Florida Man: Odds on McGowens, a Futurecast pick and name to watch
Each week, Rivals national basketball analyst and very own Florida man Rob Cassidy takes readers around the hoops recruiting world, touching on news, notes and developments that relate to prospects from coast to coast. This week, he predicts a local guard will land at SMU, handicaps the race for five-star Bryce McGowens and touches on the weekend that was at the All-American Jamboree outside Orlando.
FICTIONAL BETTING ODDS OF THE WEEK: Bryce McGowens' top five
A one-time Florida State commit, McGowens backed off his pledge a couple weeks back and has now released a top five consisting of LSU, Nebraska, Georgia and Michigan in addition to FSU. Earlier this week, our own Dan McDonald spoke to the five-star and touched on each of his five finalists.
But as is the case in every single recruitment, not every finalist stands on equal footing. Let’s handicap the race to land the touted prospect’s commitment, shall we? Oh, and to be clear, I’m not actually booking your degenerate recruiting bets. These odds are for entertainment purposes only. Seek help, bro.
LSU AND NEBRASKA: EVEN MONEY
The Tigers and Huskers seem like the frontrunners. McGowens’ brother plays for Nebraska, so the allure there is obvious. The fact that head coach Fred Hoiberg has strong NBA ties is also a point for Nebraska. When it comes to LSU, it’s all about relationships. McGowens seems comfortable with the Tigers’ staff despite only recently landing an offer from the program following his decommitment.
MICHIGAN: +200
Head coach Juwan Howard had a virtual meeting with McGowens just days before the five-star released his top 5, and the Wolverines suddenly made the cut. That suggests the meeting went well. Michigan is thought to be a serious player here and things could be getting even more serious by the week. The Wolverines would admittedly be a decent value bet.
FLORIDA STATE: +350
Everyone is familiar with the situation here. Sometimes, high-profile prospects back off pledges only to recommit weeks later, but it’s certainly not the norm. That said, McGowens feels comfortable with the FSU staff, and that’s significant. It’s impossible to rule the Seminoles out completely. Still, history suggests FSU has an uphill fight.
GEORGIA: +750
I can’t see it. But, hey, betting a longshot is fun.
FUTURECAST OF THE WEEK: Zhuric Phelps to SMU
Zhuric Phelps is set to make his announcement on Wednesday night, and there are a number of mid-major programs in the mix to land his pledge. DePaul, Georgia Southern, UTEP, ECU and SMU have all been involved in the Dallas-area star’s recruitment at times over the last year. Things have trended in multiple directions, so it’s been hard to pin down a likely destination for the Texas-based standout, but it seems as though the local school may hold a slight lead down the stretch. Phelps to SMU is by no means a done deal, as things can always change when it comes to recruiting. Still, at this point, my gut says the Mustangs will be happy when the smoke clears.
SURPRISE OF THE WEEK: Teafale Lenard
I had never heard of Lenard before this weekend’s All-American Jamboree outside of Orlando. In fact, few people had. The Link Year Prep wing spent his high school career in a small town in semi-rural West Texas and generated only light college interest.
Now in prep school,, the 6-foot-7 forward is clearly a player with Division-I talent. A hyper-athletic and long wing with good bounce and a knack for scoring at the rim, Tefale took the weekend event by storm and showed some decent range to go along with his quickness, court vision and passing ability. By the end of the event, schools such as Boise State, St. John's and Tulsa had reached out to Lenard’s coach to inquire. Lenard needs to add weight and polish, sure, but it seems like a program could get a major steal here. Offers shouldn’t be far off.
PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK: A.J. Neal's nine 3-pointers
I had the chance to watch West Oaks Academy play on Sunday morning and sat courtside while three-star point guard A.J. Neal made nine three-pointers in a win over Westminster Christian.
Neal, who finished the game with 29 points, is not expected to commit until the spring but recently had a zoom call with coaches from Denver. TCU is also involved in his process. Arizona State and Oregon have recently expressed interest but are yet to offer.
PARTING THOUGHT
Despite what the internet chatter would have you believe, Candy Corn isn’t the enemy this Halloween season. The real problems are Smartees and those weird candies with the strawberry wrappers that seem to manifest in old women’s glass candy dishes.
Candy Corn is a red herring. Don’t fall for the okey-doke.