Derrick Favors- Down to Four Schools
by Alex Schwartz
I had the opportunity to speak with Derrick Favors '09 of South Atlanta (GA), one of the best players in America on Thursday night via phone, and the 6'9 center shed some light on his recruitment, his game, and his memories. The last time that I posted Favors' school list, he had said he was down to five schools: Georgia Tech, Georgia, Memphis, North Carolina State, and Florida State. Since that time though, his list has been trimmed to four, with Florida State being knocked off. The superstar big man said that he currently has no favorites, yet was nice enough to give me a sentence or two on each of the lucky four schools still in consideration. Regarding Dennis Felton's Georgia Bulldogs, Derrick said, "I know their team's real good and the school's close to home." Talking about Paul Hewitt's Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, Favors said, "I know the team and the coaching staff [are] real cool, . . . [and it's] right here in Atlanta." When asked about Sidney Lowe's North Carolina State Wolfpack, he replied, "I like the coaching staff and the facilities." Finally, when I inquired of Favors what he had to say about John Calipari's Memphis Tigers, he responded, "I like their team. . . . They win a lot of games." So how long will whatever school gets Favors have the big man around for? "For a year," said Derrick on how long he plans to go to college, adding "I'd think about it," when I inquired if he would go straight to the NBA from high school if it was allowed.
Favors was one of many talented seniors (Latavious Williams, Dominic Cheek, John Wall, Lance Stephenson, Renardo Sidney, Jamil Wilson, Terrence Boyd, etc.) who chose not to ink with a school during the early signing period. Why didn't Favors choose in the fall? "I just wanted to wait [and] . . . weigh my options, so I could make sure I made the right decision." As for the other talented ballers who are waiting, Favors was unsure of why they chose to wait, saying the following: "I don;t know why. . . . They probably [are] just waiting so they can weigh their options too. I don't know why." One player who did make a decision on the last day of the signing period was Xavier Henry '09 of Putnam City (OK). The gifted wing decided on Memphis over Kansas. That led me to ask Favors if Henry's choice to be a Tiger would help lead him there, to which he said, "Not really. . . . I don't know him like that." Favors recently took an official visit to North Carolina State with fellow superstar senior John Wall of Word of God (NC). The duo are both considering the Wolfpack as well as Memphis. "We [are] pretty cool. [We] . . . have a . . . relationship. We [are] pretty cool," said Favors of Wall. What other players considering or committed to school Favors is considering does he have a realtionship with? "I have a good relationship with Mfon [Udofia, a Georgia Tech-signee]. We [are] cool."
Another interesting storyline in Favors' recruitment is the theory that he wants to stay in the Peach State. Is there any truth to that though? "I think [people have] . . . assumed that," said Derrick when I asked him about the fact that it's being written by many that he will likely stay in-state. So, what is he really looking for in a school then? "[How] comfortable I feel about the school, and how comfortable I feel with the coaches and players." Going back to the quotes Favors gave me on each school, he mentioned the coaching staff for two of the schools: Georgia Tech and North Carolina State. Derrick said he has already taken official visits to both of these schools, as well as to Georgia. His official visit to Memphis was canceled because his "mother . . . didn't feel good." Fortunately, "she [is] feeling better now," said the big man. Favors, who lists Kevin Garnett as the player that he would compare his game to as well as his favorite baller, does not know when he visit to Memphis will be re-scheduled for.
Favors, who has been a Lakers fan while growing up along with "just rooting for everybody in college," chuckled when I asked him who he though was the best player in the class of 2009, saying, "I realy don't know. We [have] got a good class." So which classmate would the big man pick as his teammate for a two-on-two game? "Probably Lance [Stephenson of Lincoln in New York]." Many people have compared Derrick to recent Georgia product Dwight Howard and former number one overall NBA Draft pick, now of NBA fame with the Magic. What does Favors think about that, and does he know the ex-Peach State stud? "I don't know Dwight like that. It's real good to be compared to him because it means I'm doing something [well]." Derrick, who said he has "a lot of" memories was unsure of what his favorite one was from his basketball, but he did pick a favorite honor/award: "Probably when we [the Atlanta Celtics] won the [2008] Bob Gibbons Tournament [of Champions] and I was the MVP." Favors may well have a lor more hardwear on the way if he keeps dominating the way he has thus far.
