Gilchrist Speaks/What's Next?
I caught up with Augustus Gilchrist on Saturday and he confirmed that he won't be a Hokie this fall. However, Gilchrist did nothing to clear up the situation, adding that he had yet to "directly" ask for a release from his letter-of-intent.
This would go along with a statement by Terrelle Woody, Gilchrist's personal trainer, that Gilchrist will attend a prep school in the fall. By doing so, the LOI with Tech would become void and Gilchrist would be a recruitable free agent, so to speak.
However, I - and others - can't figure out why Gilchrist would go to a prep school. He says - and no one has disputed this - that he would meet the NCAA's minimum academic standards to earn a scholarship. And even if he gets a release from Tech, Gilchrist likely would be able to get a scholarship of his choosing. Most players go to a prep school either to improve their academics or get a better scholarship offer; neither of those seem to apply to Gilchrist.
By Josh Barr |
May 14, 2007; 10:43 AM ET
| Category:
Basketball
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Posted by: Sveiks | May 14, 2007 11:40 AM
This is ALL about the trainer. Like Deep Throat said, follow the money.
If the trainer calls the shots, and a school promises the trainer a job, and then doesn't make good on the offer, the trainer pulls the player.
Gus G needs prep like Agent 0 needs Brendan Haywood (as in he doesn't).
This is about the trainer.
Wherever Gus G winds up, look for the Trainer to be on staff.
If V Tech would have kept their word and hired the trainer, Gus G would be in Blacksburg right now.
Posted by: Anonymous | May 14, 2007 1:57 PM
The ACC bans schools from accepting transfers from another member school. Would that ban also apply to players released from an LOI at another member school? If so, he'd have to spend a year in preps to get a scholarship offer from another ACC school.
Posted by: JoshC | May 14, 2007 2:00 PM
Josh -- I don't think there would be anything against signing with another ACC school unless that is a condition of a release.
Posted by: josh barr | May 14, 2007 2:27 PM
The prep year isn't to get a better scholarship offer, it's a different scholarship offer. With the late signing period ending this week, most schools don't have available slots, unless your last name is Patterson or Lucas. He'll go back into the recruiting game for next fall, the NLI will be void, and he'll be able to sign elsewhere for 2008.
Don't forget, the prep year postgrad of improving grades is pretty much over with the latest NCAA rule adoption. He could still improve his SAT/ACT score, if a college needed him to have a higher number.
Posted by: Stormy | May 14, 2007 3:29 PM
Maybe he is not ready for the rigors of college seeing that he was home schooled in his last year.
Posted by: YouKnowIT | May 15, 2007 2:07 PM
The comments to this entry are closed.
Maybe his success this spring has gone to his head and he's thinking Oak Hill for a year and then the NBA?