With the breaking news that Terrence Ross is now a Terp - more to come on that later, by the way - a lot of people have forgotten other recruits exist right now. But we haven't.
First up, Darnell Dodson was considered a possible Terp target after Calipari left Memphis. The highly ranked JUCO commit was rumored to be high on the Terps if he was going to open up his recruitment after receiving his LOI from Memphis. Unfortunately, he is following Calipari to Kentucky. This, combined with the likelihood that DeShawn Painter will be forced to reclassify as 2010, means that Lance Stephenson is Maryland's last legitimate target for 2009.
Following that perfect segue, news on Lance has surfaced from (yet again) Zags:
Word is that Stephenson does not want to stay local at St. John’s and thinks that Gary Williams' system at Maryland is too structured. Both of these things make sense, but both St. John’s and Maryland have put the fullcourt press on recently.
That, in turn, could open up the chances of him going to Kansas or even Memphis.
“My guess is that he’s waiting to see what shakes out,” New York recruiting expert Tom Konchalski said recently. “If Xavier Henry [goes to Kansas], then maybe [John] Calipari recruits [Stephenson to Kentucky]. Maybe with Josh Pastner [the new head coach] at Memphis, with Sean Miller at Arizona, maybe he’s waiting to hear if they’re looking for players like him.”
Still, sources at both Kentucky and Arizona said they were not actively recruiting Stephenson.
I doubt he'd go to Kentucky - Jodie Meeks would have all the shots - or Arizona, which seems kind of out of the blue. I also see very little chance he still goes to Kansas. There's no way he goes to college at a place where his chances to start are anything less than 100%, and at Kansas, they'd be about 45%. Pastner has apparently already tried to contact him, but there's been no answer or interest on the other end. Lance might not be happy with his current choices, but they're all he's got left. I just hope he ends it soon.
Terrell Stoglin is already one of the best recruiters for the Terps, and he's not even at Maryland yet. News has surfaced that the Terps offered JD Weatherspoon ($ link, but it's all this is in the teaser), a good friend of Stoglin. Stoglin apparently told the Terps' staff about Weatherspoon, and told Weatherspoon about Maryland. I like the passion.