SANTA MONICA, Ca. – The University of Arizona Wildcats basketball program picked up another elite commitment from the Class of 2017 when 6-foot-8 forward Ira Lee revealed that he would be signing a national letter of intent with the Wildcats next month.
“It was a place I felt I could go, get immediate playing time and develop,” he said in a telephone interview Thursday morning. “And it’s also a program that is a national championship contender.”
Lee enrolled at the Crossroads School late in the summer. It’s the alma mater of former UCLA and NBA guard Baron Davis.
But Lee may not play during what would be his senior season.
He underwent surgery after suffering a torn labrum in his right shoulder while playing for the Earl Watson team during the Fab 48 at Bishop Gorman High in Las Vegas in late July.
Lee, who missed all of what would have been his sophomore season at Chatsworth (CA) Sierra Canyon after suffering a comparable (but, he said, more severe) injury to his left shoulder, said his right shoulder is scheduled to be re-examined on Friday morning.
“The (rehabilitation) has gone well,” Lee added. “I’ve been shooting and dribbling with the arm.
“If everything works out the way I hope (in the rehab process), I could be possibly be playing (for Crossroads) in December.”
But, if not . . .
“If it’s not at 100 percent,” he said, “then I won’t play this season. I love high school basketball and would love to play (as a senior). But I have long-term goals (in basketball) and I want to make sure all of these injuries are behind me.”
If the “not play as a senior” approach is opted for by Lee, then don’t be surprised if he finishes his high school graduation (and NCAA initial eligibility) requirement after one semester at Crossroads and is in Tucson and enrolled as a freshman as at the University of Arizona for the second semester.
“That is an option,” he said.
In that scenario he would continue his rehabilitation and eventually beginning working out with the Wildcats. But he wouldn’t make his in-game debut for Sean Miller’s program until the start of the 2017-18 season.
Lee, who played for Prolific Prep Academy in Napa Valley (CA) last season after leaving Sierra Canyon early last January, has proven himself one of the very best forwards in the national Class of 2017, on both the high school, travel ball (Oakland Soldiers in Nike/EYBL; and Earl Watson Elite on the Under Armour trail), and camp (playing at the Pangos All-America and NBPA Top 100 camps in both 2015 and ’16).
If there is one player, at his size and skill level, that he most reminds me of at a comparable stage of careers it is Derrick Williams (now with the Miami Heat), the Pac 12 Player of the Year for Miller’s Wildcats during the 2009-10 season.
The University of Oregon and California (Berkeley) were his other two college choice finalists.
“This really was the hardest decision I’ve had to make,” he said. “Each of the three schools has a great program and I have good relationships with all of the coaches. But I could only pick one.”
And t the Wildcats and Miller had a head start of sorts in the race to land Lee.
“They’ve followed me for a long time,” Lee said. “And they were the first ‘big-time’ program to offer me a scholarship.”
Lee is the fourth player from the current senior class to commit to the Wildcats, joining 6-10 DeAndre Ayton (Phoenix Hillcrest Academy), 6-1 Alex Barcello (Tempe, AZ, Corona Del Sol) and 6-5 Brandon Randolph (Westtown, PA, Westtown).
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