Bishop Gorman freshman gets UNLV scholarship offer

By Brett Okamoto

Friday, Feb. 20, 2009 | 2:10 a.m.

UNLV coach Lon Kruger has extended hundreds of scholarship offers throughout his 23 seasons running collegiate basketball programs, but few have been aimed at high school freshmen.

About 18 years ago, one of those rare offers went to Vince Carter, then a rookie at Daytona Beach (Fla.) Mainland High when Kruger coached the Florida Gators.

Carter went to North Carolina and is in his 11th season in the NBA.

That’s a select group, of less than half a dozen first-year high schoolers to receive offers from Kruger, that now includes 16-year-old Bishop Gorman freshman Shabazz Muhammad.

Kruger and his staff are not alone.

Dozens of schools, including Kansas, Kentucky, Arizona State and Southern California, have lavished attention on the 6-foot-3, 180-pound Muhammad. San Diego State coach Steve Fisher has offered him a full ride.

"Pretty much every school that's seen him this year has talked about offering him a scholarship," said Bishop Gorman coach Grant Rice. "He's a special kid, a special freshman."

Muhammad averages 13.5 points and six rebounds, and shoots a team-best 87 percent at the free-throw line for the Gaels, who play Palo Verde for the Sunset Regional title tonight.

In accordance with NCAA rules, college coaches are prohibited to talk directly to Muhammad until his junior year of high school.

Despite that restriction, Division-I recruiters haven't stopped tracking Muhammad's progress and contacting his father, Ron Holmes, and Rice.

"I'm very involved with it,” Rice said. “I'm in constant contact with Ron, just letting them know when schools call or e-mail. Coaches aren't allowed to speak with him yet because he's a freshman, but I relay the message.

“He's handled it very well and by no means is he in a hurry to make a decision. He wants to enjoy the rest of his high school years."

The Rebels’ brass has dedicated itself to the recruiting war over the talented youngster.

UNLV assistant coach Steve Henson attended Muhammad's preseason practices. Mike Shepherd, the Rebels’ director of basketball operations, watched Muhammad play against Findlay Prep last week.

Of course, UNLV is heavily involved with Findlay senior Victor Rudd, and another Findlay underclassman or two. So Kruger and/or one of his lieutenants always attend Pilots games.

Senior guard Wink Adams was spotted at a Jan. 26 Gorman home game against Durango, in which Muhammad led everyone with 29 points.

Earlier this season, Muhammad was invited into the Rebels’ locker room after a game at the Thomas & Mack Center. He said Kruger remains in frequent contact with his father.

“He was so excited,” Holmes said of Shabazz when he left the locker room. “He liked the guys. They all introduced themselves to him. He’s just a scrub, scared freshman from high school.”

UNLV’s efforts aren't in vain. After a recent playoff win over Centennial, Muhammad admitted that he's always envisioned himself wearing a scarlet-and-gray UNLV uniform.

"I'll need to sit down with my parents to see what options are out there, but I know that UNLV will be there ’til the very end," Muhammad said. "I love their team and coach Kruger is a very nice guy.

“I've been going to their games forever and this year I got to meet the guys in the locker room … they just told me to keep playing hard and hopefully, some day, you'll be a Rebel."

Muhammad’s family is accustomed to the spotlight.

Ron played basketball at USC in the early 1980s. Shabazz's mother, Faye, was an All-American in hoops and track at Long Beach State. His older sister, Asia, was 17 when she turned down USC’s tennis team for the professional circuit.

Holmes toughened his daughter, yelling at her at times. He has softened his approach with Shabazz.

“With Shabazz, I really try to talk to him,” Holmes said. “I try not to get too excited with the highs and lows he goes through. I just try to help him through it.

“On car rides home, where I used to yell, I wait and he’ll eventually come to me to talk about certain things.”

The talented and versatile freshman will dunk over any foe, but he never plays to the crowd. He’s too busy rushing back on defense.

“We preach that at home,” Holmes said. “We always teach him that the team comes first. You can always do better than what you’re doing.”

No matter what happens, Muhammad said receiving an unusually early offer from his favorite program is special in itself.

"It's been a great feeling because I've been following UNLV and going to their games for years," Muhammad said. "It puts a lot of pressure on me but it's also very exciting. This freshman year has been a little nerve-racking, knowing that I was going to be playing a lot of minutes.

“I just have to go out and work hard, practice hard every day."

Sun reporter Rob Miech contributed to this story.