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Here is some of the latest recruiting news on the top prospects in the nation.
 

Did he or didn't he?  Has the top player in the nation committed to play for the USC Trojans in 2007-2008?  Well, what we do know is that OJ Mayo was on the USC campus and that the national powerhouse Trojan's football team was cheering his name.  That can get any high school senior excited.  Then  it gets a little fuzzy. It has long been reported that OJ has been leaning toward the Trojans.  He almost committed once at the Reebok ABCD camp back in June.  When he was on the USC campus reports started circulating he was going to commit while on campus.  This never happened.  I heard he wanted to commit, but it would be against NCAA rules to commit on their campus and have USC set up the press conference.  I still believe OJ will play in the big market of LA, but "Juice" might want to stretch this out a little longer.
 

That is the latest "RUMOR" out of the Derrick Rose recruitment.  Now, I will caution this "RUMOR" by saying that there have been a lot of rumors about Rose's recruitment, but nothing from Reggie Rose.  Reggie Rose is Derrick's older brother who is in charge of Derrick's recruitment.  He has done an excellent job of keeping things low profile.  Now that is down to Memphis and Illinois for the top point guard in the nation, all eyes are focused on Rose and his decision.  I have gone back and forth so many times on this debate.  At the start Illinois, then Memphis, back to Illinois, now back to Memphis.  It is truly 50/50 right now.    I would not believe any "RUMORS" in this recruitment.  It will not be a done deal until Rose signs his National Letter of Intent.
 

While Bruce Weber was on vacation in Hawaii, he got some unexpected news.  ERIC GORDON IS ON THE INDIANA CAMPUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  WHAT????  Now this is WAR!  Gordon who is the #4 player in the nation had committed to Illinois during his junior year.  One problem for Illinois, it is not binding until he signs.  He can not do that until November 8th.  Kelvin Sampson, the new coach at Indiana has put the full court press on Gordon.  Well, maybe not the full court considering Sampson can't leave campus to recruit because of NCAA violations at OU.  It is more of a 3/4 court press.  He hired one of Gordon's dad's former coaches as an assistant for the Hoosiers and they are going after EJ's AAU coach.  Gordon was on the campus with his dad to watch some basketball games.  What does that mean?  I have no idea. He is driving Weber crazy, saying that he is committed to Illinois and then going on the Hoosiers campus.  If he wants to de-commit and then look at the Hoosiers, it is fine, but this is crazy.  At the end of the day Gordon will probably stay true and sign with Illinois, but WOW this is getting really interesting.
 

Patrick Patterson has narrowed his choices down to six schools.  Those schools are Duke, Florida, Kentucky, Virginia, Wake Forest and West Virginia.  He said later that North Carolina could possible get back in.  Kentucky has recruited him the hardest and need him the most.  Patterson is the type of player that would fit great into the Florida system.  I still could see him pick any of these seven schools (including UNC), but Kentucky probably has a slight lead. Duke and Florida have visits set up with Patterson already.  Patterson is expected to be on the Kentucky campus for a visit at the start of basketball season.
 

The term "Punt" in the recruiting world means giving up on a particular years class and then focusing on the next years class.  North Carolina might have landed the greatest recruiting class EVER assembled in 2006.  Wayne Ellington, Brandan Wright, Tywon Lawson were the headliners of this class and the top players at their respective positions in the nation.  The problem is those three, Tyler Hansbrough, and senior Reyshawn Terry might all be 1st Round Picks in the 2007 NBA Draft.  That would leave UNC with a nucleus of Bobby Frasor, Marcus Ginyard, William Graves, Danny Green, Alex Stephenson, Quentin Thomas, and Deon Thompson in 07-08.  Now for any other school this would be a LOADED  TEAM.  Not at UNC.  The Tar Heels only "officially" had one scholarship available for the class of 2007.  They put all of their eggs in one basket, in Kevin Love.  That didn't work out as he went to UCLA.  The backup plans are Patrick Patterson, who seems to not have much interest and Tyrel Reed who is a 4-Star point guard.  To me it does not seem worth it to give the scholarship to Reed, so they might just "Punt" for the Class of 2007.  They are already in on major guys in 2008 like #2 Tyreke Evans, #5 Delvon Roe, #6 Drew Gordon, #7 Samardo Sameuls, #8 Travis Releford, #9 Olu Ashaolu, #14 Howard Thompkins, and #16 Ed Davis.  That would replenish the system!
 

Jerryd Bayless put all of the madness to rest and re-committed to Arizona.  Bayless committed, then de-commitment, then re-commitment to the Wildcats.  I would have sworn that he would go to Texas, but he said that he de-committed because he wanted to make sure on his decision.  He is the #11 player in the nation and the #2 point guard.  Bayless will make the Wildcats a GREAT team, especially if Marcus Williams and Chase Budinger stick around for one more year.