Citizen Staff Writer
STEVE RIVERA
srivera@tucsoncitizen.com
The University of Arizona looks like a perfect spot for basketball recruit Kevin Parrom.
It has a good coach he’s comfortable with and UA’s situation – few scholarship players are on the team – would provide him a chance to play and have an immediate impact in 2009-10.
Those are some of the reasons the 6-foot-6 small forward is making a recruiting visit to Tucson this weekend.
“He’s looking for a comfort level with the coaches and he obviously has found that with that staff,” said Kelvin Jefferson, Parrom’s prep school coach. “They have a hand in that. He has that relationship. That’s important to him and the family.”
Parrom attends South Kent (Conn.) Prep. He asked out of his scholarship with Xavier three weeks ago, shortly after UA head coach Sean Miller left Xavier for Arizona.
Miller is not allowed to speak about Parrom because he’s now a recruitable athlete. But when Parrom signed his letter of intent with Xavier, Miller gushed about the guard.
“Kevin Parrom is a versatile wing player that can play a number of different positions in our program,” Miller said then.
“We are very excited about Kevin’s ability to contribute to our program on the basketball court. We are equally excited about his ability as a student and who he is as a person.”
When Parrom signed with Xavier, ESPN recruiting analyst Paul Biancardi told a Cincinnati television station that Parrom would be an impact player at Xavier and the Musketeers “struck gold” in getting him.
Jefferson said he likes Parrom’s work ethic and character. He also likes his basketball skills.
Jefferson said Parrom “can shoot the ball and score. He can get to the basket in a variety of ways. He’s a good size. . . . He can rebound and start the break. He makes good decisions.”