DeAndre Daniels, one of the last available players in the Class of 2011, ended a bizarre and circuitous recruitment on Tuesday when he announced on the IMG Basketball Academy's website that he will attend a school he'd hardly mentioned the past two years.
He's going to Connecticut.
The 6-foot-8 forward has the talent to make an immediate impact for the defending national champs, but the manner in which the five-star prospect handled his recruitment raises questions about whether the Huskies are taking a risk on him. Let's look back at the timeline of Daniels' recruitment beginning with his initial commitment to Texas nearly two years ago:
? July 2, 2009: Calling Texas his "number one school since day one," Daniels commits to the Longhorns. Kentucky and Wake Forest were among the other schools who had offered scholarships.
? August 17, 2010: After months of chatter in recruiting circles that Daniels' commitment to Texas was shaky, Daniels finally reopens his recruitment. Speculation suggests he's interested in Kentucky and he may attempt to enroll in college for the 2010-11 season.
? August 24, 2010: Daniels refutes the idea that he will reclassify as a Class of 2010 recruit, but also decides not to return to Taft High in Los Angeles since he will not be eligible to play a fifth year there. Instead, he opts to transfer across the country to IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla.
? Dec. 4, 2010: An official visit to Kansas solidifies the Jayhawks as one of the contenders to land Daniels, but who else he's interested in remains very unclear. Florida, UCLA, Texas, Oregon and Kentucky are the schools mentioned most besides the Jayhawks.
? Dec. 14, 2010: Daniels says he will enroll at the college of his choice after fall semester but he may redshirt the remainder of the season, odd for a prospect attempting to reach the NBA as quickly as possible. It all becomes moot within days when Daniels changes his mind and decides to wait until fall 2011 as originally planned.
? Jan 24, 2011: A clear sign that Daniels is likely Kansas-bound comes in the form of a press release from the Jayhawks announcing they have added the five-star forward's IMG teammate Christian Garrett as a walk-on. Even recruited walk-ons rarely warrant a press release when they join a team.
? April 7, 2011: Out of nowhere Duke emerges as a potential destination for Daniels after seldom being mentioned in prior months. Speculation intensifies when Kyrie Irving is quoted as saying, "Next year's team would be really special if I were to return. I think we have five recruits coming in with the addition of DeAndre Daniels."
? May 4, 2011: Daniels reveals his final three schools are Kansas, Duke and Texas. He vows to make his decision by May 18, the final day of the spring signing period.
? May 18, 2011: The final day of the spring signing period comes and goes without a decision from Daniels. Even those closest to him appear confused by the status of his recruitment.
? June 7, 2011: With zero advance warning, Daniels commits to ... drum roll please ... Connecticut, a school that had seldom been mentioned in association with him in recent months. Let's hope he enjoys it enough that he doesn't transfer. Nobody wants to endure this process a second time.
Kate Bosworth Tamala Jones Yamila Diaz Alicia Keys Tyra Banks
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