Kansas target Rose injured at camp

Notes from the first weekend of the July college basketball evaluation period in recruiting. …

Chicago Simeon High School senior sensation Derrick Rose decided to skip the Nike All-America basketball camp in Indianapolis at the last minute and attend the Reebok ABCD camp in Teaneck, N.J., so he could go head-to-head against the No. 1 prospect in the country, O.J. Mayo.

Unfortunately, the big match-up between the guards never materialized.

The 6-foot-4 Rose, who has Kansas University, Illinois, Indiana, Memphis, Arizona, Michigan State, North Carolina and others on his list of schools, suffered a sprained ankle in his second game on the campus of Farleigh Dickinson University and was unable to play the rest of the way.

Rose’s brother and AAU coach, Reggie Rose, told the Chicago Tribune that Derrick would “cut down” his list of prospective schools after an upcoming AAU event in Las Vegas.

“He could go to anybody’s school right now,” Reggie Rose said.

Reggie told the New York Times that professional agents had contacted members of the Rose family and suggested sending Derrick overseas to play basketball after he graduates in the spring. Another option would be to have Rose work out with a trainer for a year after signing a lucrative shoe contract.

Rose is unable to enter the NBA Draft until a year after his high school class graduates.

“Once one or two players nationally go that (overseas) route, a big chain will follow,” Reggie Rose told the Times.

Meanwhile, Mayo, 6-5 from Cincinnati who reportedly is headed to the University of Southern California, was not overly impressive at Reebok camp.

“He’s bored,” Sonny Vaccaro, a consultant for Reebok, told the Times.

The media has not been bored following Mayo’s recruitment. ESPN.com reported prior to the start of the camp that Mayo had chosen USC and likely would orally commit to the Trojans at a news conference in New Jersey.

Of course that was difficult to do, considering the moderator of the camp news conferences refused to let the media ask questions concerning recruiting.

“I’m really close to making my decision,” Mayo said in an article in the Cincinnati Enquirer. “I’m down to my top three schools, and I really want to get me and my mother on the same page. We don’t live with each other so it’s kind of hard for us to really communicate. I’m going to go home and work out with my little brother and talk to her about it.

“Me and Bill (Walker, 6-5 Cincinnati North College Hill teammate of Mayo) are still looking at Florida and K-State,” Mayo added in an interview with the West Paterson (N.J.) Herald News. “But USC is first on my list, and then K-State and Florida.”

Mayo told InsideTheVille.com his mom would have to get over a dislike for air travel.

“If I’m going to have a lot of West Coast games, she’s going to have to learn how to fly,” Mayo told the Lousville Internet site, hinting USC will be his college choice. …

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Releford shines: Travis Releford, a 6-5 junior from Shawnee Mission Miege, who is considering KU, North Carolina and others, was named underclassman MVP of the Adidas Superstar camp in Suwanee, Ga. He had 17 points and six boards in the camp all-star game.

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Reed an all-star: Tyrel Reed, a 6-3 senior from Burlington, earned a spot in the upperclassman all-star game at Adidas, but did not score in the contest. Eric Gordon, a 6-3 senior from Indianapolis who is trying to convince Rose to join him at the University of Illinois, had 22 points in the all-star game, while K-State commit Michael Beasley had 15 points and eight boards.

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Gordon still U of I bound: Gordon denied an Internet story that said he’d re-opened his recruiting. He said he was still committed to Illinois, though new Indiana coach Kelvin Sampson would certainly love for him to reconsider.

“It’s just the same stuff popping up. Nothing has changed,” Gordon’s dad told the Peoria (Ill.) Journal Star. “It seems to be the sign of the times. Some people want to see a change.”

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Aldrich at ABCD: Future KU player Cole Aldrich, a 6-11 senior from Bloomington, Minn.’s Jefferson High, drew mixed reviews at the ABCD camp in New Jersey.

Aldrich was a perfect 4-for-4 shooting in one camp game but, according to collegehoops.net, had some moves in the paint that should have been called traveling, and he didn’t “catch and go up strong.”

Another review from the same Web site said: “The Kansas recruit looks much fitter and stronger than when I last saw him. To me, he’s the second best center in the class behind (Kevin) Love, and continues to improve.”

Of Aldrich, a rivals.com analyst wrote: “Aldrich’s go-to move is developing into a left hand jump hook. He is shooting it both off the pivot and a spin after a bounce the other direction. He is working himself back into shape after suffering injuries and he’s down to his preferred playing weight of 245-pounds.”

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Rapper plays well: Rising junior guard Percy Miller of Windward High in Beverly Hills, Calif., attended the ABCD camp and reportedly played well. The 16-year-old rapper is better known as Romeo. The 5-11 point guard is the son of rapper Master P.

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Henry excels: Xavier Henry, a sophomore-to-be from Putnam City, Okla., and son of former KU player Carl Henry, impressed at the Nike camp.

“He had the college coaches giddy with his textbook jump shot,” rivals.com wrote. “He’s automatic from the wing when he has an open look and with his mature body, he can put the ball on the floor and challenge anyone that gets in the way.”

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Bayless ailing: Jerryd Bayless, a 6-3 guard from Phoenix, left Nike camp early on because of injury. The St. Mary’s High player is considering KU, Arizona, North Carolina and his leader, Texas.

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Jeffrey Jordan a recruit: Michael Jordan’s son, Jeffrey, a 6-1 guard from Loyola Academy in Chicago, attended Nike camp.

“It just kind of comes naturally,” Jeffrey told the Indianapolis Star, asked how he handles the attention. “You just have to let some things roll down your back, comments and stuff some people say. Other than that, it’s pretty easy because most of the kids make it a pretty normal experience.”

Jordan told rivals.com he’s received a scholarship offer from Loyola University, but has also heard from Marquette, Iowa State, Vanderbilt, North Carolina, Kentucky, Oklahoma State and Wright State.