| PF DeMarcus Cousins
another tidbit(wouldnt it be sweeeeeet to have PP, Legion, Meeks, DeMarcus Cousins and Vilarino in '09)
Kentucky already has a verbal commitment from perhaps its point guard of the future, 2009 Texas standout GJ Vilarino, and this past weekend may have played host to a big man to pair with him.
DeMarcus Cousins
Birmingham (Ala.) Erwin power forward DeMarcus Cousins, the No. 3 rising junior in the nation according to Rivals.com, made the trip to Lexington for the debut of Billy Gillispie's UK Elite Camp.
"I thought it was great," said the five-star prospect. "I feel like I learned a lot about the game that I didn't know before, and it helped me with parts of my game that I thought I already knew.
"I learned how to play the screen-and-roll a lot better and how to defend the screen-and-roll. I feel like that's going to really help my game. Just stuff like that. They helped me brush up on a lot of the basics, too, that can make me a better player. They have some real good coaches."
Although a player of his stature would have certainly received one, DeMarcus Cousins (6-9, 234) said he didn't need an invitation from the UK coaches to attend the camp.
"I kind of sought them out," he said. "I always knew it was a great school with tradition, and they've been one of the schools on my list that I've been thinking about, so I wanted to make sure I got up there and checked out their elite camp. I thought it would be a good opportunity to learn more about the coaches and the school."
In addition to Kentucky, DeMarcus Cousins has been receiving heavy interest from a list of major programs that includes UAB, Florida, UConn, North Carolina, Duke, Texas, UCLA, LSU and Alabama.
He says he's still in the process of studying each school that shows interest in him, but one program has an early leg up – and it might not be who many recruiting observers may think.
"Right now, UAB is my favorite," DeMarcus Cousins said. "I have a real good relationship with coach (Mike) Davis that goes back a long time. I went to his camp when he was at Indiana, and he's always been really good to me. I feel like he cares about me as a person, so that means a lot."
DeMarcus Cousins declined to say who may help form an early top five list, but confirmed that his camp experience at Kentucky helped put the Wildcats into strong consideration.
"I think I'll definitely be taking a close look at Kentucky," he said. "I had a great time up there. The coaches were nice, the people were nice and the campus – what parts of it I saw – really looked good. I was impressed with the facilities. They probably have the best facilities of any place I've ever seen. Their new practice facility is amazing, and Rupp Arena was huge. It was great to play in there."
A special highlight for the campers was playing in the Wildcats' 24,000-seat home on the final day of the event.
"That," said DeMarcus Cousins, "and getting to play against some of their players. I got to match up with Patrick Patterson, which is something I've been wanting to do. He's one of the best big men in the country, and I think I held my own against him. Playing against those guys showed me a lot about the speed of the game at that level. Those guys play fast. I have to be ready for that.
"I also got to meet Rajon Rondo and Kenny Walker. That was cool. They've had some great players come through there."
DeMarcus Cousins said he left Lexington with a special message from the new UK boss: "Coach Gillispie told me he was going to be recruiting me hard. He said be expecting a bunch of phone calls from us."
As a freshman and sophomore, DeMarcus Cousins averaged approximately 23 points, 14 rebounds and six blocked shots per game for Erwin High School. Scouts love his combination of inside/out scoring moves.
This summer, DeMarcus Cousins will be participating with the USA junior national squad and attending the Amare Stoudemire and LeBron James camps in Arizona and Ohio, respectively.
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