Drawing National Attention, Crimson Courts Touted Recruits

Although the men’s basketball season officially begins in a month and a half, well under way is a different sort of competition—the unending battle for recruits—and for once in its not-so-illustrious history, Harvard hoops appears to be ahead of the pack.

The difference, of course, has been the arrival of coach Tommy Amaker over two years ago.

Interestingly enough, for all the uproar about his recruiting tactics, Amaker’s first collection of rookies failed to take the league by storm. Hampered by injuries, last year’s freshmen played more of a supporting role than a starring one.

This could all change with the next two groups of recruits.

Highly-touted prospect Kyle Casey, who spurned Stanford and Vanderbilt in favor of the Crimson, headlines a quintet of talents—all noted on the national scene—who should be ready to play immediately.

The scary thing is—the potential class of 2014 looks to be even better.

One of the biggest highlights of Amaker’s coaching tenure, right up there with the upset victories over Michigan and Boston College, came this past weekend, when five major recruits made visits to Cambridge.

The fact that Dwight Powell is even considering joining the Crimson is an accomplishment in its own right for Amaker and his staff. The 6’10”, 205 lb Canadian native is a Scout.com four-star recruit, ranked consistently among the top dozen centers in the nation, and has drawn attention from UCLA and Cal.

Throughout the summer, Stanford was thought to be Powell’s top choice—a sentiment corroborated by positive reports following his visit to the Palo Alto, Calif., campus.

Evidently, his recent trip to the East Coast made an impression.

“He left with Harvard and Stanford neck-and-neck,” one Crimson player said.

Powell is declining to make any more statements until he has completed his October visit to Georgia Tech, the remaining member of his final trio of schools. Powell said that a decision would come likely after that.

A fellow inhabitant of the top tier of hoopsters nationwide, Rod Odom has Harvard on his mind, too.

The identity of Odom’s future destination has been rife with rumors, as might be expected with a 6’9”, 210 lb prospect carrying offers from Louisville and UConn.

Having earned a four star rating from Rivals.com, the small forward took a visit to Arizona the weekend before last. Odom and his father came away with plenty of good things to say, which had led some to believe he would soon commit to the Wildcats.

What Odom is most committed to, however, is taking his time.

According to his father, a veteran of the recruiting circuit, Odom’s top four destinations are still Arizona, Harvard, Boston College, and either Vanderbilt or West Virginia.

Odom will be making a visit to Boston College this coming weekend, and a decision could be possible following the trip, but it would not be surprising if it took longer.

Impressive physical specimens and versatile threats on the hardwood, Powell and Odom would constitute tremendous coups by Harvard if either were to commit. They are the caliber of player the likes of which the Ivy League rarely encounters, but as always, it remains to be seen where the prospects end up.

The picture is much clearer with the other three visitors of the weekend.

Austin Carroll, a 6’3” shooting guard out of New Hampshire’s Brewster Academy, is rated at an 84 by ESPN, and was complimented by members of the Crimson for his on-court feel and sharp-shooting ability during workouts with the team.

As of yet, his other option appears to be Rutgers, a visit to which will be taking place in the upcoming weeks. Though Carroll himself did not comment, Harvard has been called his leader.

“Very impressive what they have done in the past few years,” Carroll said through text message.

Ugo Okam has confirmed that Harvard is currently his top choice. A raw prospect with outstanding athletic ability, Okam is a 250-lb seven-footer who would provide the Crimson with a front-court force to be reckoned with. Following visits to Vanderbilt and Loyola Marymount, he will have a decision next month.

Another high-major prospect, Majok Majok was unable to be reached for comment, but multiple sources believe his current favorite is Harvard. The rugged 230-lb power forward grades at an 86 according to ESPN. He places a high value on academics, because “we’ll all someday have to take off our jerseys and go into the work force,” he said via text.

This past weekend was recognized around the country as a major moment for the Crimson program. If coach Amaker gets his way, Harvard basketball will be put on the map not only for a couple of days in September, but for many years to come.

—Staff writer Dennis J. Zheng can be reached at dzheng@college.harvard.edu.