

Faye says she could beat Ron in a game, too — under certain conditions.

"I had one rule: no dunking," she says. "If he couldn't dunk, he couldn't beat me."

Their son, though, is an entirely different matter.

Says Faye: "I stopped being able to beat him when he was in the eighth grade."

Parker signing solidifies nation's top recruiting class for UCLA

Photo from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Parker signing solidifies nation's top recruiting class for UCLA


By SCOTT M. REID / THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Published: April 23, 2012 Updated: 11:02 p.m.

LOS ANGELES - UCLA solidified the nation's top recruiting class with the signing of McDonald's All-American Tony Parker on Monday.

Parker, a 6-foot-9, forward/center out of Miller Grove High School in Lithonia, Ga., joins a recruiting class that already included Las Vegas Bishop Gorman's Shabazz Muhammad, the consensus national player of the year, and guard Kyle Anderson, a McDonald's All-American out of New Jersey's St. Anthony High School.

UCLA also signed another Georgian, Jordan Adams, a small forward who is at Oak Hill Academy in Virginia, Parker and Adams played for current Bruins assistant Korey McCray on the Atlanta Celtics AAU team.

Parker chose the Bruins over Ohio State, Kansas and Georgia.

"It is icing on the cake today to have Tony Parker join this recruiting class," Howland said. "He is a great player that has an unbelievable work ethic. I'm so excited for our program to have a quality big man like Tony join our team and Bruin family.

"He has all of the intangibles to go with being a very talented player. He is a driven and motivated talent that plays with physicality, toughness, enthusiasm and passion. He's the first player in the history of the state of Georgia to play in and win four straight state championships. He is a winner and has an unbelievably bright future."

Parker led Miller Grove to four consecutive Georgia 4A state titles. He averaged 16.8 points, 11.0 rebounds and 3.0 blocks a season, and posted 21 points, 13 boards and three blocks in the state title game.

Parker won a gold medal with the U.S. national team at the 2010 FIBA Under-17 World Championships. He also was a member of the winning U.S. squad at the 2009 FIBA Under-16 Americas championships. He had a game-high 12 rebounds for the East at the 2012 Jordan Brand All-American Game earlier this month.

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UCLA adds center Tony Parker to round out stellar recruiting class

Tony Parker, a 6-9, 280-pound center from Georgia, commits to UCLA, joining Shabazz Muhammad, Kyle Anderson and Jordan Adams in a basketball recruiting class that Scout.com ranks No. 2 in the nation.

By Chris Foster
The Times of Los Angeles
9:05 PM PDT, April 23, 2012

Tony Parker, last of the blue-chip high school seniors on UCLA's basketball recruiting wish list, gave three reasons Monday after announcing that he had chosen the Bruins.

Shabazz Muhammad, Kyle Anderson and Jordan Adams.

Parker, a 6-foot-9, 280-pound center from Lithonia, Ga., was in the spotlight alone in making his choice later than most, but the moment he signified his decision by putting on a UCLA cap, he became part of a foursome.

"I thought I would go somewhere where I could really succeed with the freshmen that came in with me," Parker said. "I have three great guys coming there with me, Shabazz, Kyle and Jordan."

Parker was the last piece to a recruiting class that will be expected to reinvigorate a program that has meandered the last three seasons. The Bruins, beset by turmoil, finished 19-14 last season and missed the NCAA tournament for the second time in three years.

Parker joins Muhammad, the Las Vegas Bishop Gorman High forward considered the No. 2 player in the nation; Anderson, a 6-8 guard from Jersey City (N.J.) St. Anthony, and Adams, a forward from Mouth of Wilson (Va.) Oak Hill Academy.

"This was icing on the cake today, having Tony join this recruiting class that is really special," UCLA Coach Ben Howland said.

As to whether it expunges the bad taste from the 2011-12 season, Howland said, "It doesn't change anything. The past is done. The whole key is to learn from it."

UCLA's recruiting class was ranked third in the nation by Scout.com before Parker committed. His presence pushed the Bruins' class to No. 2 — past Arizona but still behind national champion Kentucky.

The influx of freshman talent in Tucson and Westwood improves the Pac-12 Conference's reputation after the league sent only two teams — Colorado and California — to the NCAA tournament.

Howland knows well the pitfalls that can scuttle a recruiting class. UCLA had the nation's No. 1-ranked recruiting class in 2008. Yet Jerime Anderson was the only one of the five recruits who remained four seasons, and UCLA never advanced further than the NCAA tournament's second round.

"These are the problems you want to have," Howland said of renewed expectations. "I have no doubt this class will turn out to be a great class when people look back on it."

Parker was eager to face the expectations after winning four Georgia state high school titles. He had narrowed his choices to Ohio State, Kentucky, Kansas and Georgia, which hoped staying home would be appealing.

Parker wanted more.

"To stay home and just be a hometown hero, I don't think that's pressure," Parker said. "I think that's kind of the easy way out. If you go someplace far away, that's pressure. I'm a piece of coal. I'll be a diamond when I leave UCLA."

Parker joins his former AAU coach, Korey McCray, now a UCLA assistant. Parker told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that McCray is "like an older brother to me, and he has been looking out for me for a long time."

Howland said that McCray was key to landing Parker and Adams, who is from Lawrenceville, Ga..

"If he weren't on staff, we wouldn't have gotten either of those kids," Howland said.

How long any of the four will remain is to be seen. UCLA has had nine players jump to the NBA early, three after their freshman seasons.

"We'll see what happens," Howland said. "What I have to worry about is not getting caught short-handed, like we did this year. I have to try to anticipate."

On Monday, Parker was talking about arriving, not leaving, and he was already in anticipation mode.

"UCLA is where I can succeed and improve," Parker said. "Especially with the guys I'll be coming in with."
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Parker puts Bruins near head of the class

 

By Jon Gold jon.gold@dailynews.com twitter.com/insideucla Staff Writer

The Los Angeles Daily News

Posted: 04/23/2012 11:06:31 PM PDT
Updated: 04/23/2012 11:10:31 PM PDT

They say it's darkest just before the dawn.

If that's the case, get Ben Howland some shades because things are looking pretty bright in Westwood.

After missing the NCAA Tournament for the second time in three years, the UCLA basketball team continued its impressive offseason haul by picking up the commitment of Scout.com's No. 20-ranked prospect, Tony Parker of Miller Grove High in Lithonia, Ga., on Monday.

The 6-foot-9 Parker announced his intentions in front of a packed audience in a 45-minute ceremony and chose the Bruins over Ohio State, Georgia and Duke.

