Former Kansas University basketball player J.R. Giddens is taking an official visit to New Mexico today, according to the Albuquerque (N.M.) Journal.

The newspaper reported in its Thursday edition that UNM coach Ritchie McKay confirmed he was recruiting Giddens, who left KU under a mutual agreement with coach Bill Self last week. Giddens confirmed to the paper later Thursday that he was traveling to Albuquerque today to see the campus.

Attempts by the Journal-World to contact Giddens on Thursday were unsuccessful, but he did tell the Journal, “If everything’s as good as I’ve heard it is, I might not take any other visits.”

Giddens said he also was being recruited by Florida, Miami, Arizona State and Tennessee and had set up an official visit with Tennessee. Other schools rumored to be in the mix include Texas Christian, Texas-El Paso, Pittsburgh and Southern Cal.

Giddens’ future at Kansas was cut short after an incident May 19 at the Moon Bar, where he and four others were stabbed in an after-hours brawl. The fight left Giddens with a severed artery in a calf from which he’s still recovering. A police report on the incident is in its preparation stages.

Giddens told the Albuquerque Journal that he was looking for a “big-time basketball atmosphere” and a “basketball town with passion.” He said talking to former New Mexico players had him pumped for today’s visit.

“What I see of the coaches, they’re just great,” Giddens told the Journal. “I’m really excited about this.”

¢ Summer season: Former KU center Eric Chenowith will join Keith Langford as a member of the Dallas Mavericks’ summer-league basketball team. The 7-foot-2 Chenowith did not play organized basketball last season. Langford and Chenowith will play in the Long Beach summer league.