Thursday, March 29th, 2012 at 3:25 pm  |  55 responses

Nerlens Noel Jordan Brand Classic Diary

The highly sought after recruit gets ready for the JBC.

While he spends the next few weeks preparing for the Jordan Brand Classic, Nerlens Noel shares his experience with SLAMonline! Check daily to read up on his preparation leading to the April 14 tipoff. For more on the game, including how to buy tickets, rosters and alumni, visit the game’s official website, JordanBrandClassic.com.

As told to Peter Walsh

Ever since I was a little kid, the Jordan Brand Classic has been one of the All-Star games that I always watched. Now that I am officially playing in it, it’s like a dream come true. When I got the news, I was real thankful for the opportunity and now I’m getting ready and working on my game to show everyone what I got. I’m excited to get down to Charlotte and start working out with everyone else. I’m cool with almost all of these guys, so it will be great to catch up with everybody and see how they are all doing.

My game is definitely defensive-oriented; I love to block shots, grab rebounds and be the anchor down low. I lead by example, so I’m always playing hard and being the leader on my team. Offensively, my game is still developing. I like to get out and run the floor, but I’m also working on my post moves and my jumper so I can stretch the floor and become more of a threat on that end of the floor.

Our team (Tilton, NH) didn’t have as good a season as we expected. We finished with a strong record, but fell short in the playoffs, which was pretty disappointing. I played well throughout the year, but I would have really liked to finish my high school career with a championship so I could have gone out on top.

I’ve been watching a lot of the NCAA Tournament—pretty much every game. I was very impressed with CJ McCollum, he lit it up against Duke and I really like his game. I’m also a big fan of Jae Crowder, he’s always playing hard and is the leader on that team. I think that the final will be between Kentucky and Ohio State, but I can’t decide who I like more; both teams are very talented and well coached. If they meet in the final game, it will be one of the best matchups of the Tournament.

I’ve narrowed my list down to three schools: Syracuse, Kentucky and Georgetown. Basically, I’m just looking for a school where I feel comfortable that has a style of play that’s more up and down so I can get out in the open court and play to my strengths. I don’t let the whole recruiting process get to me, I try not to think about it. I spend a lot of time playing video games and hanging out with my friends so I can enjoy my last month of high school.

I can’t wait to get down to Charlotte and start working out with the rest of the guys!

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  • Robert Moore

    Clarification:
    How about DSR, the best player in the best high school, and whose coach stated that he, and not his teammate, should have been selected for the McDonald game? Is he also a “nobody” in your opinion? He is better than any of the guards who will be playing for SUcks next year.

  • jimmy jam

    Georgetown is out of the question.
    UK or SYR.
    And if you think a one and done is more interested in academics than NBA millions- you’re crazy. Unless Gtown can get Noel a degree in one year, he won’t be there long enough to think about academics.

  • Robert Moore

    Jimmy Jam,
    You need to read all of my messages. I wrote that GU is the best fit for him whether he plans on being a one and done or on staying longer. In my previous message, I wrote that “JTIII has produced more big time big men in 6 years than Boeheim in 35 years.” JTIII has also produced better prime time big men in 6 years than Calipari in 25 years. These are facts that only the ignorant will challenge.
    In a nutshell, JIII and the Hoyas will better prepare Noel for the NBA than either the cuse or UK.
    I also wrote in an earlier message that Noel will learn more in one year at Georgetown University than he would in ten years at either Cuse or UK. No one in his right mind would deny this fact or the truth that a one-year stay at GU would not do wonder for him in the NBA.
    His family wants him to go to GU, and the reasons they got involved in his recruiting had to do with the shady characters who are seeking to exploit him (one of them was attempting to steer him to UK, and the other to Syracuse). The piece in the New York Times written by a Syracuse alumnus has highlighted the role of these two characters, although it conveniently omitted to mention that the character seeking to steer him to Syracuse has a link to that university and is furthermore an agent (the other shady character is also an agent). Pete Hamill, a Syracuse alumnus, threw Noel under the bus, and in the process his expose drew the attention of the NCA. Noel’s parents want to avoid this scandal, and this is why they want him to wear the Blue and Grey.
    Georgetown University is the best fit for Noel. Noel, who grew up a Hoya fan, knows it, his family knows it, and even the delusional Syracuse and UK fans deep down know that if things are on the up and up their schools have no chance of landing Noel.

  • Nick

    Noel will be coming into a class of underrated recruits, yet again, at Syracuse. Boeheim is very good at keeping the good kids around a year or two. That’s what he wants. Cooley, MCW, and the budding star Brandon Triche are all excellent in the open court, and will make it easy for Nerlens to play his game. As for defense, should he come to Syracuse he will be in the middle of that legendary 2-3. He’ll be able to dominate. Georgetown has had great recruits in the past, especially bigs. But nobody can say Greg Monroe was “developed” into a great center. Coming out of high school he was briefly compared to Bill Russell, so he actually had very high expectations. No doubt the Thompson’s can coach bigs, but with someone of that size on ‘Cuse, there is literally nobody that can contest.

  • hale

    My feeling is Kentucky 50% , Syracuse 30% , Georgetown 20%. Not a fan of any of those schools. Id go to cuse though if I were him. They have best team coming back no matter who Kentucky gets cuse still better team cause Kentucky will lose everyone. Cuse could win it all if they get Noel

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