Eighth grader commits to USC
Jeff Goodman / FOXSports.com
Posted: 14 hours ago

For the second straight year, USC basketball coach Tim Floyd has received a verbal commitment from an eighth-grader.
Ryan Boatwright, a speedy 5-foot-10, 145-pound rising freshman point guard from Illinois who has yet to make a decision on where he's headed for high school (he's choosing between East Aurora High and West Aurora High), accepted Floyd's scholarship offer while at USC's camp this past weekend.

"They were the first one to show interest in Ryan," said Boatwright's father, Mike. "A lot of people have said Ryan isn't that good, but he went to USC's camp and played well."

Boatwright played well enough that Floyd put forth a scholarship offer on the final day of camp. DePaul, Indiana and a few smaller schools had expressed interest, but USC was the first to step up with an offer.

"It shocked me," Mike Boatwright said of the offer. "But Ryan loved it there and he decided on his own."

"The campus is gorgeous," he added. "It's a private school and both myself and his mom were impressed with the academic standards at USC. That's really what got us."

A year ago, Floyd and the Trojans staff stayed local and got a verbal pledge from then-14-year-old Dwayne Polee Jr., a 6-foot-6 forward who had yet to play his first high school game at Westchester High (Calif.).

Mike Boatwright said the biggest concern surrounding his 14-year-old son's decision is the potential local reaction.

"I'm tremendously concerned," he admitted. "It could get ugly as far as kids getting jealous. I also don't want it to get to his head. I want him to stay humble."


I can see Nyorkers now, what about Lance Stephenson committing somewhere.


[Edited by - PLAYA2 on 20-06-2007 12:36]

What is being done is kind of silly. Verbal commitments mean very little on both sides (player and school). IMO this would be a bad trend (schools offering scholarships early) that only benefits the schools. Schools know the scholarship rules, kids and parents don't always know. I would hate to see a kid think he has to honor a verbal commitment he made a long time ago.

Nobody wants to hear the ol famous words "I told you so" when it comes to somebody making a difference in their program down the road.

I think it's called job security.