Cliff Alexander down to DePaul and Illinois

[TheHall]

From ImTaylorRooks:

"Speaking with Cliff Alexander now, says Kansas is no longer doing an in-home visit. Reason unspecified. @humblekid11"

https://twitter.com/ImTaylorRooks/status/398249190267965440

[TheHall]

From ImTaylorRooks:

"Speaking with Cliff Alexander now, says Kansas is no longer doing an in-home visit. Reason unspecified. @humblekid11"

https://twitter.com/ImTaylorRooks/status/398249190267965440

Rooks & Schmidt (ILPrepbullseye.com) have been battling over this news:

"I'm telling you again, folks. You just wait & see if Kansas is still standing for Cliff Alexander on Nov 15."

https://twitter.com/prepbullseye/status/398266508758892544

[78 friar]

Would be a great , great pick up for both the conference and Depaul. This one kid could start a chain reaction of quality kids going Big East instead of Big 10

[Demon22]

Per Alexander's coach, Cliff is expected to narrow his list from four to three on Monday.

Experts are saying DePaul and Illinois will be among the final three, which likely indicates those two are his leaders at the moment.

[Demon22]

Apparently, Cliff has not narrowed his list, and according to his mom, will have four hats on the table on Friday.

Weird thing going on over the past 24 hours... so many people that I trust have begun suggesting that DePaul might be in really good shape here that it's starting to freak me out. Don't know how to process this much positive energy.

[OldSchoolDemon]

with four days to go and rumors running rampant, I'm actually still in a state of denial that anything ever good happens to DePaul. I still laugh though that all of the so called "experts" have said from Day One that DePaul was nothing more than window dressing and a favor to the local team...Hard to imagine DePaul being window dressing this late in the game. This kid is a program changing recruit both on the court, but also in the court of public opinion. I'll bet most on here snicker at DePaul on a semi-regular basis and why wouldn't you...the program has been a disaster. However, while I'm biased, I also think that fans and "experts" tend to forget how to be objective. If Cliff announces for DePaul it will create a very nice PR bonus for the Demons and it will run through early 2015. I have my fingers crossed on this one folks, but won't be upset with Purnell should he lose out. I hate being the ugly duckling, but he's done a nice job staying on this kid. Loser finish in second I understand, but this is a special case IMO. He has a world of pressure to actually win on the court this year

[Noonzy]

If DePaul does land him, that would open the door for other top players who would want to play with him. He is the key at the moment-good luck DePaul.

[PhillyPirate]

Old School Demon, Alexanders recruitment reminds me a lot of Willard recruiting Kyle Anderson. The kid wanting to stay home for whatever reason, but is being pulled to different directions to join established elite programs. I hope he listens to his mom and decides to be a hometown hero, and be the face of DePaul and potentially the Big East. I agree if he commits elsewhere you can't blame Purnell because it is hard to fight the blue blood programs with no recent history of success. I still think it is a win though even if he goes elsewhere though because it shows future guys DePaul is a viable option if top guys wanted to go there. DePaul is making a lot of grounds in Chicago and think are picking up steam. Good luck to you guys, be pulling for you come Friday

[TheHall]

Old School Demon, Alexanders recruitment reminds me a lot of Willard recruiting Kyle Anderson. The kid wanting to stay home for whatever reason, but is being pulled to different directions to join established elite programs. I hope he listens to his mom and decides to be a hometown hero, and be the face of DePaul and potentially the Big East. I agree if he commits elsewhere you can't blame Purnell because it is hard to fight the blue blood programs with no recent history of success. I still think it is a win though even if he goes elsewhere though because it shows future guys DePaul is a viable option if top guys wanted to go there. DePaul is making a lot of grounds in Chicago and think are picking up steam. Good luck to you guys, be pulling for you come Friday

Agree with the comparison to SHU & KA except I think your other point highlights one key difference. Even though it's taken long OP as you said has already made strides recruiting chicagoland talent. Next season will represent the pinnacle of that effort when Rashaun Stimage & Jon Davis get there and transfer Myke Henry becomes eligible- all local prep stars. Add that to BG Jr. & Tommy Hamilton this year, as well as juniors Crockett & McKinney. My point is Depaul at least has the infrastucture to win if they add a top recruit like CA but also to still do well if they don't get CA. SHU was definitely not in that situation while recruiting KA. He would have been everything & everyone knew it. Good luck Depaul it would be great to get CA, but I think with a little more winning this season, FOX exposure & that new stadium down the road, you guys are primed to kill on the trail for 2015 & beyond.

[Demon22]

FWIW, Jon Davis is from Baltimore.

Another point... one of the aces up DePaul's sleeve is that CA has played with so many kids on DePaul's roster... Garrett, Hamilton, Crockett, Currington, Stimage, and Myke Henry. And he probably at least has heard of Charles McKinney.

I bet you Henry and Alexander have already had a conversation about how a Top-50 Public League recruit got run out of Champaign by Groce and company.