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Red tape could keep two of the Lobos' brightest prospects from playing this season.

University of New Mexico men's basketball coach Steve Alford said he still isn't sure whether hotshot recruits Darrington Hobson and Kem Nweke will be eligible to play this season.

Nweke was on campus Monday for the first day of the fall semester at UNM, but Hobson is not enrolled at the school.

Hobson is a 6-foot-7, 180-pound small forward from Illinois, who arguably is the most talented player Alford snagged during his quick hunt for athletes.

"We're still waiting on Darrington's paperwork get approved by the NCAA Clearinghouse," Alford said. "Right now, he's not on our official roster, and he isn't with us."

Nweke's grades may keep him on the sidelines this season.

"He might end up redshirting this season, but we're not sure about that yet," Alford said. "If he can play, we'll definitely be using him. But it's out of our hands right now. We're waiting to hear from compliance whether he can play."

Nweke is a 6-foot-10, 310-pound center whose sheer size already is making Lobo coaches and fans swoon. He originally signed with South Alabama but managed to get out of his letter of intent when he wasn't happy at the school.

"That was just an unbelievable late find for us," Alford said. "We really needed size, and he's definitely got it. . . . He decided to leave South Alabama and called us first. He's from the Houston area, and I think we're doing very well in Houston right now."

The Lobos are raking in Houston-area prospects thanks, in part, to the hiring of Chris Walker. Walker coached the T-Mac All-Stars in Houston before Alford hired him to be the final assistant coach on his staff.

Despite the hurdles, Alford said he is happy with the players he added to bolster the Lobos' roster for the 2007-08 season.

"I love the guys we were able to pick up in such a short period of time," he said. "It's great to be able to fill so many needs so quickly. I hope Darrington and Kem get a chance to play here right away, but we'll still be in good shape without them."