Parker became the fourth member of a monster recruiting class for Howland and joined No. 2-ranked Shabazz Muhammad, No. 4 Kyle Anderson and No. 76 Jordan Adams, enough to secure UCLA either the No. 1 or No. 2 ranking from most top recruiting services.

"It is icing on the cake today to have Tony Parker join this recruiting class," Howland said. "He is a great player that has an unbelievable work ethic.

"I'm so excited for our program to have a quality big man like Tony join our team and Bruin family. "

Parker will be in a crowded frontcourt that includes returning juniors Joshua Smith, Anthony Stover and David and Travis Wear, but Howland insisted he would battle for playing time early.

With a backcourt that returns Tyler Lamb and Norman Powell and adds North Carolina transfer Larry Drew Jr., the Bruins could jump into the preseason top 10.

"(Parker) is going to come in and compete right away for a starting position," Howland said. "This thing is wide open. We have 11 on scholarship and each position will be contested. He's competing for major minutes right away as a freshman."

Parker's commitment comes on the heels of Muhammad's selection of the Bruins over Kentucky and Duke, and he's now the second signee largely credited to assistant coach Korey McCray.

Parker and Adams played on McCray's Atlanta Celtics AAU team, and Howland gave McCray, whom he hired before last season, his due.

"No question, Korey McCray has done an incredible job recruiting both Jordan Adams and Tony Parker from his home state," Howland said. "Were he not on staff we wouldn't have gotten either one of those kids."

Howland highlighted the foursome's winning ways in high school as the group combined to go 128-13 last season. Adams led Oak Hill Academy to a 44-0 record, Muhammad guided Bishop Gorman to a Nevada state title, Anderson went 65-0 in his final two seasons at famed St. Anthony's in New Jersey and Parker became the first player to win four Georgia state championships. He also took home the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's "Mr. Basketball" honors this past season.

Howland knows with the star-studded lineup comes increased expectations. He almost sounds relieved they're back.

"What's the alternative to that?" Howland said. "That's my answer to that. These are the kinds of problems we want to have. High expectations, we have those anyway.
"We've failed to meet the high expectations we've had for this program two of the last three years."

Tony Parker headed to UCLA Bruins

Tony Parker headed to UCLA Bruins

 

 

By David Ching | DawgNation

ESPN.com

Updated: April 23, 2012, 10:12 PM ET

 

 

LITHONIA, Ga. -- UCLA added another big piece to one of the nation's top college basketball recruiting classes Monday when ESPN 100 center Tony Parker joined the Bruins.

Parker (Lithonia/Miller Grove), the No. 26 overall prospect in the ESPN 100 and No. 7 center, picked the Bruins over a list of finalists that included Ohio State, Duke, Georgia, Kansas and Memphis.

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More on UCLA's Recruiting Haul

UCLA's impressive haul of prize recruit Tony Parker lands the Bruins a top-rated class and the kind of talent that will quickly turn around the struggling program, writes Dave Telep. Blog
 

For Ben Howland, his team, and dispirited UCLA fans everywhere, the timing of pulling in Tony Parker couldn't possibly be better. All that remains is turning this talent into a team, Eamonn Brennan writes. Blog

• Updated class rankings
• Best available prospects

_________________

The four-star prospect's decision pushes UCLA ahead of Kentucky to take over the No. 1 recruiting ranking among 2012 classes nationally.

"I just thought UCLA was the perfect place for me to get better, be successful," Parker said at the end of an hour-long ceremony at which he announced his decision. "With the prestigious open run that they have in the summertime, I just thought UCLA would be a great place. I have three great guys recruiting me in Kyle Anderson, Shabazz (Muhammad) and Jordan (Adams)."

The Bruins' class jumped from No. 12 to No. 3 in ESPN's team rankings two weeks ago when Muhammad (Las Vegas/Bishop Gorman), the No. 2 overall prospect in the ESPN 150, joined Anderson (Fairview, N.J./St. Anthony), the No. 5 player, and Adams (Lawrenceville, Ga./Oak Hill Academy), No. 41, among UCLA signees.

Now the Bruins add a McDonald's All-American in Parker, who led Miller Grove to four straight Georgia state titles and averaged 16.6 points and 11 rebounds per game as a senior.

"I think they can contend to be the No. 1 class in the country now," Miller Grove coach Sharman White said. "You've got Kentucky who's got a strong class, but this group that they got has got a little bit of everything. It's pretty good. It's right there. If not No. 1, I'd definitely say it's 1 or 2."

UCLA hopes the group will collectively make an immediate impact -- and Parker said that was one of the determining factors in joining the Bruins instead of signing with Duke, Ohio State or Georgia, the other three schools whose caps were positioned on the table in front of him at the ceremony before he chose the UCLA cap and opened his jacket and revealed a UCLA T-shirt.

"Duke, Ohio State and UGA: Those three schools were right behind. I love (Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski), I love what he had going, but I just thought UCLA was a better fit for me and the people I was coming in with," Parker said. "Ohio State, it doesn't get no better for a big man there. But I just thought I would have to work harder at UCLA and would probably come in with more of a chip on my shoulder."

Aided by its proximity and the attraction of playing with Miller Grove teammate Brandon Morris, who committed last fall, Georgia made a late push to acquire Parker's services. He said he did not feel pressured to stay close to home, however.

David Ching/ESPN.com Tony Parker, the No. 26 overall prospect in the ESPN 100, vaulted UCLA to the No. 1 overall recruiting class, according to ESPN.

"I really don't think there would have been any pressure at all to stay home, be around the people you've been around and just be a hometown hero," Parker said. "I don't think that's pressure. I think that's kind of the easy way out. If you go somewhere far, that's pressure. I think I'm probably coal and I'll be a diamond by the time I get to UCLA."

After reaching the NCAA tournament in five consecutive seasons with coach Ben Howland -- including three straight Final Fours and one trip to the national championship game -- the Bruins have missed the tournament in two of the last three years. Last season they finished in the middle of the pack in a mediocre Pac-12, at 19-14 overall and 11-7 in conference play.

However, UCLA is poised to return to national prominence quickly after adding four top-50 prospects.

UCLA assistant coach Korey McCray, hired last summer by Howland to help recruit out of state, was Parker's AAU coach with the Atlanta Celtics before taking the UCLA job. McCray played a vital role in recruiting Parker and Adams, another former Atlanta Celtics player. Parker is also close with Muhammad and Anderson, who said they had been working hard on getting Parker to UCLA.

