catmandoo
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Member # 1284
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posted 09-17-2014 10:30 AM
It's tough being a star athlete now of days with all the big companies getting involved in everything. It's different world than it was even 10 years ago.
On Monday night, five-star guard Antonio Blakeney sent shockwaves through college basketball when he rescinded his commitment to the University of Louisville.
His original pledge had come just 11 days earlier, and it was curious to see such a sudden switch. Jerry Meyer, a national recruiting analyst for 247Sports, insists that Blakeney's reversal had more to do with outside pressures than a change of heart. Specifically, Blakeney plays for a successful AAU team that is sponsored by Nike. UofL has a lucrative deal with Adidas. And Meyer believes those worlds were colliding.
It's not like the CEO of Nike came to Antonio Blakeney and said, 'You have to decommit,'" Meyer said. "It's not like Antonio Blakeney decided all of a sudden that he'd rather wear a different shoe than Adidas. That's a juvenile way of looking at it. It's not that cut and dry."
Meyer said it is more a matter of loyalty, as those close to Blakeney reminded him how Nike had helped him reach this point. He said Blakeney's camp seemed frustrated that he selected UofL without giving others a chance.
Blakeney's high school coach said shoe affiliation had nothing to do with this decision, and Blakeney told ESPN he simply wanted to consider other universities. He plans to visit Missouri, Oregon, LSU and Kentucky—all Nike schools.
If Blakeney goes to UofL, he could risk being shut out of prestigious, Nike-run high school all-star events that are swarming with pro scouts, like the Jordan Brand Classic. And basketball players generally don't make a habit of dismissing the swoosh.
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