Kyle Anderson Says No to Georgetown and Big East, Will Attend UCLA

In the most hotly contested recruitment in Georgetown history (or at least the most tweeted about), Kyle Anderson, a 6'7 point guard who was an unqualified dream fit for the JT3's offense, decided to forgo his destiny as a Hoya and attend UCLA. Anderson chose UCLA over Georgetown, St. John's, Florida, and Seton Hall, which tried valiantly to keep the New Jersey native at home including having an in-home visit this evening.  John Thompson III and staff made every effort to reel in the nation's #5 recruit, but in the end couldn't compete with Anderson's desire to play on the West Coast in a system that has sent numerous guards to the NBA and possibly alongside fellow recruits Shabazz Muhammad and Tony Parker.

Just one week ago this recruitment felt like if Keanu Reeves choosing between the red and the blue pill in The Matrix with the fate of the world hanging in the balance. However, now that the Big East is disintegrating before our eyes and may not even exist in two years, we have bigger concerns than where some kid from New Jersey goes to school. With Georgetown seemingly continually in the wreckage of upheaval, the potential of the implosion of the program (at least it's source of funding) for the coming decades is giving Hoyas fans plenty of other things to despair over. 

More after The Jump:

Back to Kyle Anderson (words you feel like he's been waiting to hear since this whole Big East news went down after drawing his recruitment out as if he were Lebron James), he will succeed to some extent wherever he goes, but it's hard imagine him maximizing his talent at UCLA as he could have as a Hoya.  Georgetown fans have steadily fallen in love with Anderson's potential in blue and gray -- and no doubt Anderson's commitment would've added star power to the solid 2011 class, softened any cynicism about JT3, and, hell, might have launched Georgetown back into national championship contention.   Alas, we move on.

The Georgetown Class of 2012:

• Brandon Bolden – F – 6'9 – 195lbs – Verbal

The Georgetown Class of 2012 for now remains a lonely group, containing only Brandon Bolden, an athletic 6'8 face-up forward, who committed at last season's Midnight Madness. In his junior year, the high upside Bolden didn't impress during his junior campaign and has since decide to transfer high schools for his senior season, where he should face better competition. While JT3 proved his mettle in late season recruiting as Hoya fans panicked, watching Kyle Anderson go elsewhere (though not a incredible shock) does seem to up the ante both on the rest of the 2012 recruits and also the 2011-12 season. 

Remaining 2012 Targets:

• D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera – G – 6'3 – 215lbs 
• Devonta Pollard – F – 6'7 – 200lbs
• TJ Warren – F – 6'7 – 205lbs 
• Robert Upshaw – C – 6'11 
• Tony Parker: – F – 6'9 – 270lbs 

Smith-Rivera is a wide-bodied, sharp shooting guard similar in stature and game to Austin Freeman who decommitted from Xavier and has opened up his recruiting.  Just this weekend he was at N.C. State, which ironically is where Chris Wright committed before coming to Georgetown.  JT3's recent uptick in DSR's recruitment might have well been the writing on the wall that Anderson was to go elsewhere. Pollard is super athletic 5-star recruit from Mississippi -- perhaps Coach Kirby can go pull another big recruit out in his old stomping ground. Warren is another super-talented wing, a top 25 recruit while Parker is who is a good friend of Anderson and recently re-added Georgetown to his list... so I wouldn't be surprised to see Anderson's decision push Georgetown off his list for good. Upshaw might be the most intriguing player -- a center project who recently had a home visit with Georgetown. You can be sure JT3 will make sure he's familiar with Roy Hibbert's career (and current paycheck). 

Good times.