The 6-foot-9, 270-pound Parker will add a post punch to the class' dynamic tandem of Muhammad, a super athletic scorer, and Anderson, an inside-outside threat. And White said Parker will bring intangibles to the group of freshmen, which already had bonded at All-Star games and summer camps before deciding to sign together.

"Tony brings a stability. He brings a calming force to the two, those guys, and I think they're going to jell well together," White said. "I've seen them together at the Jordan Game and I've seen them at the Nike Skills Academy that I worked and I can see those guys jelling really well. They've already started bonding and I think Tony's like the glue."

Information from ESPNLosAngeles.com's Peter Yoon is included in this report.

Photos from Tony Parker's announcement show

Photos from Tony Parker's announcement show from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (link)

It's official...Tony Parker signs LOI

UCLA Signs Tony Parker to National Letter of Intent

Parker's signing moves Bruins to No. 1 on ESPN 2012 recruiting class rankings.

Tony Parker

UCLA Men's Basketball
April 23, 2012

LOS ANGELES -
Photo Gallery from AJC | 2012-13 Season Ticket Information

UCLA head coach Ben Howland announced today the signing of Tony Parker to a National Letter of Intent to attend UCLA in the fall of 2012.

Parker, a 6-foot-9-inch, 270-pound forward/center out of Lithonia, Ga. (Miller Grove High School), is a McDonald's All-American and joins the Bruins' signing class that is currently rated No. 1 in the country and consists of fellow McDonald's All-Americans, Kyle Anderson, a 6-foot-8-inch, 225-pound point guard out of North Bergen, N.J. (St. Anthony High School) and Shabazz Muhammad, a 6-foot-6-inch, 215-pound wing out of Las Vegas (Bishop Gorman High School) and Jordan Adams, a 6-foot-5-inch, 220-pound wing out of Atlanta (Oak Hill Academy).

"It is icing on the cake today to have Tony Parker join this recruiting class," Howland said. "He is a great player that has an unbelievable work ethic. I'm so excited for our program to have a quality big man like Tony join our team and Bruin family. He has all of the intangibles to go with being a very talented player. He is a driven and motivated talent that plays with physicality, toughness, enthusiasm and passion. He's the first player in the history of the state of Georgia to play in and win four straight state championships. He is a winner and has an unbelievably bright future."

Parker led the MGHS Wolverines to four straight Georgia 4A state titles while averaging 16.8 points 11.0 rebounds and 3.0 blocks per game as a senior in 2012. He scored 21 points and had 13 rebounds and three blocks in the state championship win over Southwest DeKalb (Decatur, Ga.) as the Wolverines ended the year 24-9. A two-time gold medalist with USA Basketball, Parker captured an 8-0 record and a gold medal at the 2010 FIBA U17 World Championships in Hamburg, Germany. He also helped USA to a 5-0 record and a gold medal in the 2009 FIBA Americas U16 Championship in Mendoza, Argentina, as he averaged 8.2 points and 6.6 rebounds per game. He contributed 10 points, seven rebounds and two blocks for the East team, which lost 106-102 to the West in the 2012 McDonald's All-American game on March 28. Parker scored eight points and had a game-high 12 rebounds for the East, which lost 99-95 to the West, in the 2012 Jordan Brand All-American Game on April 14 in Charlotte, N.C.

While at Miller Grove HS, he ended his high school career on a 16-game winning streak and an overall postseason record of 20-0 under head coach Sharman White. He was named the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Mr. Basketball for the state of Georgia in 2012. He was named the Georgia Hoops 2009 Freshman of the Year after averaging 7.5 points and 10.3 rebounds per game while starting 32 contests and leading the Wolverines to a 30-3 record and the first of four state titles. Miller Grove HS went 117-19 (.860) in his four years as a starter (2009-12).

Parker is ranked as the No. 20 player in the nation by Scout.com and ranked No. 26 by ESPN.com and No. 27 by Rivals.com. He is rated as the No. 6 center in the country by Rivals, at No. 7 by ESPN and No. 8 by Scout. He joins Muhammad, who is ranked as the No. 1 player in the nation by Rivals.com and No. 2 by ESPN.com and Scout.com. ESPN and Scout have him rated as the No. 1 small forward in the country while Rivals ranked him as their No. 1 shooting guard. Kyle Anderson is rated as the No. 3 player in the country by Rivals.com, the No. 4 player by Scout and No. 5 by ESPN. Anderson is rated the No. 1 small forward by Rivals and the No. 2 small forward by ESPN and Scout behind Muhammad. The fourth signee of the class is Jordan Adams, who is rated the No. 41 player in the country by ESPN.com. Adams is also rated No. 62 by Rivals and No. 75 by Scout. ESPN rates Adams as the No. 9 small forward in the country while Rivals has him at No. 14 and Scout at No. 16. Muhammad's signing to UCLA jumped the Bruins from No. 12 on ESPN's recruiting class rankings to No. 3. Parker's signing to UCLA jumped the Bruins from No. 3 to No. 1 on that same list. UCLA is the only program to land two of the top five recruits in the 2012 class.

Tony Parker Announces UCLA

Video courtesy of PlayOnNetwork on You Tube

Tony Parker: Basketball star picks UCLA over UGA, others

Video cred CLHTV2 on You Tube

Tony Parker: Basketball star picks UCLA over UGA, others (UPDATED)

by Michael Carvell
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
4:58 pm April 23, 2012

 

The AJC's Mr. Basketball is UCLA bound (AJC photo/Curtis Compton)

UCLA’s decision to hire a longtime Atlanta AAU coach has paid huge and immediate dividends with recruiting.

Tony Parker, the basketball star from Miller Grove High School who is ranked as one of the nation’s top 25 overall prospects, picked UCLA over UGA and Ohio State among his finalists, which also included Duke, Kansas and Memphis. Last summer, UCLA hired one of Parker’s former AAU coaches as an assistant.

At the end of Monday’s 57-minute commitment ceremony, Parker briefly toyed around with baseball caps from Georgia and Ohio State before revealing a t-shirt with the UCLA logo on it.

“I just wanted to go to a place with a winning tradition,” Parker said.

At UCLA, Parker will also be going to place with a familiar face. Last June, the Bruins hired Korey McCray, the former CEO of the Atlantic Celtics AAU team. While Parker has played primarily for the Georgia Stars AAU team over the years, he appeared in several tournaments with the Celtics. He has a tight friendship with McCray, who has trained Parker since he was 12 years old.

