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'11 RI PF Jakarr Sampson (Brewster Academy)

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Scout.com: Nike Skills Recap (free)

Jakarr Sampson, SF - It's been a solid couple of months for Sampson as he continues to put together an emerging skill set to go with his tremendous athleticism. The improved handle and jumper was on full display as Jakarr took on all comers in the one-on-one and two-on-two sections of the day. Sampson scored at will on anybody that got in his way and played with a tremendous amount of confidence. He can take it to the rack, knock down floaters, finish above the rim with authority or knock down a jumper. His versatility on the offensive end is a huge plus.
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Jakarr Sampson says his current favorites are St. John's, Xavier, USC and Baylor while Louisville, Michigan State, Ohio State, Cincinnati, Dayton and Akron are also in the picture. The fast-rising wing is trying to visit USC, Baylor and Louisville in the near future.
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sampson.jpg

St. Vincent-St. Mary forward JaKarr Sampson has risen in the natonal recruiting rankings through strong summer play. - (Chuck Crow/The Plain Dealer)

Movin' on up: It is not unusual for players to make a jump in the national recruiting rankings going into their senior season. JaKarr Sampson, the 6-7 forward from Akron's St. Vincent-St. Mary's High, is the latest.

If he was ranked at all in the spring, it was as a power forward and low on the Top 100 lists for the major recruiting services, Rivals.com and Scouthoops.com. But the latest rankings posted this month by both to coincide with the start of college recruiting find Sampson in the Top 50, now as a small forward.

Rivals ranks Sampson at No. 37 while Scouthoops has him at No. 22.

The rise, according to Sampson, has come from visibility through the summer circuit and improvement in his perimeter skills. "Everybody thought all I had was an inside game," he said following a morning of drills. "I worked on my dribble, and my outside shot, so now I can play a bit of both."

According to Sampson already this summer he has camped in Los Angeles, Houston, West Virginia, Chicago twice and this week Akron and Cleveland.

"I still have to go to Orlando for (AAU) nationals, back to Chicago for an AAU tournament and Milwaukee for an AAU tournament," he said. "And I still have some (college) visits I want to get in. I haven't narrowed that list down yet."

Among the schools Sampson said he is considering are St. John's in New York, USC in California, and regional teams Xavier, Dayton, Louisville, Michigan State, Cincinnati and Ohio State.

"I already (unofficially) visited Michigan State, O-State, Xavier, Cincinnati, Dayton," he said. "I'm going to visit Louisville sometime this summer. And USC and St. John's, those will be official (visits)."

Sampson said he hopes to make a college decision sooner rather than later.

"I'll do something before the high school season, and after AAU season," he said.
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St. Edward High School basketball player James Price leaving program for Louisville: Notes from LeBron James Skills Academy - cleveland.com
 
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Scout.com: LeBron James Impacts Miami Recruiting?

By Dave Telep
National Recruiting Director
Posted Jul 8, 2010

There's a reason why Frank Haith was smiling. He's got LeBron, Chris and D-Wade within a 3-pointer of his campus. Could King James impact Miami's recruiting this season?
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The player in the Class of 2011 most identifiable with James is Akron small forward Jakarr Sampson, a stud out of St. Vincent-St. Mary, the same high school LeBron attended.

Sampson, ranked No. 22 by Scout.com, reportedly took the news hard. He?s about to become a litmus test for the power of LeBron because almost certainly the Hurricanes will try and tug on his heart strings. They'll put the press on Sampson and suggest to him he can be within striking distance of the biggest star in South Beach. Sampson also plays for the King James Rising Stars.
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Updated: Sat, Jul. 10, 2010
UK recruiting notes: 'No reason to hate' LeBron
Criticism of star is 'Crazy,' Sampson says
By Jerry Tipton / [email protected]

CLEVELAND ? Jakarr Sampson stood out here at the King City Classic. Not necessarily because he played better than the other campers at this Nike-sponsored event for elite high school players. But because he remains an admirer of LeBron James.

After James announced Thursday night that he would leave the Cleveland Cavaliers and play for the Miami Heat, this city turned against its former favorite son. Dan Gilbert, the owner of the Cavs, called James' decision to leave "a cowardly betrayal." Fans burned James' jersey here and in his nearby hometown of Akron.

"C'mon now, that's crazy," Sampson said on Friday, the last day of this camp named for James, heretofore known by the nickname King James. "He brought Cleveland back. They used to be terrible. Tickets used to be $5."

When a wiseacre reporter noted that ticket prices might return to $5 next season, Sampson laughed and nodded in agreement.

Still, Sampson, who attends the same St. Vincent-St. Mary's High School in Akron that produced James, said he still thought highly of LeBron.

"Everybody's upset," said Sampson, a 6-foot-7 wing who will be a senior next season. "My whole thing is there's no reason to hate him. He's a real good player. He just wants to win. Who can blame him?"

