by Alex Schwartz

Kenny Boynton '09 of American Heritage (FL) has been one of the most talked about players over the summer. Boynton and Brandon Knight '10 of Pine Crest (FL) made up arguably the nation's premier AAU backcourt with Team Breakdown (FL). The Floridian superstar cut down his college list just before the Boost Mobile Elite 24 Classic, an all-star game that he was selected to for the second time this year. I had the chance to talk with Kenny after his team won the game at Rucker Park in Harlem, New York and discuss his recruiting and his game.

NB: Could you just clear the air on what your final schools are?
KB: My final schools [are] Memphis, Texas, Florida, Georgia Tech, [and] Duke.

NB: [Which] would you say are your top three right now?
KB: I just, I can’t—all of them [are] in the same [standing] right now, so I don’t really know.

NB: [With] [Duke Head] “Coach K” [Mike Krzyzewski having] been in China, has that affected your recruitment with Duke any way, not being able to talk to them as much?
KB: No, he let me know . . . before the fact, so I respected that, but if he didn’t tell me and he just left it probably would have hurt him. . . . He still called actually.

NB: [With] Florida being an in-state school, does that give [it] any type of advantage or disadvantage?
KB: It does have a little advantage because I would like to . . . have my family at the games easily. They [can] drive up [because it’s] right there, but I’m not sure yet.

NB: With Memphis having just made the National Championship [and] putting out Derrick Rose [as the top pick in the NBA Draft,] do you see that as something positive in that they’re such an established program or do you want to go to a place where you can help bring the program up? What do you think about that Memphis-wise?
KB: It opened my eyes more. It showed everybody, I think it showed everybody, that Memphis is a run and gun [team], who they play [is] just fun, so it opened my eyes.

NB: Georgia Tech [has] struggled recently. . . . Do you see that as [in] some ways a positive way in that you can help bring the program back to prominence or maybe a negative thing in that . . . they’ve not been as . . . good lately?
KB: That’s a positive, that’s a positive. I would like to help any program that I can in any way. So, we’ll see.

NB: With Texas, they’re [recruiting and producing] a lot of top-notch players. What do you have to say about that school?
KB: I’m just going to see who signs and commits there. That’s probably going to determine my . . . situation with Texas.

NB: What are some of [the] key factors going to be in your decision?
KB: I just want to have a good relationship with the coach, how much the coach—how much I feel that he’s interested in me, and I just want to have a major impact my freshman year.

NB: Which coaches would you say you have the best relationship with right now?
KB: I’m going to say . . . CY, [Assistant] Coach Charlton Young from Georgia Tech, [Head] Coach Billy Donovan [from Florida], and [Assistant] Coach [Russell] Springmann from Texas.

NB: So, that left Duke and Memphis out of the list. Does that [make] them maybe a little bit lower down?
KB: No, Duke actually comes at me the hardest when they [are] here, but I just feel like I have a better relationship with those coaches, but they definitely come at me the hardest.

NB: Who do you see as the best player in the class of 2009?
KB: I think myself. I think Lance Stephenson [is] definitely a top player, [and] John Wall [too]. I think we have a lot [of good players]. Anybody can be number one.

NB: There’s been some talk about your [position]. Are you an undersized two [guard or] a shoot-first point guard? What do you see yourself as?
KB: I’m a scoring guard, but I’m not a . . . [ball] hog or anything. If you [are] in front of me, I’ll pass [you] the ball. I feel like I just make my team better.

NB: Who would you compare your game to?
KB: Ben Gordon.

I got the vibe from talking to Boynton that he may be leaning towards Florida, but he did not say anything extremely distinct to indicate that. My gut told me that Kenny could be favoring the Gators, as he said that they do have some advantage as an in-state school and because Billy Donovan was the lone head coach that he listed of the three that had the best relation ship with. As well, it's been said for quite some time that Boynton, a 6'3 combo guard, would likely end up at either Florida or Duke, and the Blue Devils did not have a coach on his list. Again, this is just my instinct, but it seems that signs may be pointing towards Kenny Boynton remaining in the Sunshine State and playing for Billy Donovan and the Florida Gators.

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