“Yes sir, I did want to play for Korey,” Parker said. “We’re extremely close. He’s like an older brother to me, and he has been looking out for me for a long time … I really thought if I went to UCLA, Korey could really develop me. He pushes me hard.”

At UCLA, Parker will also be reunited with his AAU teammate, small forward Jordan Adams, the former Central Gwinnett standout who transferred to Virginia’s Oak Hill prep school this season. Adams signed with UCLA last November.

UGA made gigantic gains over the last few months but it wasn't enough (AJC)

Parker waited nearly two weeks after the opening day of the early signing period because he wrestled between signing with UCLA, Georgia or Ohio State. At one point or another during the recruiting process, Parker revealed on Monday that he had each of the three schools as his leader.

His mother went public with her support for Georgia earlier this month.

“Yes, I was in favor of Tony picking Georgia initially because Coach [Mark] Fox is one of my favorite coaches … I love that program,” said Hazel Parker.

“But I was fine when Tony decided on UCLA, or with whatever choice he made. And if I wasn’t pleased, I would’ve let Tony know … I’m going to miss him, of course. There will be lonesome days and all that good stuff. But if he was an hour away at Georgia, I would miss him, also.”

It was a heartbreaking decision for Georgia, which seemingly came out of nowhere to become a serious contender for Parker within the last couple of months. Two of Parker’s former Miller Grove teammates will be playing for Georgia next season, but it wasn’t enough to sway Parker.

“Georgia has nothing to hold their heads down about,” Miller Grove coach Sharman White said. “They were oblivious [among Parker’s favorite colleges] six months ago, even three months ago. They closed the gap in a hurry.

“Coach Fox and his staff should not hold their heads down. If I know Coach Fox, this will motivate him to not let another top player like Tony leave the state … Georgia did well, they made some big strides against some bigger schools that are more well-known for their basketball. I think Georgia should be proud of its effort.”

So much in life is about relationships, and UCLA assistant Korey McCray developed a close one with Tony Parker (Photo by UCLA)

In the end, relationships played a big factor in Parker’s decision. He grew close with two other ULCA recruits, Shabazz Muhammad and Kyle Anderson, after playing with them in a couple of national all-star games recently. There was always the strong connection with McCray.

“Tony training with Korey all these years probably started the process of them bonding,” White said. “When it came time to make a big decision like this … for Tony to leave home and go across the country, there had be people and things that Tony really believed in and was really confident in.”

Parker, the AJC’s Mr. Basketball, led Miller Grove to four straight Class AAAA state championships.

Welcome to UCLA, Tony!!!

JBC Notebook: Shabazz finishes strong

By Jason Jordan | ESPN.com

April, 14, 2012 9:49 PM ET

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- It didn’t really dawn on Shabazz Muhammad until he walked into Time Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte, N.C., to play in the Jordan Brand Classic on Saturday, but when he thought about the fact that this was the last time he’d get the chance to lace 'em up as a high schooler, he could think of only one thing.

“It was important for me to finish strong,” said Muhammad, a UCLA-bound swingman at Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas). “This was the last time to go out and showcase what you can do with all of your friends, so it was important to finish strong and have fun.”

Muhammad had a ball leading the West past the East 99-95. He scored 20 points and grabbed four rebounds en route to claiming the West’s MVP trophy.

Kelly KlineN.C. State-bound guard Rodney Purvis scored a game-high 22 points to earn co-MVP honors at the Jordan Brand Classic.

Rodney Purvis, a shooting guard at Upper Room Christian Academy (Raleigh, N.C.), was named MVP for the East after scoring 22 points in the loss.

“We all had a lot of fun this week, but it was definitely important to go out with a strong performance,” Purvis said. “You want to set the tone for what you’re gonna do next season. Since I was playing in front of my hometown fans from NC State, I wanted to put on a good show.”

Noel’s Influx Of Followers

So much for the myth that once you commit to a college, you lose Twitter followers due to the fans of the schools you didn’t pick clicking the “unfollow” button.

When Nerlens Noel, a center at Tilton (Tilton, N.H.), announced Wednesday night on ESPNU that he was going to Kentucky, his Twitter-follower numbers skyrocketed from 23,000 to 38,000 that very night.

As of Saturday, he was up to 44,000 and counting.

“That’s the power of Big Blue Nation,” said Noel, who suited up for the East. “I knew they would have my back. That’s a major reason that I picked Kentucky. You can’t find better fans anywhere else on the planet.”

Parker Ready To Decide

Looks like we’re finally going to find out where Tony Parker is headed for college.

Parker, who is considering Duke, Ohio State, Georgia, UCLA, Georgetown, Kansas and Memphis, said he’ll make his decision late next week at his school.

“I haven’t worked out all of the details yet, but next week is the week,” said Parker, a forward at Miller Grove (Lithonia, Ga.) who suited up for the East. “I’m just ready to get it over with. It’s been a long process, and I’m ready for it to be over. I’m still weighing things out, but I gave myself 'til next week. That’s when it’s happening.”

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JORDAN BRAND CLASSIC

The 2011-12 prep hoops season finished in style at the Jordan Brand Classic.
• Replay the 2012 Jordan Classic
• Muhammad leads West to victory
• Chat wrap: Relive the Jordan Classic
• 2012 Jordan Classic rosters
• JBC Notebook: UNC recruits ready
• All-Stars' favorite MJ moments
• JBC stars reveal No. 2 schools
• Kiwi import Adams ready for JBC
• JBC stars on their favorite Jordans
• Telep: What I learned from JBC

______________________


Bennett For Three
On April 7, after Team USA battled back from an 18-point deficit, World Select forward Anthony Bennett buried a 3-pointer, which was deep by NBA standards, to thwart any chance of a USA win. World Select went on to win 84-75 at the Rose Garden in Portland, Ore.

At practice for the Jordan Brand Classic, Bennett, a senior forward at Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.), re-enacted the big shot during water breaks, taunting the eight All-Americans who had suited up for Team USA.

“It was a pretty good shot, huh?” Bennett said. “That thing was pretty!”

None of the other players agreed. Go figure.

Harrell Leads East
Hargrave Military Academy (Chatham, Va.) forward Montrezl Harrell scored 22 points and grabbed 12 rebounds to lead the East past the West 84-82 in the Jordan Brand Regional game.

Wesleyan Christian (High Point, N.C.) forward Montay Brandon led the West with 12 points, 12 rebounds and four assists.

Jason Jordan is the basketball editor for ESPNHS. He can be reached at jason.x.jordan.-ND@espn.com. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter: @JayJayESPN.

