Arizona’s highly rated 2016 recruiting class may lose centerpiece Terrance Ferguson, even as most of the new Wildcats have arrived for summer school.
A report in Australia on Tuesday said the Adelaide 36ers are “close to formalizing” a deal with UA’s highest rated signee, and 24/7 Sports said the five-star wing is expected to play professionally next season and sign an endorsement deal with Under Armour.
Ferguson did not enroll at UA for the start of the first summer session this week, though he has been expected to arrive for a “bridge” session class on June 20. In any case, enrolling at the UA would only bind him collegiately; he could always leave for a pro contract.
Ferguson’s high school and travel-ball coaches did not return messages left by the Star, and an attempt to reach UA coach Sean Miller via a spokesman was unsuccessful.
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But 24/7 Sports analyst Jerry Meyer said Ferguson will likely go overseas and sign a contract with Under Armour, possibly because he may not be cleared to play collegiately anyway next season.
“There have been longstanding rumors that him getting cleared is a dicey situation,” Meyer said. “I’m not saying that’s the reason behind this, but that cloud is there.”
If Ferguson turns pro, he would follow Brandon Jennings’ precedent of signing with the Wildcats but instead playing overseas. Jennings went to Italy for the 2008-09 season.
The Advertiser of Adelaide said the 36ers have been pursuing Ferguson for a month, saying he’s “expected to bypass attending University of Arizona for a year of seasoning in the (Australian) NBL before declaring for the NBA’s 2017 draft.”
Guy Hedderwick, the 36ers’ chief executive, told the Advertiser that he had no comment.
That Ferguson might also sign a deal with Under Armour if he turned pro would be no surprise. Under Armour is affiliated with both Ferguson’s travel club (MWA Elite) and his high school (Advanced Prep International).
Two years ago, Under Armour also signed Emmanuel Mudiay of Dallas’ Prime Prep, a predecessor to Advanced Prep International, after Mudiay opted to play professionally in China rather than spend a freshman year at SMU. Mudiay, now of the Denver Nuggets, even has an Under Armour shoe named after him.
Under Armour also signed Jennings to a four-year, $2 million deal in 2008, after he signed to play in Italy rather than show up in Tucson for what turned out to be a UA season coached by Russ Pennell following the retirement of Lute Olson.
Jennings was the first basketball shoe endorser for Under Armour, which now has Golden State star Stephen Curry in its stable, and shoe consultant Sonny Vaccaro told CNBC upon Jennings’ signing that being the first to sign with the then-upstart company was attractive to them.
“He is going to be their poster child,” Vaccaro said.
Ferguson’s status has been a near-constant question since he decommitted from Alabama in March. He announced on April 1 on Twitter he would have an announcement later that day but two hours later posted a video saying he was undecided and that it was an April Fools’ joke.
Ferguson committed to the UA on April 13, the first day of the spring signing period, but did not sign a letter of intent. Miller declined to say if Ferguson instead signed a nonbinding financial aid agreement, another option for top players who want to keep control of their recruiting leverage in case coaching or playing situations change.
“I don’t want to get into what any of these guys signed, but as evidence that I’m talking about him, he signed something,” Miller said, noting that Ferguson has “a very, very bright future.”
UA coaches still have Ferguson scheduled to arrive June 20, after he attends a U18 USA Basketball training camp in Colorado. Ferguson is also expected to rejoin the USA U18 team for camp in Houston on July 11-15, then head with the team to Chile for the FIBA U18 Americas Championships.
If Ferguson opts not to immediately sign a pro contract and endorsement deal, he could play for USA Basketball and still attend UA classes. But if his college eligibility is an issue, Ferguson’s final decision on where to spend the 2016-17 season may be delayed until late summer, when NCAA clearinghouse issues often are settled.
