By Nina Mandell
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
Despite earlier statements from his mentor and coaches, Rice High School hoops star Kadeem Jack is now considering going to college and may not be heading to a prep school next year.
"I'm at a crossroads in my decision," Jack told DNAinfo, while admitting that he was a little star struck when University of North Carolina coach Roy Williams and Kentucky's John Calipari recently called him.
Kentucky and UNC began recruiting him in the last couple of days, according to Jack’s advisor, Damian Leslie, and Rice High School coach Mo Hicks. Both men say Jack is now considering alternatives to South Kent Academy.
“People can go to prep schools for years and never get those kind of choices,” Hicks said. “I don’t think he can get any bigger than that.”
Jack hasn’t visited either school, said Leslie, who insists that Jack's camp is still trying to be fair to other schools, such as UConn, Arkansas and Arizona, who tried to recruit Jack earlier.
Leslie said Jack’s late entrance to the hoops scene had contributed to the confusion.
“Schools are just recently coming into the picture,” he said. “We have to consider all of [Jack’s] options.”
North Carolina recently had scholarships open as twin forwards Travis and Davis Wear announced they were transferring away from Chapel Hill. Kentucky is expected to have a large recruiting class as all of its starters are expected to enter the NBA draft.
"I hope a decision is made soon," Jack said. "I think it's really a decision that will just make itself."