Anderson, Bazz selling Parker on Final Four in Atlanta

Thanks to LakerFanForLebronNotKobe on BZ. Five Star Basketball on You Tube.

With Shabazz Muhammad on board, Kyle Anderson eyes calendar

Kyle Anderson and Shabazz Muhammad, both of whom played in the Jordan Brand Classic, are headed to UCLA. (Albert Dickson/SN)


With Shabazz Muhammad on board, Kyle Anderson eyes calendar


By Ryan Fagan
Sporting News
PUBLISHED 4 hours and 37 minutes ago
LAST UPDATED 3 hours and 45 minutes ago



CHARLOTTE—Kyle Anderson has the important dates memorized.

One of those came and went last week, when top recruit Shabazz Muhammad made his college choice live on ESPNU on April 11. That was a decision Anderson, the 6-foot-8 do-everything player from New Jersey who committed to UCLA last September, was watching very closely.

Anderson and Muhammad first played together two years ago at the adidas Nations camp, and they clicked from the very start of this mutually beneficial relationship.

Anderson is maybe the best playmaker in the class of 2012, and Muhammad just might be the best finisher of the group. “He made me look good there,” Anderson said, with a touch more humility than probably was required.

MORE SPORTING NEWS

— Will elite recruit Tony Parker head to UCLA as well?
— Who will be next year's instant-impact freshmen?
— UK's class ready to lead Wildcats to another title


Anderson was in studio for Muhammad’s announcement last Wednesday, along with the rest of the elite players in Charlotte for the Jordan Brand Classic event. When the 6-foot-6 wing, who’s the No. 1 overall prospect as rated by Rivals.com, revealed that he would be heading to UCLA, Anderson—the No. 3 overall prospect by the website—had to excuse himself for a brief moment or two.

“I was right behind the cameras,” Anderson said. “Once I heard, I had to step outside the room because I was so excited. If I would have yelled where I was sitting, everybody on TV would have heard me, so I had to step outside.”

 

Anderson’s recruiting pitches worked. Or, to put it more accurately, his recruiting passes worked. “That’s the main reason why I came to UCLA, to play with him,” Muhammad said. “He’s just so cerebral, so smart. The guy knows what he’s doing. I’m just happy to have a player like that on my team. I know he’s going to make me look good next year.”

So, Muhammad feels that Anderson makes him look good, and Anderson feels Muhammad makes him look good. It’s easy to see why UCLA fans feel good about their chances to rebound from an utterly forgettable 2011-12 campaign.

The next important date on Anderson’s calendar, May 11, is about looking good, too, but in a completely different way. That’s when he’s finally trimming his hair, which is usually close-cropped but is rather unkempt at the moment. “I’m letting it go until prom,” he said with a laugh. “Then, I’ll have to cut it. I’m just enjoying the long hair now.”

That’s probably right around the time he’ll dive back into basketball, too. The Jordan Brand Classic is the last stop of a hectic run for the elite high school hoopsters, after the McDonald’s All-American game and the Nike Hoops Summit.

For Anderson, that means it’s time to finally rest a nagging injury to his left thumb. “My dad’s making me stop for a few weeks because my thumb is really messed up,” Anderson said. “When it gets better, I’ll get back in the gym. I hurt it during the high school season, and it just keeps getting bumped. It’s cool, though.”

FROM SI.COM

— Muhammad, Noel could have huge impact on 2012-13 season


In the actual JBC game, the two future Bruins teammates turned in outstanding performances. Anderson had 14 points, nine rebounds, two assists and two turnovers for the East team, while Muhammad was named MVP of the West squad after scoring 20 points in 22 minutes. “This was the last time we’ll go against each other,”

Anderson said. “From now on we’ll work with each other, so we’ve got everything out of the way now.”

Which leads Anderson to the next big date on his calendar: June 23. That’s when he’ll arrive on the UCLA campus to begin his new life in Southern California, and work toward becoming the facilitator of a revamped basketball program.

“I’m excited to play with the guys there,” Anderson said. “I think they’re really going to help us freshmen coming in. I think we’re going to add the spark to them, and they’re going to help us with the maturing. I think it’s going to work out really well together.”

Tony Parker: Basketball star denies UCLA rumors, will sign on Friday

TP throws down an absolute rim rocker. Video cred CLHTV2 on You Tube

Tony Parker: Basketball star denies UCLA rumors, will sign on Friday

by Michael Carvell
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (ajc.com)

10:01 pm April 14, 2012, 
Published at 1:05 p.m. Sunday

Tony Parker’s coach denied a report that the AJC’s Mr. Georgia basketball has decided to sign with UCLA.

“That’s something that got started at [an all-star game] … it doesn’t have any legs to it,” Miller Grove High School coach Sharman White told the AJC on Sunday.

“Tony has not committed yet. That’s the best and only way I can put it.”

However, there are a couple of new developments with Parker: He will make his highly-anticipated college decision on Friday, and his finalists are UCLA, Duke, UGA, Kansas and Ohio State.

“Tony is ready for it to get over with,” White said. “He’s planning on doing it on Friday. We haven’t set a time yet but when we do, we’ll let everybody know.”

Unless something changes, Parker is also unlikely to make a return trip this week to visit any of his finalists, according to his coach.

The 6-foot-9, 280-pound Parker is ranked as the nation’s No. 26 overall prospect by ESPNU. He led Miller Grove to four straight state championships.

On Saturday, the website BruinsBall.com, which covers UCLA basketball and recruiting, created a Twitter frenzy by writing “Some of our sources very close to the situation have notified BruinsBall.com that as of now, Tony Parker is planning to commit to UCLA.”

On the same day, Parker played in the The Jordan Brand Classic all-star game with two UCLA recruits, Shabazz Muhammad and Kyle Anderson. Parker was 5 of 15 from the field, finishing with 8 points and 12 rebounds.

UCLA, as with other schools, has a few things working in its favor with Parker: His former AAU coach with the Atlanta Celtics, Korey McCray, was hired last summer as an assistant at UCLA; his Atlanta Celtics teammate, Jordan Adams, signed with UCLA in the early period; Parker enjoyed his official visit there, loves the weather, and is impressed with the program’s tradition.

The negatives about UCLA? Playing so far away may hinder his family’s opportunities to see games; Out of all of Parker’s finalists, UCLA would likely be the most challenging for Parker to make an instant impact with the team’s depth and talent in the post area.

