Greedy could leave Rebels

Steve Carp

Thursday, April 8, 1999 | 11:14 a.m.

By the end of today, it should be clear whether Greedy Daniels is still a member of the UNLV basketball program or if he will be moving on.

The sophomore guard from New Orleans plans to meet with coach Bill Bayno today to discuss his future with the team. The two were supposed to meet Wednesday, but it never happened. There has been speculation for months over what he would do, though Daniels had indicated as late as a couple of weeks ago that his intention was to remain at UNLV.

"We're going to sit down and talk," Bayno said. "I want what's best for Greedy and what's best for the program."

In two years with the Rebels, Daniels has shown flashes of his natural talent. But his game has been erratic and he and Bayno haven't always seen eye to eye off the court.

Bayno wouldn't say what he expects to happen. But word is it was looking like Daniels would join Desmond Herod and move on. Bayno said that Daniels has not yet asked to be released from his scholarship.

Herod was freed from his scholarship a few weeks ago and will attend Seton Hall. The freshman from Brooklyn, N.Y., will sit out next season and have three years remaining at the South Orange, N.J., school, which competes in the Big East Conference.

A call to Pirates coach Tommy Amaker Wednesday was not returned. Herod, who will finish out the spring semester at UNLV before heading back East, was due back in town late Wednesday night and could not be reached for comment.

And while Daniels' situation could be resolved today, his probable replacement, Trevor Diggs, signed his national letter of intent Wednesday. The 6-foot-3 guard from Kilgore (Texas) College had committed verbally to the Rebels a few weeks ago and made it official, joining 6-8 forward Dalron Johnson of Verbum Dei High in Los Angeles as the second member of the 1999 recruiting class.

Also on the recruiting front was news that Jason Kapono, the highly touted forward from Artesia High in Lakewood, Calif., is still considering UNLV. Kapono spoke to Bayno Tuesday night and informed him that the Rebels were on his short list, along with Missouri and Arizona.

Kapono is supposedly not scared by the NCAA's investigation into the program and he is not paying attention to the rumors. He is aware that Herod has left the team and that Daniels may also be gone. He's also aware that Diggs signed and two Southern California JC players -- Lou Kelly and Danny Walker -- are seriously considering UNLV.

Kapono did not give Bayno a timetable for when he will make his decision. Obviously, with Quin Snyder just being hired at Missouri, Kapono will want to talk to him before he finalizes his plans. And Arizona is making a strong late push to get Kapono to come to Tucson.