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CARDINALS GET A STUD

By Rob Harrington
robharrington@prepstars.com
October 16, 2003

For all the hype, for all the hubbub that's surrounded the career of Sebastian Telfair, the Thursday press conference to announce his college decision may have been the most mundane exercise yet undertaken in his meteoric rise to national fame.

For weeks -- no, months -- Telfair has appeared closely nestled to Rick Pitino's Louisville program, and the official announcement was devoid of any real suspense. Bassy is a Cardinal.

But while the 6-0 PG may not have generated much drama at Thursday's announcement, he'll more than make up for that on the court.

Beginning in the summer of 2000, back when he was a rising freshman competing against -- and in some cases beating -- the big boys at the adidas ABCD Camp, Telfair's preciousness has taken center stage in the recruiting world.

But as steady as his fame has been nationally, Telfair's game and reputation with hoops diehards actually has fluctuated the past couple years. Perhaps struggling with the pressure to be The Next LeBron, he played out of character at some national events last year, hunting his perimeter jump shot and abandoning the playmaking supremacy that earned him raves as a youngster.

Telfair turned it around to some degree during the spring and summer, regaining his form and performing better against touted rivals such as Darius Washington. But he was missing in action at the adidas Big Time in late July, which may partly explain why he's almost universally ranked a notch or two below near-super IL PG Shaun Livingston.

For the Cardinals, those inconsistencies and the ever-so-slightly diminished buzz around Telfair could turn out to be positives. After all, this is a guy who was -- and still is in some circles -- expected to be the first point guard ever to declare for the NBA directly out of high school.

Assuming Telfair does show up at Louisville, and he does play within the team concept, he'll immediately rank as one of the best point guards in the nation. His quickness, dribbling and passing all are superb, and he's improved his jump shot dramatically and now must be respected from deep.

For Louisville, Telfair's pledge gives them five outstanding commitments, including Sebastian, WF Lorrenzo Wade, BF Brian Johnson, JC WF Donta Smith and BF/C Terrance Farley.