There's quite a buzz about Shabazz Muhammad

Thanks to jrbruin2001 on BZ/PrepHoopsTV on You Tube


There's quite a buzz about Shabazz Muhammad


UCLA is excited to have one of the top basketball recruits in the country. Muhammad's father denies that Adidas had anything to do with it.

By Ben Bolch and Baxter Holmes

The Times of Los Angeles

April 12, 2012

When news of Shabazz Muhammad's college decision reached the Zeta Beta Tau fraternity house on the UCLA campus, there was jubilation.

"Everybody was screaming down the halls," Kumar Nadhan, a psychobiology student, said Thursday of the reaction to one of the nation's top two recruits announcing that he would become a Bruin.

Dan Chikanov, another psychobiology student, said his roommates "were jumping up and down and we were all chanting 'Sha-bazz!' for five minutes straight."

Chikanov also heard similar chants from nearby fraternities — which is saying something. "I'm hard of hearing," said Chikanov, who uses a cochlear implant, "but I could hear that."

Outside Westwood, there were some whispers.

Why would a player said to be NBA-ready pick a team that missed the NCAA tournament twice in the last three years, the skeptics wondered. Did the family's ties to Adidas play a role in Muhammad's choosing a program affiliated with the shoe company?

Cynics pointed out that Muhammad's sister, Asia, a professional tennis player, has a contract with Adidas, which also sponsors Shabazz's club team, Dream Vision.


"Adidas, um I mean UCLA, wins the Shabazz Muhammad Sweepstakes," wrote CBSSports.com's Jeff Goodman. "Shabazz stayed loyal to adidas entire way."

Ron Holmes, Muhammad's father, heard some of the remarks that accompanied his son's college choice. He wasn't laughing.

"I don't understand when they say Adidas had a presence here," Holmes said in a telephone interview from his Las Vegas home. "Adidas didn't tell us where to go to school. … If they're saying that Adidas is giving me money, that is a downright lie."


Holmes pointed out that his son played for Bishop Gorman High, a Nike-sponsored school, and that the amount Adidas gave Dream Vision covered only a portion of the team's travel needs.

"What they end up giving us is usually half the budget for the summer," said Clayton Williams, coach of the Las-Vegas based club team. "It's a struggle. If you're looking for the hidden whatever, you're not going to find it …"

Williams said that although Dream Vision is sponsored by Adidas, most of the team's players end up at colleges affiliated with other shoe companies. "Ninety percent of our kids wear Nikes in the winter [with their high school teams]," Williams said. "But no one wants to speak to that."

Holmes said his son's future prospects played no role in the contract Asia Muhammad signed with Adidas when she turned pro.

"She was a standout junior tennis player and she got a contract off those merits," Holmes said. "Shabazz Muhammad wasn't on the lips of Adidas at that time. He was 5 [feet] 11 and coming out of the eighth grade. Bishop Gorman didn't even want him."


Holmes said Asia, currently ranked No. 386 in the world according to the WTA, is negotiating a new contract commensurate with her ranking, one that could be 85% less than her original deal.

Adidas representatives haven't broached the topic of a possible contract with Muhammad once he enters the NBA, Holmes said.

"Those conversations don't come up because I don't allow them to come up," Holmes said. "No coach throughout his whole recruitment offered me a penny because I didn't represent that."

Holmes, who was a wing player at USC from 1981-85, said his son picked UCLA hoping to restore the faded luster on a onetime juggernaut.

"I think the biggest thing was the challenge of bringing a storied program back to prominence," Holmes said. "At the end of the day, Kentucky didn't have that. At the end of the day, Duke didn't have that. Those programs are so great, but Shabazz and [incoming freshmen] Kyle [Anderson] and Jordan [Adams] and the Wear twins and Josh [Smith], if they can bring this program back to prominence they will go down in UCLA lore and college basketball lore."

Bruins fans apparently believe in Muhammad's ability to revive the program.


A UCLA spokesman said the school experienced an increase in men's basketball season-ticket purchases and memberships in the Wooden Athletic Fund since Muhammad signed his letter of intent Wednesday, although specific numbers were not immediately available.

Web traffic to UCLA's main athletic site, UCLABruins.com, increased 30% between Monday and Wednesday, according to the spokesman, who also said web traffic to the university site where men's basketball tickets are sold nearly quadrupled.

"The last couple [of] years, UCLA has had a few ups and downs," said Chikanov, the psychobiology student, "but we're really excited to be back."

More Shabazz celebrations!!!

More Shabazz celebrations!!!

Thanks to JosephineBruin on Bruin Gold/tjmmclean on You Tube.



Thanks to TheProfessor on BZ/Colin Davis on You Tube. At Sepi's Westwood.



See Coach Howland and staff celebrate (link).

Howland devising plan for Muhammad



Thanks... Puffdaddy... BZ.

Howland devising plan for Muhammad

By Peter Yoon | ESPNLosAngeles.com

April, 13, 2012 4:50 PM PT

 

Ben Howland has pocket aces and might possibly get another on the flop, now he's got to decide how to play the hand.

Shabazz Muhammad and Kyle Anderson, two of the top five national recruits, have signed with UCLA along with No. 41 Jordan Adams and No. 26 Tony Parker could very well join them in Westwood next season as UCLA reopens Pauly Pavilion in front of what is sure to be a full house.

With that kind of recruiting class comes pressure to win and it's up to Howland to decide the best course of action.

He could slow play this talented lineup, letting them grow into their own as the season progresses, or he could go all in on his fabulous freshmen, letting them loose from the beginning and trying to ride them to prominence knowing that they could very well be one-and-done players at UCLA.

"We have to have a good plan as to what we're going to put in right away offensively and defensively," Howland said. "We've got to move quickly because the games come so fast."

[CLICK THIS LINK TO HEAR Ben Howland on 710 ESPN radio with Mason & Ireland]

Howland's coaching philosophy has long centered on the team-first mentality. He prefers to have three or four players score in double figures every night instead of having two players with 25 each and that balanced philosophy coupled with his slow-down motion, offense and tough-nosed defensive style tends to hide the explosive offensive talents of star players.

The college statistics of players such as Kevin Love (17.5 points per game) and Russell Westbrook (8.3) don't exactly foreshadow NBA all-star selections. Former national high school player of the year Jrue Holiday is now a starting point guard for the Philadelphia 76ers, but didn't make so much as second-team all-conference during his year at UCLA.

His style has proven successful over the long haul, with three consecutive Final Four appearance as evidence, but that doesn't mean Howland is oblivious to the need to use talented players.

