CHICAGO – Three years ago, Aaron Gordon stole some of the media day spotlight at the McDonalds All-American Game by announcing he would attend Arizona.
There was no such announcement from Josh Jackson or Terrance Ferguson today. Not even a hint of where the five-star prospects would go.
There’s still considerable speculation saying that Ferguson is headed to Arizona, but the Texas guard said today he might still take visits to Kansas and Baylor before he decides, but that he planned to decide well before May.
“I think I’ll take two more visits, two or three if I take them, if I have time,” Ferguson said. “I have taken unofficials (to other schools) but my only official was to Arizona.”
People are also reading…
Arizona appeared to have made progress during that official visit last week. Ferguson said he had fun hanging out with UA players, especially Kadeem Allen, Chance Comanche and (curiously) Justin Simon, while also getting to know a different guy than he thought he knew.
“Everyone was having fun, nothing too serious,” Ferguson said. “It was great to see how coach Miller was off the floor, just relaxed and not being so nervous.”
With that, Ferguson laughed. He had seen Miller plenty wound up while playing for him in the FIBA U19 World Championships last summer, including “the craziest game I’ve ever been a part of” – a semifinal game against host country Greece.
And, of course, also in the NCAA tournament. Miller texted Ferguson after UA’s loss to Michigan State and told him he wished Ferguson had been playing.
“He’s one of the best coaches in college basketball, so just to hear him say that to me especially after a loss like that, I really appreciated it,” Ferguson said.
The fact that Arizona lost in the first round, Ferguson said, makes no difference in his decision.
“I know next year it would be different,” Ferguson said. “It’s not the same year. So the tournament didn’t have any impact on me.”
Jackson said he has decided between UA, Michigan State and Kansas, but won’t make an announcement until he can do so in front of friends and family in Michigan.
That suggests he might this weekend, because he’ll go home for the end of his spring break before returning to Napa, Calif., next week and then on to Portland for the April 9 Hoop Summit game.
But Jackson said he probably wouldn't decide until after Hoop Summit.
In any case, Jackson spoke highly as he always has about his finalists. Of Arizona, he said:
“Arizona has done a tremendous job recruiting me. They made me feel like I’m a priority, like they really want me, that it’s important to them that I end up at their school.
“Coach Miller is a really a great guy. I know him pretty well. He and I have a pretty good relationship. I’ve had the chance to play for him before (with USA Basketball) and just having that experience was really great.”
Jackson said Miller called him two days after the Wichita State game, but didn’t talk basketball that time.
“He didn’t talk about the loss at all. But what we talked about was his wet shirt,” Jackson said. “He’s a real competitive guy. He wants to win.”
Maybe it was a smart move on Miller’s part. There wasn’t much good to say about that game, but the shirt, well…
“He thought it was pretty funny,” Jackson said.
UA commit Kobi Simmons, who will play opposite Jackson on the McDonalds East team on Wednesday (6 p.m., ESPN), smiled when talking about his efforts to help UA land two final recruits for next season.
Simmons said he and Jackson were “just kidding” when Simmons introduced Jackson as a “new U of A commit,” but that he’s been talking to both Jackson and Ferguson in playful form about Arizona.
Ferguson “announced in another interview that I was the hardest recruiter,” Simmons said. “So hopefully that gets it done. I play like him – can shoot it, is an athletic defender. I’d love to have him join me.”
