Photo by Nikki Boertman
Briarcrest Christian star Leslie McDonald is trying to keep a level head, despite being in the middle of a heated recruiting battle featuring the Tigers and the Volunteers.
Another high-profile Memphis-area high school basketball product is off to the Atlantic Coast Conference to play college ball.
Leslie McDonald, a 6-foot-4, 195-pound combo guard from Briarcrest Christian and the 2007-08 Tennessee Gatorade Player of the Year, has committed to North Carolina following a visit with the Tar Heels and Duke over the weekend.
McDonald, whom Rivals.com ranks the No. 9 shooting guard prospect in the Class of 2009, is the second Memphis hoops star to commit to an ACC school in the last year, and the third since 2005, joining former St. George's star Elliot Williams (Duke) and former Mitchell High standout Thaddeus Young (Georgia Tech).
McDonald averaged 21 points, seven rebounds, two assists and two steals as a junior last season to help Briarcrest earn the Division 2-AA state title. He was named Mr. Basketball in D2-AA, and became the first junior to be named Tennessee Gatorade Player of the Year in the program's history.
McDonald, who had also considered Duke, Georgetown, Ohio State, Tennessee and Memphis, is the fifth player from the Class of 2009 to commit to North Carolina.
More later online and in Wednesday's News Sentinel.
Tennessee's signing class for 2012
Tennessee 60, Connecticut 57 men's…
Tennessee 69, South Carolina 57 men's…
Scripps Interactive Newspapers Group
Comments » 42
UT_LAW_2011 writes:
At least he didn't go to Memphis
IndianOutlaw writes:
Is it proper now to saw this is the Football coachs fault? Just want to get ahead of the curve.
WorkinLikeHeck writes:
yawn...Pearl will sign a better play than McDonald when it's all said and done.
wyomingvol writes:
I blame this one squarely on Coach Fulmer.
straightshooter writes:
Likely another UT hater being from Memphis. A lot of pressure on athletes coming from that area not to sign with UT. In reality, probably never had much of a chance signing him. Coach Pearl will do just fine in recruiting 2009. Not knocking NC's program as it is a great one. But is an established one, not an up and coming one such as UT's where a great young recruit can make his mark, create some lasting history for himself and the program. The history of NC's was written long ago. How grateful can their fans be to hang another banner when there are already so many up there as it is.
volchiq writes:
I can't believe he let him get out of the state. We never get any good in-state players. He just isn't getting it done.
Oh, sorry, I was just saying what workin would have said if this had been football. :)
To the recruiting experts, I just want to get this right... if we miss an in-stater in basketball = okay; if we miss an in-stater in football = failure.
Not a knock on Bruce, i know he is stealing players out of other coaches' back yards, but so is Fulmer.
aspenvol writes:
Volchiq, pls do not interject logic or reason into this discussion. It is not welcome here. Check back later today and you will find proof.
GBO
ncvol writes:
I am sure McDonald will do well for the Tar Heels. Best of luck to him in his new adventure.
Wish he would have stayed in the state of Tennessee but you can't win them all.
Go Vols!
volchiq writes:
I know aspen, my mom always warned me about logic. I think that it is considered a controlled substance to some.
bugman (Inactive) writes:
#9??? We can do better then that anyway.
GreerVol22 writes:
aspen, well said. Its too hot to make sense.
pdhuff#552644 writes:
Doldrums...
2.4 star article
volroadwarrior writes:
Kingsport...That is hilarious!!!!!!!!!!!!
BigOrangeVol writes:
There will ALWAYS be a huge anti-Nashville and anti-Knoxville sentiment in Memphis. I've spoken with tons of AAU ballers in Mempho over the years and they are much more likely to look at Arkansas or Ole Miss before considering UT, MTSU or Vandy.
It's time for Bruce & Tony to hit Brooklyn and Queens to find the next King & Grunfeld. They need to start recruiting like Stu Aberdeen! We need to get on Lance Stephenson, Dominic Cheek, Durand Scott and Omari Lawrence and let these kids know what we have to offer down south!
BADGES0413 writes:
AspenVol at 1248
Volchiq, pls do not interject logic or reason into this discussion. It is not welcome here. Check back later today and you will find proof.
GBO
It only took an hour and 17 minutes for your prediction to come true.
MidTennVol writes:
Didn't want to play behind Hopson, period.
QCVol writes:
It wasn't like Bruce lost out on this dude, he already had his mind made up that he was going to NC a looong time ago....We aren't hurting for talent now anyway.....
AlpharettaVol writes:
aspenvol -- truer words were never spoken.
WorkinLikeHeck writes:
BigOrangeVol talks to "ballers" from Memphis. Sure thing buddy. There are 2 guys who are walkons from Memphis (they must be ballers) that go to Ole Miss. None on Arkansas team from Memphis.
MTSU does have a few players from Memphis, Vandy has 1 and then Tennessee has JP.
WorkinLikeHeck writes:
Actually, McDonald was sort of scared of coming to Tennessee when he saw Foolmore pick a winner and then eat it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZ8Ce-...
