Sunday, July 13, 2008

St. John's Still Favorite for Lawrence

HACKENSACK, N.J. -- Despite the fact that he is not even playing, college coaches continue to flock towards rising senior Omari Lawrence.

Lawrence, a 6-4 guard from Bronx, N.Y., tore a ligament in his shoulder and will undergo surgery next Tuesday. The procedure will force him to miss three months in order to recover. However, he is getting new interest from various schools seemingly everyday.

"The new schools are Marquette, Florida, Kentucky and Louisville," Lawrence said at the Joe Brown Memorial Tournament at Fairleigh Dickinson University.

However, he also said that one school remains at the top of the heap.

"St. John’s is definitely my favorite," Lawrence said. "On my visit, I liked the school, and my family did too. I liked the coach, and I felt comfortable."

Other schools courting him include West Virginia, Clemson, Arizona and Memphis.

"I want to go to a place that will develop me all four years," Lawrence said. "I want to get to the next level, so I need a teacher."

Next season will also mark Lawrence’s debut at South Kent Prep in Connecticut, where he will join former St. Raymond’s teammate and close friend Kevin Parrom. Parrom left New York after an altercation with St. Ray’s coach Oliver Antigua, and Lawrence made the choice to follow him last month.

"What happened between Kevin and Antigua were involved in my decision to leave," Lawrence said. "We've played together for a lot of years now and I’m looking forward to it. They also play a national schedule, so I’m excited for that."

Lawrence, who said he plans to announce his college intentions either before the high school season starts or immediately after it ends, has talked with Parrom about their future destinations, but "nothing too serious."

Although he is ranked just No. 136 by Rivals.com and No. 78 by Scout.com, Lawrence feels he compares favorably with some of the top players in the country.

"Every time I’ve gone up against them, I’ve matched up well or I’ve outplayed them," said Lawrence, who lists leadership and versatility among his biggest strengths and outside shooting as his main weakness.

While Lawrence plans to be completely healthy by the time the high school season begins, he said there is one part of being on the sideline that he enjoys.

Said Lawrence: "I get to live life like a normal kid."

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