|
Mizzou appears to have shifted its attention to Tramaine Isabell, a 6-1 point guard from Seattle, Wash., who signed with Washington State last fall but asked out of his letter of intent after WSU’s coaching change. Isabell, a three-star prospect by recruiting outlets, told the P-D he’s very interested in Missouri and is planning a visit to Columbia after the current NCAA dead period, which ends May 30. Isabell said he's currently choosing between Missouri and Providence. Auburn had been in the mix, too, he said.
Isabell averaged 23.6 points and 3.5 assists per game for Garfield High School as a senior. Garfield has produced a handful of prominent players, including former University of Washington standouts and NBA players Brandon Roy and Tony Wroten.
Isabell said Missouri assistant coach Tim Fuller has “made it very clear” that the Tigers want to add a point guard to its 2014 class.
“They want to put the ball in my hands, score and get my teammates involved,” he said. “It looks like they have the perfect pieces to be successful in a tough league.”
“I’m the type of point guard that does whatever my team needs me to do,” he said. “This year, my team needed me to score more … but I can do it all. I can score. I can distribute. I can play some defense. I know the game and I have a pretty good basketball IQ. I’d love to learn the ins and outs playing for Kim Anderson.”
In March, Isabell clinched the Class 4A Washington state championship for Garfield at the free throw line and scored 34 points in the title game.
“I told him all year that, ‘Hey man, listen, when it gets down to championship time, the ball’s going to be in your hands and you’re the best player, so you make the plays,’ ” Garfield coach Ed Haskins told the Seattle Times. “That’s just basketball. It’s the same thing with the Miami Heat, it’s same thing with Kentucky, it’s same thing with anybody.
“When you have a player like Tramaine on this level you use him, you put the ball in his hands. I’d be a dumb coach if I didn’t do that.”
Isabell is familiar with Mizzou’s program, saying he was a fan of former point guard PhilPressey. He’s also followed former guard JabariBrown’s career at MU, having played against Brown’s Oakland Soldiers AAU team. Plus, he’s no stranger to the SEC: Isabell has always lived in the Seattle area, but his family is originally from Mississippi and he often visits there.
Brandon Chauca, another uncommitted point guard, could be another option. The Greenville, S.C., native visited Washington State and Cal recently.
|