[Buckskin86]

James' skills camp just the latest stop in a busy hoops summer for OSU recruit Jared Sullinger
by Elton Alexander/Plain Dealer Reporter
Tuesday July 07, 2009


Andrea Kjerrumgaard/Columbus Dispatch
OSU basketball recruit Jared Sullinger (34) has been losing weight and working on his game in preparation of joining the Buckeyes.

AKRON, Ohio -- To say Jared Sullinger is having a busy summer is an understatement.

The 6-9, 255-pound Ohio State verbal commit for 2010 is traveling far and wide to become a better basketball player. That includes a stop at the LeBron James Skills Academy that will wrap up in Akron's Rhodes Arena on Wednesday morning.

"This is the busiest summer I have ever had," said the consensus Top 4 recruit on all the national hoops web sites; rivals.com (No. 3), Scout.com (No. 4) and ESPN.com (No. 4).

The native of Columbus had to stop and think of all the places he has been so far for basketball camps and tournaments, and all the places he still has to go.

"I've been to France, Virginia, Phoenix and Akron already," he said. "I'll be going to Orlando, Augusta Ga., Myrtle Beach, Dallas and New York by the end of the summer."


The main focus this summer is getting Sullinger's weight down. "I've already lost 25 pounds," he said. "I'm on a special diet and I'm down to 255. Between now and when I get to Ohio State I hope to get down to 240."

No other OSU recruits are at the camp, but one big Buckeyes target is 6-11 Adreian Payne from Dayton. The spindly center had his troubles around the rim in scrimmages, but he was surprisingly good defending on the perimeter.

"I'm trying to drag him to Ohio State, too," Sullinger said

James' skills camp just the latest stop in a busy hoops summer for OSU recruit Jared Sullinger - Ohio State Buckeyes Football & Basketball News - cleveland.com