LJWorld.com

San Diego — If mom gets her way, Darrell Arthur stands a 50-50 chance of donning crimson and blue next winter.

"She liked Kansas and Texas. She wanted me to go to either of those two schools," said the 6-foot-9 forward following his initial workout Sunday as a McDonald's High School All-American.

"So those two schools I'm really looking at the most, and I'll probably make my decision based on those two schools."

Such was Arthur's current state of mind as everybody tried to grab a piece of him during the first full day of festivities leading up to Wednesday's game.

A handful of current teammates on the West squad - aiming to become future teammates at the college level - tried to pick his brain before practice.

Following a 11â2-hour workout at the Aztec Recreation Center on the campus of San Diego State University, it was time for the reporters and recruiting gurus to take their crack.

It seems the only place Arthur can escape the inquest is when he's on the basketball court.

"It's on my mind all the time," Arthur said. "It's getting a little tiring right now. It's pressuring me into making a quicker decision."

Some would argue that's hardly the case.

The multi-dimensional forward out of South Oak Cliff High in Dallas is one of just two players in this year's showcase who haven't already settled on a college home.

The other is East forward Lance Thomas from St. Benedict's Prep in Scotch Plains, N.J.

Arthur trimmed his prospective suitors to five during the early weeks of his just-completed senior season, and is still sitting on that number. However, the list now looks a bit different than it has for most of the winter.

Hometown hopeful SMU is out, leaving the aforementioned Jayhawks and Longhorns, as well as Oklahoma, Baylor and Arizona vying for his services.

"I'm just trying to find the right fit," said Arthur, a fallback phrase he used in some manner to respond to nearly every question regarding his ongoing recruitment. "All the schools are good schools. They have everything to offer.

"I'm just trying to find which one I'm comfortable with."

He has plenty of people looking out for their own interests while trying to help foster a comfort level.

Four members of the West squad have already inked with schools on Arthur's list, including point guards Sherron Collins and D.J. Augustin, who are headed to Kansas and Texas, respectively, and would like nothing more than to keep delivering him passes at the next level.

"A big man that can play that versatile? It's incredible," Collins said. "He can play the 3 through the 5. I'd love to go to school and play with Darrell Arthur."

Collins added he briefly chatted with Arthur about his future, and received much the same notice that came across in the latter's post-practice comments.

"I've talked to him a little bit and I've just tried to get inside and see what he's thinking and who is he leaning to. But he really just said Texas or KU," Collins said. "I'm hoping it's KU."