'07 IN SG Eric Gordon (Indiana Verbal) - Page 5

OSUBasketballJunkie · #61 (**permalink**) 07-30-2006, 08:28 AM

IndyStar

7/30/06

Quote:

recruiting notes
Will E.J. drop O.J. from No. 1 in nation?

By Jeff Rabjohns
<SCRIPT ********************></SCRIPT>jeff.rabjohns@indystar.com

For several years now, the first two letters in the rankings of high school basketball players in the 2007 class have been O.J., as in Cincinnati point guard O.J. Mayo.

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In a few weeks, they could be E.J., the nickname for Eric Gordon. (The "J" is for "Jr.")
The shooting guard from North Central has been so dominant during spring and summer play, he's moved into the conversation as to who is the No. 1 player in the nation in the incoming senior class.
Mayo has been No. 1 in his class for some time, practically since he played high school basketball as an eighth-grader in Kentucky.
But Gordon, long considered the top shooting guard in his class, has been the top-rated player in several national events this summer. He'll be discussed heavily over the next couple of weeks as the major scouting services work to produce their final post-summer rankings.
"I've got him No. 2 behind Kevin Love, but he's moved up ahead of Mayo," longtime talent evaluator Bob Gibbons said. "You can say he's the No. 1 shooting guard, scoring guard, whatever, but he's the No. 1 guard, period, in the nation.
"And you can make a case for him being the No. 1 player based on the way he's played this summer."
If Gordon jumps to No. 1, it would be the third consecutive year a player from the Indianapolis area was the nation's top-ranked player by a major scouting service. Carmel's Josh McRoberts had that label for the Class of 2005 and Lawrence North's Greg Oden owned it for the Class of '06.
Since Gibbons' Tournament of Champions in May, Gordon has been the top scorer in every major event in which he has played. That includes the Las Vegas Big Time Tournament, where he set the event scoring record -- surpassing such stars as LeBron James, Kobe Bryant and Carmelo Anthony.
Gordon scored 262 points in nine games in Vegas. The previous record was 254 by Edwin Rios in 2004, but Rios played in 10 games. Playing with another top-10 player, point guard Derrick Rose, Chicago, Gordon led Mean Streets Express to the title game, where it fell 69-63 to UCLA recruit Love's team.
"It's a big-time tournament where a lot of big-time players are," Gordon said. "It's great to have a good team and compete with the best players.
"I guess Vegas is the place where everything is happening. A lot of college coaches are there. There's the publicity. That's where it starts."
Gordon, who hopes Rose joins him at Illinois, said people are starting to understand he is going to Illinois. Earlier this summer, he said he would listen to new Indiana coach Kelvin Sampson, and Internet rumors followed that he might change his college choice.
After Las Vegas, Gordon said the false rumors bothered him, but he's gotten past it.
"It was aggravating," he said. "I never said anything close to 'I'm de-committing,' or that I was going to IU. All I ever talked about was giving them a look.
"I'm going to Illinois. I was going to give Indiana a look."
Gordon's performance last week was the talk of Vegas, especially since he played every minute of every game.
He also led his Indiana Elite team to the semifinals of the Adidas May Classic, was co-MVP of the Adidas SuperStars Camp in early July and was the leading scorer and MVP of the Peach Jam, which invites only the top Nike-sponsored teams.
He played with Rose's team at the Peach Jam and in Vegas. He said he mentioned to Rose about joining him at Illinois and is simply hoping Rose sees how well the two play together.
"We share the ball with each other," Gordon said. "We get our own shots, but we just play together and we outplayed a lot of people."
In Gordon's case, maybe everyone.

OSUBasketballJunkie · #62 (**permalink**) 08-17-2006, 11:36 AM

cnnsi.com

8/17/06

Quote:

Indiana coach Kelvin Sampson is pursuing a summer basketball coach with ties to Eric Gordon to add to the Hoosiers' staff. Sampson offered a position to Travis Steele, Steele's former boss said Tuesday. Steele coached the North Central High School senior at this year's Adidas May Classic. Gordon, who has orally committed to Illinois, said he has known Steele since junior high.
-- Indianapolis Star

The Man · #63 (**permalink**) 08-17-2006, 10:42 PM

I have a feeling Sampson is going to get IU into some trouble before he is done there.

OSUBasketballJunkie · #64 (**permalink**) 09-03-2006, 01:07 PM

Gordon was reportedly taking a unofficial visit to Indiana this weekend, this could get interesting.

osugrad21 · #65 (**permalink**) 09-17-2006, 08:56 AM

Link

Top hoops recruit 'still really close' to picking Illinois

from wire reports

CHAMPAIGN ? Superstar prep guard Eric Gordon of Indianapolis North Central High School, who made an unofficial visit to Illinois Saturday, still didn't end the speculation whether he would honor his commitment to Illinois or change his mind by jumping to Indiana.
The nation's top-rated shooting guard will have something to say this week about his recruitment and apparently his commitment to Illinois.
"He's going to sit down with his (high school) coach this week and make a statement," said Gordon's father, Eric Sr. "Illinois is a great school. Indiana is a great school."
Gordon, rated by one recruiting service as the nation's best senior, committed to Illinois in November, but his commitment had been questioned after he showed interest in Indiana over the last several months.
Gordon had taken another look at Indiana under new coach Kelvin Sampson.
"I'm still really close to going to Illinois," said Gordon on his way from a bleacher seat at the Illinois-Syracuse football game to a quick visit to the Block I cheering section with the Illini basketball team.
"I'm still looking at other things a little bit," Gordon said.
"That's why I came down this weekend, to get really close, really get to know the coaches and the players.
"I'm just going to really figure it out pretty soon of what I'm going to do."
Gordon can't sign a binding letter of intent until Nov. 8, and his family was trying to keep any decision ? if there already was one ? under wraps.
Gordon won't make an official visit to any other school than Illinois, he said. Of course, both schools he's considering are just down the road from his home.
Gordon, his parents and younger brother Evan made the trip Saturday. It was the first time on campus for his mother. But Gordon will likely return for the homecoming game against Indiana on Oct. 7, when he might make an official visit.
He won't be able to attend midnight madness on Oct. 13 because he will take the SAT exam the following day, he said.
Also in attendance Saturday were Riverton's Mike Tisdale and Peoria Richwoods' Billy Cole, a pair of seniors who also gave Illinois verbal commitments.

korchiki · #66 (**permalink**) 09-18-2006, 12:50 AM

FWIW...i have been told that Indiana is where he is going to play ball...as always take it with a grain of salt...but this is what he told a basketball buddy of mine...so who knows

OSUBasketballJunkie · #67 (**permalink**) 09-19-2006, 06:49 AM

I don't even think Gordon knows where he wants to go right now......