UCLA Lands 5-Star Prospect Kyle Anderson
By Jason Hickman
Class of 2012 No. 3 overall prospect Kyle Anderson of St. Anthony (Jersey City, N.J.) announced via Twitter late Monday night that he is headed to UCLA, picking the Bruins over a strong bid from Seton Hall.
"Had a great family meeting. I've decided to be a UCLA BRUIN!!" Anderson posted at 11:30 p.m. EST.
At 6-foot-7 and 215 pounds, Anderson is a unique prospect with his ability to play the point guard position at that size and ability to control games despite not possessing superb athleticism.
Anderson earned third team All-American honors from MaxPreps as a junior after posting 14.4 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game for St. Anthony, leading the Friars to a 33-0 record and the No. 1 national ranking.
As a sophomore at now-defunct Paterson Catholic, Anderson contributed 10.8 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.3 assists for a team that went 28-1 and won the prestigious City of Palms Classic in Florida. He is a member of the powerhouse Playaz Basketball Club, which has been among the best on Nike's Elite Youth Basketball League circuit over the past two years.
Anderson joins a UCLA recruiting class that already features wing Jordan Adams of Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) and point guard Dominic Artis of Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.) – both four-star, Top 100 prospects. The Bruins are also considered a strong contender for Las Vegas shooting guard Shabazz Muhammad, the nation's No. 1 prospect in the Class of 2012.
Florida, Georgetown and St. John's also figured prominently into Anderson's recruitment before UCLA and Seton Hall emerged as the favorites late in the summer.
