Tuesday, Sept. 30, 1997 | 10:55 a.m.
Given the negative publicity his basketball program received this summer, UNLV coach Bill Bayno was expecting the worst when it came to recruiting his 1998 class.
But instead of having the door slammed in his face, the welcome mat remains out for the Rebels' coaching staff. UNLV still is in the hunt for some of the nation's top players.
"I'm surprised," Bayno said Monday after spending the past couple of weeks on the road. "I thought the negative publicity would hurt us and make the negative image people try to portray of Las Vegas more of a factor than it usually is.
"But we're in pretty good shape with a lot of good kids. No one has closed the door on us."
Bayno said he and his staff always wage an uphill recruiting battle because of the national perception of Las Vegas. But the Sports Illustrated story on Lamar Odom and assistant coach Greg Vetrone (they were implicated in an alleged entrance exam scheme) along with the suspensions of Keon Clark and Kevin Simmons (for 11 and 14 games, respectively, for violating NCAA rules) had the potential to destroy UNLV's recruiting efforts.
"Anytime they see something like the Lamar article in Sports Illustrated, they assume the worst, that there's a problem," Bayno said of the parents of potential UNLV recruits.
"But Lamar's problems were his own problems and once I have an opportunity to explain what really happened and that what happened to Keon and Kevin was unfair, they understand."
Bayno said selling the parents on Las Vegas usually is tough.
"The kids aren't the tough part. They see Las Vegas differently than the parents do. They see it as a great place to go to school, play ball and have fun.
"The parent is still the tough sell. They worry about the Strip and the old Las Vegas image. Once they see for themselves what the city has to offer, that changes."
Bayno said he hasn't changed his approach to how he recruits because of the negative stories.
"We still sell the school, the city and the chance to be part of a great program," he said. "I'm not more defensive. I just have to be prepared when and if the subject comes up."
And he knows other schools will take their best shots at UNLV.
"We'll deal with it forever," he said of the bad-mouthing UNLV takes at the expense of rival coaches. "It's the same as always. It's just that they have a little more ammunition than usual."
But it doesn't appear to be stopping Bayno's efforts. He already has a verbal commitment from Desmond Herod, a 6-foot-4 shooting guard from Brooklyn, N.Y., who is considered one of the top players in New York City and a top-50 player nationally.
Several other prep stars are seriously looking at UNLV. They include Kevin Lyde, a 6-9 center from Oak Hill Academy; Lance Williams, a 6-9 power forward from Chicago; Keith Bean, a 6-8 forward from Maine Central Institute; and Matt Seibrandt, a 6-8 forward from Galena in Northern Nevada.
UNLV also is in the hunt for Shawn Marion, a 6-6 small forward from Vincennes (Ind.) University; 6-7 small forward JaRon Rush of Kansas City and 6-8 power forward Korleone Young of Wichita, Kan. And if things get real serious in the coming weeks when official recruiting visits begin, Bayno may look to get early commitments when the signing period begins in mid-November.
"We may sign five people early," he said. "I think if we have people interested, we have to take a serious look at getting them now."
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