ACE
04-11-2009, 11:15 AM
While Sean Miller visited Houston on Friday to attend to his most pressing recruiting issue — meeting the parents of point guard Nic Wise — the new Arizona Wildcats coach added critical help for the more usual recruiting.
Miller brought over two of his former Xavier assistants, Emanuel "Book" Richardson and James Whitford, just five days before the start of the spring
signing period.[coverattach=1]
Whitford has been recruiting Kyryl Natyazhko, a Top 75 center from Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy who may decide soon between UA, ASU and Pittsburgh, while Richardson is a well-regarded recruiter who is plugged into the New York City area.
Miller was not available for comment Friday but said in a UA statement that he was adding two "outstanding coaches" to his new staff. A third and final assistant will be determined after Xavier decides whether or not to promote former Miller assistant Chris Mack, since Miller has said he will hire Mack if Xavier does not make him head coach.
"Obviously, we've had a great deal of success together," Miller said of Whitford and Richardson, "and I look forward to continuing that here at Arizona."
Even though Richardson's roots are all over New York City, he is familiar with McKale Center. Richardson was coaching the legendary New York Gauchos traveling team when it beat Brandon Jennings' Belmont Shore team in the finals of the 2007 Arizona Cactus Classic elite prep tournament at McKale.
"This is a great place to be," Richardson told the Star after the 2007 final.
"Great tradition, great history. I tell my guards, 'If you're good enough, well, look up in the rafters' — they got (banners for) Salim Stoudamire, Damon Stoudamire, Mike Bibby, Jason Terry, Miles Simon, Khalid Reeves, who's from New York, and Steve Kerr. So when you talk about guards, well, this is Guard U.
Miller brought over two of his former Xavier assistants, Emanuel "Book" Richardson and James Whitford, just five days before the start of the spring
signing period.[coverattach=1]
Whitford has been recruiting Kyryl Natyazhko, a Top 75 center from Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy who may decide soon between UA, ASU and Pittsburgh, while Richardson is a well-regarded recruiter who is plugged into the New York City area.
Miller was not available for comment Friday but said in a UA statement that he was adding two "outstanding coaches" to his new staff. A third and final assistant will be determined after Xavier decides whether or not to promote former Miller assistant Chris Mack, since Miller has said he will hire Mack if Xavier does not make him head coach.
"Obviously, we've had a great deal of success together," Miller said of Whitford and Richardson, "and I look forward to continuing that here at Arizona."
Even though Richardson's roots are all over New York City, he is familiar with McKale Center. Richardson was coaching the legendary New York Gauchos traveling team when it beat Brandon Jennings' Belmont Shore team in the finals of the 2007 Arizona Cactus Classic elite prep tournament at McKale.
"This is a great place to be," Richardson told the Star after the 2007 final.
"Great tradition, great history. I tell my guards, 'If you're good enough, well, look up in the rafters' — they got (banners for) Salim Stoudamire, Damon Stoudamire, Mike Bibby, Jason Terry, Miles Simon, Khalid Reeves, who's from New York, and Steve Kerr. So when you talk about guards, well, this is Guard U.