AAU championships tip off Wednesday at KFEC
If you like to watch basketball, you'll get the opportunity many times over at the Kentucky Exposition Center this week.
The facility will for the first time host the boys' AAU National Championships and Super Showcases — massive tournaments for some of the best travel teams in the country — Wednesday through Monday.
New University of Louisville commitment Raymond Spalding and University of Kentucky commitment Charles Matthews are expected to be among the 3,000 players — on 294 teams — participating in the tournaments. And more than 800 college coaches, including some of the most famous ones in the country, will be there to watch them during the NCAA's third and final live evaluation period of the month.
"If you like basketball, all the college coaches are here," said AAU President Henry Forrest. "And if you like summer basketball, you're going to see the top players in the country here and the coaches recruiting them, and it's all under one roof."
The wall-to-wall layout, which spans the North Wing and East Hall of the Expo Center and was largely arranged by longtime tournament organizer Eddie Ford, is something to behold: 18 courts with sets of bleachers at each and plenty of room to roam in between. Countless rows of round fluorescent ceiling lights beam down on and reflect off the courts and concrete walkways.
"This is probably the best set up I've ever seen," said Leighton McCrary, who coaches the Arkansas Wings club that will play in the 10th-grade Nationals. "This is top of the line. You don't have to do anything but step inside, and you see everything, every court all right here. This is perfect."
It wouldn't be a surprise if U of L's Rick Pitino, UK's John Calipari, Indiana University's Tom Crean and their assistants attend at some point. Those coaches figure to have the most interest in the 11th-grade Super Showcase, which begins Thursday morning.
It will be the first chance for U of L fans to watch Spalding, who plays for The Ville club, since he committed to the Cardinals on Sunday. Matthews, a guard from Chicago, is on the pre-tournament roster of the Meanstreets program.
UK and U of L target Antonio Blakeney, a five-star guard from Orlando, is expected to play with his Each1Teach1 club, and five-star Class of 2016 center Udoka Azubuike, who has a UK offer, will be playing with Nike Team Florida.
The Super Showcase will also bring together most of the top clubs in the state.
In addition to The Ville, the Kentucky Travelers, (Vanderbilt commitment Camron Justice of Knott County Central; West Virginia commit James Bolden of Holmes), the Louisville Magic, Hoop Dreams (Aric Holman of Owensboro, Eli Wright, 2016, Apollo) and the Kentucky Retros are in the field.
Nine Kentucky clubs are playing in the 11th-grade AAU Nationals field, including Hoop Dreams, Next Level, Kentucky Retros and the Louisville Prospects.
"We always enjoyed going to Orlando, but Louisville is going to be able to see a lot of high-class, rising stars," said The Ville coach David Levitch, whose program is playing its final tournament. "Louisville should really come out and support this tournament. It's an honor for the city to have. It's a good feeling to know you're going to finish your last AAU season in your hometown."
Louisville Sports Commission Executive Director Karl Schmitt said his organization and the Greater Louisville Convention and Visitors Bureau worked for about five years to make the city an attractive option for the AAU Nationals, which moved from Orlando, Fla.
The event will bring about $3 million of revenue to the city through hotel stays, dining and other tourism, according to the sports commission. The AAU and Expo Center can opt out of their three-year contract next month, but at this time, Forrest is satisfied with the event being in Louisville.
"This is basketball country, and it doesn't matter what time of year it is, if you can provide people with good quality basketball, they'll respond to it," Schmitt said.
Other recruiting events
Several top players who would otherwise be playing in Louisville with their club teams are instead taking part in a USA Basketball tryout camp in Colorado Springs. The same is true for E1T1 forward/LSU commitment Ben Simmons, the No. 1 player in 2015 who is back in his native Australia and working with his national team.
There will be 33 players at the U.S. camp that will determine the 12-man squad for the U17 World Championships. The event will be open to college coaches at least one day, and the tryout roster is loaded with players with local recruiting ties.
They include UK targets Malik Newman, Henry Ellenson, Diamond Stone, Ivan Rabb and Caleb Swanigan (also IU), who just got an offer this week, from the 2015 class and Derryck Thornton (also U of L), Tyus Battle (also U of L), Jayson Tatum (also IU), Harry Giles and Malik Monk (also IU) from 2016. Other U of L targets are Bryant Crawford (2015) and T.J. Leaf (2016, also IU). Taylor County's Quentin Goodin, who has an IU offer and interest from U of L and UK, is the only Kentuckian competing.
Events in Las Vegas are also sure to attract massive attention from recruiters.
U of L commitment Deng Adel will be playing with this Adidas-sponsored Florida Elite club at the Adidas Super 64. UK and U of L target Carlton Bragg, UK target Jaylen Brown and UK and U of L target Brandon Ingram will be there, too.
Steve Jones can be reached at (502) 582-7176 and followed on Twitter at @SteveJones_CJ.