"We definitely have to try to take advantage of their abilities," Howland said. "They're going to be great in the open court and hopefully we're going to have the depth where we can play faster and get up and down."

Still, don't expect Muhammad to lead the nation in scoring. No UCLA player in the Howland era has averaged more than Dijon Thompson's 18.4 points in 2004-05 and the team scoring leader has been under 15 points per game since Love averaged 17.5 in 07-08.

Muhammad, a 6-foot-6 small forward, is a dynamic, athletic talent whose scoring prowess is well-documented and an offensive game thought to already be NBA ready. He can slash and drive to the rim, pull up for a jump shot and has three-point range. Scoring is the name of his game and he can dominate the offensive end.

With that kind of a talent coming, it would be a mistake for Howland not to make him the focal point of the offense and Howland is well aware of that.

"He's going to definitely score," Howland said. "What numbers? I don't know, but he's definitely going to have the ability to put the ball in the basket."

Anderson is the perfect compliment to Muhammad who has the ability to make Muhammad a 25-points-per-game scorer. A 6-7 "point forward," he has excellent court vision, a knack for finding the open scorers, is among the top passers in the game and has the unselfish attitude you want in a skilled ball handler. They could put on quite a two-man show if Howland lets them, but it's doubtful any one or two players would become that much of a focus on a Howland-coached team.

"Twenty-five points? Those are lofty numbers," Howland said. "You still want to have balance and we'll have balance. We're going to have a lot of guys who are going to be able to score."

Sharp shooter Adams is one of them. He will add the type of consistent outside scoring threat the Bruins have lacked since Michael Roll graduated. And then there are the returning players such as Joshua Smith, David Wear, Travis Wear, Tyler Lamb and Norman Powell.

Smith, a 6-10, 305-pound center, has indicated he would put in the work to shed some excess weight and get in shape this offseason. If he does, he has the potential to become one of the nation's premier post players.

"A key for us still is going to be Josh," Howland said. "All these new kids are going to be outstanding players, but Josh is still going to be a key. If he gets himself into really good physical condition, I don't think there are too many people that can match up with him."

The improving Wear twins, both returning starters, have already added about 13 pounds of muscle since the end of the season and while Lamb and Powell have enough athleticism to hold their own against anyone. Depth was a major concern for UCLA last season, but the Bruins, who will also have point guard Larry Drew eligible next season, will be overcrowded meaning the fantasy of a dominant two-man game with Muhammad and Anderson will likely never materialize.

"We're going to have the depth I've enjoyed in the past," Howland said. "The competition every day in practice is going to be great and that helps everybody improve every day. Having that level of competition in practice on a daily basis is really going to help our team and that kind of competition is important."

With so many weapons, UCLA becomes that much more difficult to defend. Depending on one or two players to carry the team every night makes little sense from a strategic standpoint, so depending on Muhammad and Anderson to carry the load every game is a risk not worth taking when the deck is stacked at UCLA's could potentially be next season.

"There is nothing that is going to substitute hard work, discipline, sacrifice for one another and most importantly, playing as a team," Howland said.

Later, he added that the incoming recruits all share a team-first, unselfish mentality. He noted that Muhammad has won three state titles at Bishop Gorman high in Las Vegas, Anderson's St. Anthony's team in New Jersey has gone 65-0 over the last two seasons and Adams was part of an Oak Hill Academy team in Virginia that went 44-0 this season.

"All these kids are about winning," Howland said.

And if Howland plays his cards right, that means UCLA will be, too.

The future is here

UCLA Wooden Athletic Fund invitation (link)

UCLA's new basketball players

UCLA's new basketball players

Shabazz Muhammad will be joined by Jordan Adams, Kyle Anderson and Larry Drew II.


By Ben Bolch
The Los Angeles Times
April 12, 2012

Name; Pos.; Ht.; Wt.; Previous school; Comment

Jordan Adams; SG; 6-5; 205; Mouth of Wilson (Va.) Oak Hill Academy; One of the top perimeter shooting prospects in the country should boost Bruins' three-point accuracy.









Kyle Anderson; PG; 6-8; 215; Jersey City (N.J.) St. Anthony; A versatile talent who can play the one to the four but will probably utilize exceptional basketball IQ as starting point guard.

*Larry Drew II; PG; 6-2; 180; North Carolina; Played two full seasons and part of a third for Tar Heels. Was City Section player of the year at Woodland Hills Taft High.

*Redshirted last season after transferring.





Shabazz Muhammad; SG/SF; 6-5; 207; Las Vegas Bishop Gorman; Widely considered one of the top players in the country, the swingman could spearhead a big turnaround for Bruins.

Absolutely priceless...

Coach Ben Howland and staff watching Shabazz pick UCLA. Kudos to bruinjake for posting on BZ.

UCLA Signs Shabazz Muhammad to a National Letter of Intent

Thanks to OldBruin for posting this on BZ.

UCLA Signs Shabazz Muhammad to a National Letter of Intent


The nation's No. 1 player, as rated by Rivals.com, chooses the Bruins over Kentucky and Duke.

 

UCLA Men's Basketball website

Shabazz Muhammad

April 11, 2012

2012-13 Season Ticket Information


LOS ANGELES - UCLA head coach Ben Howland announced today the signing of Shabazz Muhammad to a National Letter of Intent to attend UCLA in the fall of 2012.

Muhammad, a 6-foot-6-inch, 215-pound wing out of Las Vegas (Bishop Gorman High School), is a McDonald's All-American and joins the early signing class that consisted of fellow McDonald's All-American, Kyle Anderson, a 6-foot-8-inch, 225-pound point guard out of North Bergen, N.J. (St. Anthony High School) and Jordan Adams, a 6-foot-5-inch, 220-pound wing out of Atlanta (Oak Hill Academy).

"Shabazz Muhammad is the No. 1 player in the country and his signing at UCLA is huge for our program," Howland said. "I'm just so excited because he is a great kid that embodies what is needed to be an excellent student-athlete. He is an outstanding student who is a great person and is obviously a very special player. He brings so many skills to the table. He is very athletic and is a very strong and explosive player who is a very good passer and scorer and is an outstanding shooter. He will be a very special player for us."