Sampson considers himself more than a fan of James. He's been to the basketball superstar's home more than once.

"We built a real good relationship," the high school player said. "... He's a real cool dude."

Sampson acknowledged that James could have handled the announcement better. James went on ESPN, which staged an hourlong special titled The Decision, to say he would leave. The show also came in the middle of the King City Classic, which has been an annual tribute to James as well as a camp for college recruiters to evaluate prospects.

Nike hung seven banners of NBA stars at one end of Cleveland State's Wolstein Center, which has been home to the King City Classic. Three of the banners were of James.

"He probably could have waited till the camp ended," Sampson said of James' announcement.

Sampson, a top-100 prospect going into the summer according to the Prep Stars recruiting service, said he was considering such schools as Ohio State, Michigan State, Dayton, Xavier, Southern Cal, St. John's, Miami and Louisville.
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Read more: UK recruiting notes: 'No reason to hate' LeBron | KentuckySports.com
 
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What about Ohio State? Sampson is the best prospect in Ohio by almost all accounts, so where do the Buckeyes come into the mix?

?As far as I know Ohio State has never come to any of Jakarr?s games,? Anderson recalled. ?They are afraid of his grades. They really haven?t called either. I think they feel comfortable with other options.?

At any rate, Ohio State has offered, but have backed off its recruitment of the SVSM standout.
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Ohio High School Hoops: Sampson Still Smiling
 
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Monday, August 2, 2010
Sampson Lining up Visits
Story by: Adam Zagoria

Jakarr.jpg

(Photo taken by Rivals.)

After a long month on the AAU circuit, JaKarr Sampson has a list of his Top 3 schools going forward.

?Baylor, Kansas and St. John?s,? the 6-foot-8, 193-pound forward from Akron (Ohio) St. Vincent-St. Mary said Sunday night.

Don Anderson, Sampson?s AAU coach, added Louisville in the group of schools that Sampson will visit ?for sure.?

?Baylor?s been consistent, they?re going to get a visit,? Anderson said. ?St. John?s has been consistent, they?re going to get a visit. Kansas and Louisville. That leaves one more that he hasn?t figured out yet.?

Sampson is still considering other schools, including Xavier, Dayton, Cincinnati, Michigan State, Ohio State and Miami. Anderson said Tennessee has also recently come into the picture.
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Ohio High School Hoops: Sampson Lining up Visits
 
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Sampson Leaving Ohio

According to Akron St. Vincent- St. Mary?s athletic director Andy Jalwan, Irish basketball star Jakarr Sampson (6?8/2011) has withdrawn from the school.

?We were told Jakarr has withdrawn and his plan is to enroll at Brewster Academy,? Jalwan noted.

Sampson, it?s no secret, had fell behind in his academics. According to Jalwan, Sampson?s mother felt the move to Wolfeboro, New Hampshire would be best.

?His mother felt that we didn?t have the proper academic situation for her son,? Jalwan said. ?I feel bad, because we will miss seeing him around. Honestly, I think we have a fine academic program here and one where many kids have excelled.?

Sampson?s former head coach at SVSM words were a little harsher, but not directed toward Sampson or his mother.

?We will respect what his mother wants,? stated Dru Joyce.

According to Joyce, they were not completely aware of Sampson?s plans.

?Honestly, no, we weren?t aware of everything,? Joyce declared. ?This is what big time college programs do to you. They never really talked to me to find out what could have been done. I lost a lot of respect for some of these programs that have been recruiting him.?

Joyce still believes Jakarr wants to be in Akron.

?I truly believe he still wants to be here, but they just tore him away from us,? Joyce believes. ?These programs don?t try to keep the kids in their high schools. I have made notes on who those guys are.?

Joyce says he will still be a part of Sampson?s life.

?I will stay involved with his life, because there is more to life than just basketball,? said the Irish head coach. ?I have no issue with him or his mom; they were just going off of what they were told. I have always believed when you are handed a lemon you make lemonade.?
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Ohio High School Hoops: Sampson Leaving Ohio
 
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The Brewster Academy connection comes by way of Anthony Crater, who knows Sampson and his AAU coach, Don Anderson. Crater went to Brewster Academy before enrolling at Ohio State for a semester before transferring to South Florida, where he?ll be a junior this fall. On the word of Crater and Anderson, Epps made a call to Brewster Academy coach Jason Smith.

?My son needs to be more focused,? Epps said. ?I had to get him into a situation where he could improve his grades.?
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If Sampson had the grades, there?s little doubt his mother would be pushing him very hard to choose Xavier and stay close to home. But that?s not going to be the case. As of now, Epps said the colleges on his list are Baylor, St. John?s, Tennessee and Louisville. Kansas, which was in the picture, is not right now, primarily because of his grades and the fact Epps said she hasn?t talked with anyone from the school.
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Sampson to Brewster- Fox Sports
 
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