by Alex Schwartz

Some people think early commitments have become a major problem in high school basketball, as the players are picking schools before they are truly ready. Those that feel that way could cite Trae Golden '10 as an example. According to Rivals, the McEachern (GA) star committed to Ohio State on October 21, 2007, early in his sophomore year. Just over a month ago Golden de-committed from Ohio State, only around nine months after making his decision. The 6'2 point guard was kind enough to talk to me about the situation after the Boost Mobile Elite 24 Classic at Rucker Park in Harlem, New York, and shed some light on what has been happening with his recruitment.

NB: What went into your decision to de-commit from Ohio State?
TG: I just felt like I had rushed into the college decision and that I wasn’t ready to make my college decision so early in my high school career.

NB: What colleges are you considering right now?
TG: Texas, Florida, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Wake Forest, Tennessee, Louisville, Kentucky, and UCLA.

NB: Have you ruled out Ohio State as a possibility?
TG: No, I haven’t, but they really haven’t kept in contact with me so . . . I don’t know how that goes.

NB: If you handicap it and say who your favorites are right now, who would they be?
TG: I don’t even know. I really don’t even have any. I like everybody at this point, everybody’s just pretty much [at] the same [level].

NB: What do you see as the strongest and the weakest point of your game?
TG: The strongest point [of my game] is my ability to get by people and get to the goal. My weakest [point] is . . . [that] I’m not quick on my feet. . . . I’m not mobile defensively or offensively in my perspective [of] my game.

NB: What’s been your favorite part of the Elite 24 Classic as a whole?
TG: Just hanging out, hanging out with my boys. This is . . . fun, playing at Rucker Park, everybody standing every time you touch the ball, hanging out with people [from] around the country that you see all summer, and this is more of a relaxed setting, they don’t work you to death, so it’s just . . . real calm.

NB: Who do you think is the best player in your class?
TG: [Pause] Man, who [do] I think is the best? I’d probably say—besides myself—[Laughs] I’d say I like Brandon Knight. [We] . . . are real close.

NB: Who would you compare your game to?
TG: BD, Baron Davis.

Trae Golden is just one example of the topic of early commitments that I also addressed in my article on Aaron Ross. One of the Buckeyes' current class of 2010 commitments, DeShaun Thomas, seems to de-commit and re-commit with relative regularity. I addressed both Thomas and Golden's situations in my talk with Jared Sullinger, and he shed some light on the topic as well. Regardless of what you think about early commitments, it's clear that Golden is in a difficult situation now. He seems to be dealing with it well, and is continuing to be a highly regarded baller with interest from numerous high-major programs. Trae will be one to watch throughout the rest of his high school career.

Note- photo is from http://scouthoops.scout.com/.