THE_VOL writes:
Let's see now...BP has signed, what?, one player from the Mempiss area? I guess you could say he's done alright without those other guys couldn't you? Mempiss players as a whole are way overrated folks. Yeah, a few really good ones surface every now and then but for the most part there are plenty of guys just as good and better elsewhere. Just because it's in state some think it's important or even easier to get guys from there but neither is the case. As long as you get good players it matters not where they come from.
murrayvol writes:
He's a good player going to a great program. Wish we could've signed him. We didn't. So be it.
The sun will rise tomorrow and I'll be in Puryear, TN for breakfast (alas, no fritters on the menu) with a small gathering of Vol fans who will observe a moment of silence.
Ironcity writes:
Is this the guy who is also plays football as a receiver?
dirtdobber1 writes:
Who cares! We got our 5! he can be the next jamont gordon!
WorkinLikeHeck writes:
LOL at volfan5521!!!!! He's going to follow me where ever I go on this board! I welcome the attention. I just hope you can handle it.
WorkinLikeHeck writes:
"shutup", yeah that's real clever. I am just glad that my actions on here cause you to have a reaction. I am glad that I am able to influence your behavior from my keyboard. What an amateur.
WorkinLikeHeck writes:
volfan5521 let's somebody that he thinks is an 8 year old influence his actions. LOL!!!!!!
99gator writes:
y'all should have a fulmer winner vs. fulmer hater tug of war contest before the season opener.
there could be some sort of betting or raffle set up with the proceeds going to a local charity.....fritters for the poor or something.
TigerVol writes:
It looks like volfan5221, WorkinLikeHeck, and a few others need to find jobs so I can quit paying taxes that allow them welfare checks. I guess they do need them so they can log on and leave 31 posts in 20 minutes.....you LOSERS!!!!!
WorkinLikeHeck writes:
The irony of someone (TigerVol) counting people's posts and noting the time and then calling them "LOSERS". LOL!!!!!!
IndianOutlaw writes:
Murrayvol, That breakfast in Puryear wouldnt be at The Cotton Club, Club 641, Chief's or The Big Apple. Those were all great late night eatries back in the 60's when I was backhome in Western Kentucky from College in the summer?
invisiblekid writes:
Hard to argue with him picking UNC. As Murray said, the sun will rise tommorow.
murrayvol writes:
Col26Ca: No, that would be Spanky's in S. Puryear. Sadly, The Cotton Club & Chief's have passed on although the bldgs. remain under new mgt. The 641 Club still hosts the usual suspects and the Big Apple moved to Murray when our fair city voted wet and was consumed by the dark side.
If you ever get "backhome," let me know and breakfast is on me.
utchris writes:
I think that several factors play into this. Signing Maze, West, and Hopson probably played a big role in this. I realize that one is a point and the other a 2 guard, but McDonald has the capability of wither I believe. Living around Memphis and being connected to the prep scene, I heard awhile back that UNC and Duke were the favorites. I really do not think that this kid was all that interested in Memphis or UT. Although UT has enjoyed recent success, it will take a little more sustained success before we start consistently pulling kids away from the likes of UNC.
I am sure that we can find someone else out there that is as equally good or very close to it. McDonald is a very good player, but I do not see him as being one of those talents that is far superior to everyone else. Sure it is always nice to pull a instate kid with that kind of talent, but with todays recruiting budgets and talent pools, most players are not irreplaceable.
Hoss44 writes:
Dang Fulmer, he can't get anyone to stay in state
Hoss44 writes:
John Adams and John Pennington are raging homosexuals
cjraney writes:
Elliot Williams picks Duke, Pearl gets a raise, and then this happens? Looks like a downward spiral from here folks. Somebody's gotta talk to Mike Hamilton about this, save ourselves a decade of futility, eh?
Silent_Fulmer writes:
Wow, i missed a lot of fun on here today. As for McDonald, no big shocker. Pearl will just continue to outwork everyone and get better results, yawn.
invisiblekid writes:
TouchdownTennessee, I know General Fritter and you sir are no General Fritter.
VOLS85 writes:
This is not my biggest concern right now...is the kns going to let us know how Negedu's visit went today? I guess it's apparent that we didn't get a LOI, but please feel free to inform all of us who are lacking in enlightenment...
I know we shouldn't expect a decision on his visit because he has as much time as he wishes but I'd love a report...
WorkinLikeHeck writes:
Vols85, the media can't contact recruits while they are still on campus during official visits. I am sure you already knew that though, dunce face.
BigOrangeVol writes:
Jerkin & Francis
I've been going to the summer weekend AAU tournament Senior boys games in Memphis for over a decade. It's very good basketball and you get to talk to a lot of interesting players, coaches and parents from all over the state during the course of a weekend. There is a lot of downtime between games and we all stand around the gym and parking lot talking basketball. The best basketball players in the state are there. My nephews Nashville team played against Dane Bradshaw’s team several times at Bishop Byrne and they went on to the Nationals twice.
I have had a number of family, friends and business associates in the Memphis area over the past 30 years and if you think that there isn't a large portion of the population that is anti-Nashville and anti-Knoxville then you obviously don't get around the Bluff City too much. But you two never let facts get in the way of your half-baked opinions, diatribes, name-calling or whining so rant on little boys!
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