Asprilla Attracting Attention

May 11, 2009 | By: Tropics Staff

 

ASPRILLA ON THE MOVE

Brian Gates
GoPowercat.com Recruiting Editor

Always looking for ways to add more talent to his roster, Kansas State coach Frank Martin keeps one eye on the recruiting trail while also looking for possible additions via the transfer route. Denis Clemente and Curtis Kelly have found their way to the Little Apple by leaving one school for K-State. Could there be a third player ready to switch colleges and make his way to Manhattan, Kan.?

"Freddy Asprilla is a wanted man," Art Alvarez, the coach of the Miami Tropics AAU team said. "He has pulled out of Florida International and we are going to explore all options and Kansas State will be one of them when the time comes. He has not received his waiver yet. We will probably have that taken care of within two weeks."

Asprilla, the 2009 Sun Belt Conference Rookie of the Year, averaged 17.3 points and 11.4 rebounds per game in his freshman season. The dismissal of FIU coach Sergio Rouco following the season played a part in the Colombia native's decision to look for a new college home.

"Freddy is looking around in part because Coach Rouco got fired. This has nothing to do with Isiah Thomas being hired. Freddy wants to move on since the coach that recruited him is no longer the coach of the program."

Alvarez believes Asprilla will make a nice addition to whatever program he lands with.

"Freddy is a 6-foot-11, 270-pound NBA prospect," Alvarez said. "He was an all-conference performer this year and was very impressive in doing it. He won't play four years in college before he moves on to the NBA. When Freddy played with O.J. Mayo for our Tropics' team, O.J. told me he was the best big guy he had played with and he was going to be a great one. He just dominates in the paint and he will just continue to get better."

Asprilla, a 2007 recruit and a Miami signee that year, signed with FIU as part of the 2008 recruiting class after playing a year of prep school basketball at The Patterson School in Lenoir, N.C. The Patterson School also produced current Wildcats Dominique Sutton and Jamar Samuels.

Going through the recruiting process again is waiting on the release from FIU, but Alvarez has a plan in mind for Asprilla when the time arrives.

"We will contact a number of schools, make a list, and go from there," Alvarez said. "It's just like his recruitment the first time around. Everybody wanted him then, and I am sure they will again, especially with what he has accomplished already."

Should Asprilla choose K-State, he would join Clemente and Luis Colon as former members of the Miami Tropics on the AAU circuit.

 

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