I had the opportunity to speak with Derrick Favors '09 of South Atlanta (GA), one of the best players in America on Thursday night via phone, and the 6'9 center shed some light on his recruitment, his game, and his memories. The last time that I posted Favors' school list, he had said he was down to five schools: Georgia Tech, Georgia, Memphis, North Carolina State, and Florida State. Since that time though, his list has been trimmed to four, with Florida State being knocked off. The superstar big man said that he currently has no favorites, yet was nice enough to give me a sentence or two on each of the lucky four schools still in consideration. Regarding Dennis Felton's Georgia Bulldogs, Derrick said, "I know their team's real good and the school's close to home." Talking about Paul Hewitt's Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, Favors said, "I know the team and the coaching staff [are] real cool, . . . [and it's] right here in Atlanta." When asked about Sidney Lowe's North Carolina State Wolfpack, he replied, "I like the coaching staff and the facilities." Finally, when I inquired of Favors what he had to say about John Calipari's Memphis Tigers, he responded, "I like their team. . . . They win a lot of games." So how long will whatever school gets Favors have the big man around for? "For a year," said Derrick on how long he plans to go to college, adding "I'd think about it," when I inquired if he would go straight to the NBA from high school if it was allowed.
Favors was one of many talented seniors (Latavious Williams, Dominic Cheek, John Wall, Lance Stephenson, Renardo Sidney, Jamil Wilson, Terrence Boyd, etc.) who chose not to ink with a school during the early signing period. Why didn't Favors choose in the fall? "I just wanted to wait [and] . . . weigh my options, so I could make sure I made the right decision." As for the other talented ballers who are waiting, Favors was unsure of why they chose to wait, saying the following: "I don;t know why. . . . They probably [are] just waiting so they can weigh their options too. I don't know why." One player who did make a decision on the last day of the signing period was Xavier Henry '09 of Putnam City (OK). The gifted wing decided on Memphis over Kansas. That led me to ask Favors if Henry's choice to be a Tiger would help lead him there, to which he said, "Not really. . . . I don't know him like that." Favors recently took an official visit to North Carolina State with fellow superstar senior John Wall of Word of God (NC). The duo are both considering the Wolfpack as well as Memphis. "We [are] pretty cool. [We] . . . have a . . . relationship. We [are] pretty cool," said Favors of Wall. What other players considering or committed to school Favors is considering does he have a realtionship with? "I have a good relationship with Mfon [Udofia, a Georgia Tech-signee]. We [are] cool."
Another interesting storyline in Favors' recruitment is the theory that he wants to stay in the Peach State. Is there any truth to that though? "I think [people have] . . . assumed that," said Derrick when I asked him about the fact that it's being written by many that he will likely stay in-state. So, what is he really looking for in a school then? "[How] comfortable I feel about the school, and how comfortable I feel with the coaches and players." Going back to the quotes Favors gave me on each school, he mentioned the coaching staff for two of the schools: Georgia Tech and North Carolina State. Derrick said he has already taken official visits to both of these schools, as well as to Georgia. His official visit to Memphis was canceled because his "mother . . . didn't feel good." Fortunately, "she [is] feeling better now," said the big man. Favors, who lists Kevin Garnett as the player that he would compare his game to as well as his favorite baller, does not know when he visit to Memphis will be re-scheduled for.
Favors, who has been a Lakers fan while growing up along with "just rooting for everybody in college," chuckled when I asked him who he though was the best player in the class of 2009, saying, "I realy don't know. We [have] got a good class." So which classmate would the big man pick as his teammate for a two-on-two game? "Probably Lance [Stephenson of Lincoln in New York]." Many people have compared Derrick to recent Georgia product Dwight Howard and former number one overall NBA Draft pick, now of NBA fame with the Magic. What does Favors think about that, and does he know the ex-Peach State stud? "I don't know Dwight like that. It's real good to be compared to him because it means I'm doing something [well]." Derrick, who said he has "a lot of" memories was unsure of what his favorite one was from his basketball, but he did pick a favorite honor/award: "Probably when we [the Atlanta Celtics] won the [2008] Bob Gibbons Tournament [of Champions] and I was the MVP." Favors may well have a lor more hardwear on the way if he keeps dominating the way he has thus far.
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