Thursday, April 23rd, 2009 at 10:06 am  |  33 responses

Xavier Henry to Commit to Kansas

by Franklyn Calle

According to multiple reports, SLAM high school diarist Xavier Henry willxavier_henry-mcdonalds make an announcement on his college decision today, Wednesday the 23rd. It is expected that he will be choosing the Kansas Jayhawks when speaking to the media at the Putman City HS Gymnasium in a press conference scheduled to start at 11:15 am. Xavier had previously signed with the University of Memphis in November but decided to re-open his recruitment after John Calipari accepted the coaching job at the University of Kentucky. The 6-6 wing player was expected to visit coach Calipari and the Wildcats’ campus this weekend but it seems like that won’t be necessary as he has already made up his mind as to where he would like to play in the fall. His brother, C.J. Henry, is also expected to enroll at Kansas. C.J. was a walk-on at Memphis, where his tuition was being paid by the New York Yankees after signing him out of high school. It is expected that the Yankees will continue to pay for his tuition at Kansas.

Everyone’s attention will now turn to Brooklyn’s Lance Stephenson and Word of God’s John Wall and their college decisions. For Stephenson, it seems like the possibilities are strong that he will end up at St. John’s now that Henry is headed to the Lawrence campus, the same campus which Lance was expected to announce as his college destination during the McDonald’s All-American Media Day. Although Maryland is also an option, it’s a long shot. An announcement from Stephenson is expected any day now. As for Wall, where he might end up is not quite clear right now. Duke, Kentucky, North Carolina, Baylor and Miami are listed as schools of interest. It is expected that he will visit Miami this weekend. He will be narrowing his list in the very near future.

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  • http://www.shawn-kemps-offspring.blogspot.com/ TADOne

    Hopefully Bill Self doesn’t ruin him.

  • Billions

    he is one and done anyway. He will be number #1 draft pick in 2010, Bet it!!!

  • http://www.slamonline.com Ryan Jones

    Xavier’s got a good family and a good head on his very broad shoulders. He’ll be fine wherever he lands.
    That said, I’d love it if some of these kids took this as a hint to avoid the whole press conference announcement nonsense. They won’t, but I can hope.

  • http://ittakesanationofmillionstoholdthissac.blogspot.com ciolkstar

    SO glad he’s not going to Kentucky!
    Eff Calipari.

  • http://www.slamonline.com Ryan Jones

    Word, c-star… just don’t be surprised if Cal’s got a chip in the next 2-3 years anyway.

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  • http://double-technical.blogspot.com Zee!

    Feeling that. Bill Self is giddy.

  • http://slamonline.com johnnypittman

    colicstar, quit your hating…just because Cal took your heart doesn’t mean you have to cry…the landscape of college bball has changed and his name is John Calipari…get used to it.

  • Josh D

    This was pretty much expected Stephenson to Maryland Wall to Duke

  • http://www.slamonline.com Ryan Jones

    Or Stephenson to St. Johns…

  • http://yahoo Big O.

    I would like to see John Wall and Kenny Boynton in the same backcourt and with the all-american transfer from Georgetown holding down the middle, can u say champioship. The gators will be back on top not before long

  • pair of tits

    bill self is the landscape of college basketball, what happened when john calipari tried to win a national championship?

  • http://slamonline.com/ Ryne Nelson

    Bill Self is the man, but you can’t knock Cal in the least for what he’s done.

  • http://ittakesanationofmillionstoholdthissac.blogspot.com ciolkstar

    Memphis was not “my heart” Jonny boy. I just hate the sort of power mongering that college coaches use in scenarios like this. That Memphis program was really fun to watch and Calipari had almsot everything going for him there, instead he jumps ship (to try to get more fame and money) all while assuming these talented kids, who he makes absurd amonuts of money off of, would all blindly follow. Kentuck is a sh1tty state, and I hope their basketball team keeps sucking.

  • http://ittakesanationofmillionstoholdthissac.blogspot.com ciolkstar

    That probably came off a little harsher than I meant it to, but Jonny saying sh1t like:
    “the landscape of college bball has changed and his name is John Calipari…get used to it.”
    is exactly what pisses me off, foolish prde arrogance and sense of entitlement there.
    I just hope they lose. A lot.

  • Cizzo

    Nope Billions D.Favors will be the first player picked in 2010!

  • http://www.slamonline.com Ryan Jones

    I don’t disagree with you, c-star, other than making it sound like Cal is the only one, or the the worst of them. Most of these guys can and do make moves like this until they get to a “marquee” program. Some it works out for. Some become Tommy Amaker.

  • http://www.alllooksame.com Tarzan Cooper

    yezzir!!! BACK TO THE FINAL FOUR AND ANOTHER CHIP!!!!

  • http://where-basketball-b-longs.blogspot.com B. Long

    Good for Xavier. Is there any word on whether or not C.J. is going to have to sit for a year?

  • http://www.slamonline.com Ryan Jones

    Brad: I think that’s still up in the air.

  • http://www.manutd.com Z

    I don’t follow college ball that much but can someone explain to me why Cal is an a–hole? He left for more money, more resources, more exposure and more tradition. I don’t see what’s wrong with that. People do it all the time in any line of work and especially, ironically, in journalism! Most of the SLAM staffers started on smaller publications, no?

  • http://www.slamonline.com Ryan Jones

    Z: shhhhhh….

  • Quail

    I would pay for Wall to come to kentucky. With a point guard, Cousins, and if Meeks and Patterson come back, we’ll get at least sweet 16 this year.

  • http://www.youtube.com/user/officerbarbrady what

    So if the Memphis Tigers start sucking now, will the Grizzlies attendance go up?

  • http://www.nba.com JE

    As long as we get Wall, I don’t care.

  • clos1881

    Im not that impressed with im as far as the nba I see him as jarvis hayes

  • Babyface

    why would stephenson go to st. Johns

  • http://slamonline Mike Keys

    john wall will easily be the number one pick in the 2010 draft Henry may be a top five lock

  • sc23

    very nice, ku gonna go far next year with collins, aldridge, and henry leading the way

  • http://hibachi20.blogspot.com/ Moose

    Babyface, Stephenson is from right there.

  • Jose

    How would Bill Self ruin him? Bill Self produces NBA quality talent.

  • JJ

    Of course you would pay for Wall to come to Kentucky, Calipari pays all of his players and lets them cheat on SATs, see Bill Self involved in any of that? Didn’t think so, no thugs who can’t learn here… Rock Chalk

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