Muhammad led all high school seniors in scoring at 29.4 points per game and also averaged 10.1 rebounds and 2.4 assists to lead the Gaels to a 28-4 record and the 2012 Nevada 4A State Championship. He scored a game-high 36 points in the state title game. He was named the 2012 Naismith Boy's High School Player of the Year and selected by the McDonald's All-American committee as the 2012 Morgan Wootten Player of the Year. He also was named the MVP of the 2012 McDonald's All-American game on March 28, leading the West to a 106-102 victory over the East, scoring a game-high 21 points in 22 minutes of action. He also won the Powerade Jam Fest dunk contest and will play for the West in 2012 Jordan Brand Classic on April 14 in Charlotte, N.C. Despite a record-setting 35 points from Muhammad, the World Select Team captured an 84-75 win over the USA Junior National Select Team in the 2012 Nike Hoop Summit.

While at Bishop Gorman HS, the left-hander was named the 2011 and 2012 Gatorade State Player of the Year in Nevada under head coach Grant Rice. He was also honored as the 2012 Las Vegas Review-Journal's Class 4A Boy's Basketball Player of the Year. He played four varsity seasons at BGHS where he captured three (2009, 2010 and 2012) Nevada 4A state titles while becoming the program's all-time leading scorer. On the season, he scored 40-plus points four times and 30 or more points 10 times in 2012. As a junior in 2010-11, he averaged 25.1 points and 7.7 rebounds to help his team to a state semifinals appearance.

"I chose to be a Bruin so I will be at UCLA next year," Muhammad told the nation on a live telecast on ESPNU on April 11. "I look forward to the challenge of getting them back on top. I know that they are the leaders in championships with 11 and that Kyle Anderson and Jordan Adams are great additions to the program. There is a lot of great pieces returning on the team that will make it a great team in the future."

Muhammad is ranked as the No. 1 player in the nation by Rivals.com and No. 2 by ESPN.com and Scout.com. ESPN and Scout have him rated as the No. 1 small forward in the country while Rivals ranked him as their No. 1 shooting guard. He joins Kyle Anderson, who is rated as the No. 3 player in the country by Rivals.com, the No. 4 player by Scout and No. 5 by ESPN. Anderson is rated the No. 1 small forward by Rivals and the No. 2 small forward by ESPN and Scout behind Muhammad. The third signee of the class is Jordan Adams, who is rated the No. 41 player in the country by ESPN.com. Adams is also rated No. 62 by Rivals and No. 75 by Scout. ESPN rates Adams as the No. 9 small forward in the country while Rivals has him at No. 14 and Scout at No. 16. Muhammad's signing to UCLA jumped the Bruins from No. 12 on ESPN's recruiting class rankings to No. 3. UCLA is the only program to land two of the top five recruits in the 2012 class.

Scout: Shabazz Muhammad picks UCLA

Shabazz Muhammad commits to UCLA

Shabazz Muhammad commits to UCLA

By Dave Telep | RecruitingNation

Updated: April 11, 2012, 11:31 PM ET

 

 

Shabazz Muhammad (Las Vegas, Nev.), the top-ranked small forward in the ESPNU 100 and the No. 2 overall player, announces his commitment to the Bruins.

Tags: Shabazz Muhammad, UCLA Bruins

Shabazz Muhammad commits to UCLA

NEXT VIDEO

• Shabazz Muhammad commits to UCLA

  Shabazz Muhammad commits to UCLA

  Shabazz Muhammad (Las Vegas, Nev.), the top-ranked small forward in the ESPNU 100 and the No. 2 overall player, announces his commitment to the Bruins.Tags: Shabazz Muhammad, UCLA Bruins
• Shabazz Muhammad and Nerlens Noel interview

  Shabazz Muhammad and Nerlens Noel interview

  Nerlens Noel (Everett, Mass.) and Shabazz Muhammad (Las Vegas, Nev.), the Nos. 1 and 2 ranked players in the ESPNU 100, talk about their recruiting processes and when they came to their final decisions.Tags: Shabazz Muhammad, Nerlens Noel, UCLA Bruins, basketball
• Updated ESPNU Class Rankings

  Updated ESPNU Class Rankings

  Following the commitment of Shabazz Muhammad to UCLA and Nerlens Noel to Kentucky, Dave Telep and Paul Biancardi take a look at how the top of the rankings shifted.Tags: Shabazz Muhammas, UCLA, Nerlens Noel, Kentucky Wildcats

The most talented offensive player in the Class of 2012 is headed to Westwood. Shabazz Muhammad (Las Vegas, Nev./Bishop Gorman), ESPNU's No. 2 overall recruit, announced Wednesday on ESPN's "Signing Day Special" that he will sign with the Bruins over Kentucky and Duke.

The addition of the 6-foot-6 Muhammad rockets coach Ben Howland's recruiting class to No. 2 in the class rankings, one slot behind Pac-12 rival Arizona. The Bruins' haul in the early period was constructed around do-it-all small forward Kyle Anderson (Fairview, N.J./St. Anthony's) and scoring maven Jordan Adams (Lawrenceville, Ga./Oak Hill), ranked Nos. 5 and 41, respectively.

"Shabazz Muhammad is the No. 1 player in the country and his signing at UCLA is huge for our program," Howland said. "I'm just so excited because he is a great kid that embodies what is needed to be an excellent student-athlete. He is an outstanding student who is a great person and is obviously a very special player. He brings so many skills to the table. He is very athletic and is a very strong and explosive player who is a very good passer and scorer and is an outstanding shooter. He will be a very special player for us."

UCLA had been the perceived leader for Muhammad since last year, but recruiting trips to Duke, Kansas, Kentucky and the burgeoning presence of Muhammad's hometown UNLV program had cast doubt on his final decision.

The Bruins were in desperate need of a significant recruiting haul coming off a difficult 19-14 season, which ended with a loss to Arizona in the second round of the Pac-12 tournament.

More On Shabazz Muhammad

Shabazz Muhammad's committment to UCLA means one thing. The Bruins and coach Ben Howland are back, writes Reggie Rankin. Blog
• UCLA Report | ESPN Los Angeles

Muhammad's ability centers around the left-hander's explosion to the rim, his commitment to improving and his overall offensive package. Muhammad was the McDonald's All-American game's Most Valuable Player after scoring 21 points with six rebounds for the West team. Last weekend, he broke the Hoop Summit scoring record with 35 points for the U.S. in a loss to the world All-Stars.

After a strong summer in 2011, Muhammad ascended to the No. 1 spot in ESPNU's overall rankings. Muhammad ceded the position to Nerlens Noel (Everett, Mass./Tilton) when Noel announced he would rejoin his original class and join a college program next season.

Muhammad led Bishop Gorman to a state title in his final game in Nevada. His sister is a professional tennis player.


ESPN Los Angeles' Pete Yoon contributed to this report.