PARROM OPTS FOR 'ZONA OVER PITT

BY JEFF BORZELLO

Fresh off his visit to Arizona, Kevin Parrom made it official: he will play for the Wildcats next season.

“I committed today,” Parrom said in a text message Sunday evening.

Parrom, a 6-6 swingman from New York who played at South Kent Prep (Conn.) this past year, was released from his letter of intent to Xavier in April after Musketeers’ head coach Sean Miller accepted the job at Arizona.

However, he decided to follow Miller across the country to Tucson and suit up in the Pac-10. He chose Arizona over Pittsburgh.

“The people there,” Parrom said when asked why he signed with the Wildcats. “The surroundings. The coaching staff. Great academic support. And the campus is wonderful.”

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After his visit to Pittsburgh last week, Parrom said he would go see Arizona and then likely choose by the end of the upcoming week. However, he was so impressed by his trip to UA that he committed on the spot.

“My trip was great,” Parrom said. “Just getting out there in Arizona and being myself at all times with the people and the players on campus.”

Over the summer, I had a chance to watch Parrom at the Reebok All-American camp in Philadelphis. He was one of the best all-around players at the camp, and showed the ability to do nearly everything on the court. Parrom has good shooting form, which enables him to knock down outside shots, meaning defenders can’t leave him open for jumpshots. As a result, Parrom also drives to the basket well and finishes creatively at the rim.

He also has an effective back-to-the-basket game and posted up smaller defenders on several occasions. He is an extremely difficult match-up for most defenders. Parrom is also a very good passer with good vision who looks for his teammates as soon as he touches the ball. He can shoot the ball either in transition or in the half-court, and also runs the floor well. Parrom rebounds well at both ends of the court due to his athleticism, and is a very good defender, both on-and-off the ball.

Parrom transferred to South Kent after an off-the-court problem at St. Raymond’s (N.Y.), in which he allegedly hit a coach. He originally chose Xavier in September, picking the Musketeers over St. John’s, where high school teammate and close friend Omari Lawrence will attend next season.

However, once Miller left Xavier to replace interim head coach Russ Pennell at Arizona, Parrom wanted to re-evaluate his recruitment. Miller brought two of his assistants with him to Arizona, including Emmanuel “Book” Richardson, who was the former head of the New York Gauchos AAU program and with whom Parrom has a close relationship.

Parrom is the third recruit of Miller’s tenure at Arizona, following Kyryl Natyazhko and Solomon Hill.