Low impressed with
Utah recruiting visit
Derrick Low officially hit the recruiting trail for the first time last month and was impressed by what he saw at the University of Utah.
Low, who will be a senior point guard at Iolani in the fall, is considered by many to be the most prized basketball recruit ever from Hawaii. He is limited to this one trip while he's a junior. He'll have four more trips available to him as a senior.
He took a tour of the Utah campus and saw some sights around Salt Lake City, including the Utah Jazz's practice facility.
"It was a neat experience, I got to go into the locker room," Low said. "I also got to visit the Huntsman Center (home of the Utes), and they took me on the floor and in the lockers and everything."
Low spent quite a bit of time with Utah coach Rick Majerus on his two-day visit.
"He (Majerus) and the other coaches said that they're looking for a point guard to come in and contribute right away and that they want a point guard that can take care of the ball and score when needed -- and willingly -- kind of like Andre Miller (former Utah player now with the Los Angeles Clippers)," Low said. "He (Majerus) told me he saw me playing at the Nike Camp last year and he really liked the way I play."
Low said some of the Utah players told him that Majerus is a "real driver" as a coach and that he doesn't accept less than maximum effort.
"That's the kind of coach I would want, one who pushes you to the next level," said Low, who also had the chance to watch some of the Utah players going through individual workouts while concentrating on how they handled themselves.
But the 6-foot-1 Low, who guided the Raiders to the last two state high school championships, is keeping his options open. He considers Connecticut, Kentucky, Gonzaga and Washington State as distinct possibilities. And he also hasn't ruled out Hawaii.
"Not too long ago, I spoke with an assistant at UConn," Low said. "We talked about a possible visit, but we couldn't come up with an exact date. Washington State coach Dick Bennett seems pretty interested, and I'll still keep in contact with Gonzaga."
Low is preparing for this year's Nike All-American Camp, July 5-10, in Indianapolis. Many college coaches attend to watch some of the nation's best players, but it's against NCAA rules for them to speak to potential recruits at that time.
According to Ken Low, Derrick's dad, coaches won't speak to parents directly at the camp, either. Instead, the coaches wear school colors and logos, stand in front of and make direct eye contact with parents to show they're interested.
Derrick Low plans to wait until after the camp before deciding where to take his next four visits because more schools may become interested.
Low is also going to the Adidas Tournament in Las Vegas, July 20-25, as a member of a Hawaii all-star team.
He's been hitting the weight room and going through intense shooting drills designed by his dad.
"I'll go for two, two-and-a-half hours, maybe more to shoot," Low said. "The main shooting drills are in the first hour, and at the end of that one hour, I'm so tired I don't want to shoot ever again. I personally think I have the toughest hour of shooting practice ever and I've been doing it for months and months."
It's tiring just listening to Low describe the drills, which include shooting off the dribble, catching and shooting, repetitive 3-point attempts and free throws. All the while, Low runs from one point to the next while his dad rebounds.
"By the time I take my first break, it feels like I'm running in quicksand," he said. "But I've got to keep shooting so I can be ready."