DuckSouth.com

Another MSU freshman leaves team

By Ian R. Rapoport
irapopor@clarionledger.com

STARKVILLE — Another member of the 2004 men's basketball recruiting class has decided to transfer from Mississippi State.

Jerrell Houston, a 6-foot-7 swingman who redshirted during the 2004-05 season, will attend Mineral Area College, that school announced today. Mineral Area is a junior college in Park Hills, Missouri.

Houston is the third member of the three-person freshmen class to leave or say he is contemplating leaving MSU.

In the past week, forward Charles Rhodes announced his will transfer and forward Walter Sharpe said he will "more than likely" transfer, too. Rhodes and Sharpe did not make public their choices for schools, though Rhodes said he will make recruiting visits to other schools.

The status of point guard Gary Ervin, who received permission to talk to other schools about the possibility of transferring, is still unclear.

"I'm just waiting to see what happens," Ervin said recently.

Because Houston is transferring to a junior college, and not another NCAA Division I-A school, he did not need request permission to speak with other schools, according to MSU coordinator of compliance Bracky Brett.

Four scholarship seniors fulfilled their eligibility at State this season. Ontario Harper, another senior who could apply for a medical redshirt waiver for a sixth-year, has not yet done so.

If the three freshmen, Ervin and Harper all decide to leave, it's possible Mississippi State could need to replace nine scholarship players.

Now that Lanier star Monta Ellis, an MSU signee, decided to enter the NBA draft, State has five recruits signed for 2005, though the recruiting period is not yet over.

Hendrix Picks Bama over NBA Draft
By Mitch Dobbs
Date: Apr 27, 2005

Richard Hendrix will not put his name in the hat for the National Basketball Association amateur draft, clearing the way for him to come to Alabama for the 2005-06 season, the Athens High star's father said Wednesday.


Vernard Hendrix, the father and high school coach of Richard Hendrix, told BamaMag.com his son will be in Tuscaloosa in June getting a head start on classes and preparing for the college basketball season.

Hendrix, Mr. Basketball in the state of Alabama, committed to Alabama in October, picking the Crimson Tide over North Carolina, a finalist among the scores of schools who were also recruiting him.

But Hendrix had also left open the possibility of jumping into the NBA Draft.

“We look forward to being down there and trying to win a championship for the Crimson Tide,” Venard Hendrix said.

“We were just looking at all options to see if it would be possible (to go to the NBA). We were told that Richard would probably be drafted at end of first round or the start of the second round," Hendrix said. "He really needs to be in first round in the top 15 before he goes."

A recent report in the Birmingham News said Hendrix was projected by the NBA undergraduate advisory committee as "a middle-to-late second-round draft choice - if he's drafted at all."

Another factor in Hendrix's decision is an expected NBA rules-change that would require players be 20 years or older to be eligible for the draft.

“The age-limit rule would work in his favor to go now because this is the last year that high school players will be able to enter (if the proposed rule passes)," Hendrix said.

"Going to Alabama, he can improve his game and work try to get in that top 15."

go24 wrote:All that and you get punked by Minnesota

Yes, parity has hit the SEC.

What was Head Coach Mike Price's record in league play?

Ask me about downward spiral next January when we take some young boys and win in Tuscaloosie.