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UNM Men's Basketball: Lobos recruiters target Memphis players
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Don't be surprised if Memphis becomes the University of New Mexico's next recruiting hotbed for men's basketball.
NBA player Mike Miller, brother of UNM assistant coach Ryan Miller, has a Memphis-based Amateur Athletic Union team, the M33M Ballers.
The Lobos hosted - and offered scholarships to - seven M33M players who attended last weekend's Lobo Elite Camp, including many highly ranked players.
The list includes:
Forward Laurence Bowers, a 6-foot-7 senior ranked as a top-150 player in the class of 2008.
Point guard Terrance Joyner, a 6-2 senior also ranked in the top-150.
Forward Sampson Carter, a 6-7 wing player.
Center Colton Iverson, a 6-10 senior post player from South Dakota, a former member of M33M.
Forward Christian Watford, a 6-8 junior ranked among the top 30 in the class of 2009.
Two players from the 2010 class - sophomore guards Tim Peete and Mardracus Wade.
M33M wasn't the only out-of-state team that attended Alford's Elite Camp at the Rudy Davalos Practice Facility. The T-Mac (Tracy McGrady) All-Stars out of Houston brought four top-100 players to camp, three of which were offered scholarships - 6-10 Anthony Jones, 6-9 Will Jones and 6-5 Phil McDonald.
But those from Memphis have seen their area's college team, John Calipari's Memphis Tigers, rise from middle-of-the-road scrappers to top-25 power in the past five years.
M33M General Manager Ernie Kuyper said the seven players can envision a similar trend at New Mexico.
"They love (New Mexico). They absolutely love it," Kuyper said. "With the fan base New Mexico has, and it's the only show in town, with the right players, becoming a power (like Memphis) could be done," Kuyper said. "I think these players see that."
Two factors that excited the Memphis gang were the facilities - mainly The Pit and the practice facility - and a coaching staff with NBA experience, Kuyper said.
Miller has the NBA bloodline through his brother, head coach Steve Alford played in the NBA for four years, and associate coach Craig Neal was a former Toronto Raptors scout.
UNM's pedigree could help sway these high-caliber players away from schools from the SEC, ACC and Big East programs.
"Of course it's going to be hard, but New Mexico has some of the best facilities in the country," Kuyper said. "That really excites them."
