Top guard chooses IU

Top recruit Bracey Wright has verbally committed to attend IU and play basketball beginning in the 2002-03 season. Wright, a 6-4 guard from The Colony, Tex., who is considered by experts to be among the top 15 high school recruits in the nation, called Coach Mike Davis Wednesday afternoon and gave him the news.\n"I told (Davis) everything was set and I wanted to come," Wright said. "He started laughing a little bit and said he was real happy."\nWright visited Bloomington earlier this week, touring the area and spending time with some current players.\nTommy Thomas, Wright's coach at The Colony High School, said it was important for both Wright and his mother to get to know IU and its program. After the visit, Thomas spoke with both Wright and his mother.\n"Bracey said he thought he was going to be really happy at Indiana and playing for Coach Davis," Thomas said. "I think it's a great idea."\nThe impression IU and its campus made on Wright's mother was an important factor in his decision.\n"My mother was really impressed," he said. "I already knew a lot about it but I needed her. I like the whole atmosphere of the college and how friendly everything was. My mother liked that (the campus) has a lot of trees -- she said it was like one big garden."\nWright has a combination of both outstanding skills and a family who provides great back-up for both his athletic and academic pursuits, Thomas said.\n"He's a great jump shooter, he has tremendous range and is very athletic... " Thomas said. "He's a great kid and we've kind of grown together over the last three and a half years. He has a great mom and brother and a really supportive family."\nDuring his junior year in high school, Wright averaged 21.6 points and 6.1 rebounds. He was voted most valuable player in the summer's Peach Jam Amateur Athletic Union tournament in Atlanta.\nAlthough the current IU players say they haven't been caught up in the recruitment hype, they like what they've heard about Wright.\nWright's verbal commitment is an "excellent step for the program and a credit to Coach Davis," said senior guard Dane Fife.\nThomas said Wright's decision-making process has been ongoing throughout the summer. He played in the Nike Memorial Day Classic at Assembly Hall and participated in the Olympic Festival where he roomed with potential IU recruit and Bloomington High School North standout Sean May. Although Thomas said IU contacted Wright initially, it was the nationally-ranked player's interest in the program that progressed the recruiting process.\n"That's how a relationship begins," Thomas said. "There has to be an interest on both people's parts."\nThomas said Wright cannot formally commit until the official NCAA signing date in November. Meanwhile both Wright and Thomas are concentrating on winning a Texas state championship, one of the few titles that The Colony High School team, which went 32-2 last year, has not won during Wright's high school career.\nWright said Davis' recruiting style never became "bothersome" and that Davis called to check on his progress.\n"He just let me do my thing... " Wright said. "He basically respected everything I did."\nWith the verbal commitment of Wright and Marshall Strickland, a 6-foot-1 point guard from Sykesville, Md., who verbally committed to IU in July, the team has two of the three most desired players in its 2002 recruiting class.\nThe other is Bloomington High School North senior Sean May.\nMay's father, former IU basketball All American Scott May, said his son was "not close" to making a final decision. Wright said he doesn't know what May has planned.\nMay has narrowed his possible schools to Louisville, North Carolina, Notre Dame and IU. He is expected to make his final decision in November.\nAlthough he is concentrating on finishing his high school career with a state championship ring, Wright is also hoping to eventually add an NCAA championship ring.\n"I'll make whatever kind of impact they need me to," Wright said.\nHead coach Mike Davis could not be reached for comment late Wednesday. Assistant coach Jim Thomas did not return a phone call before press time Wednesday.\nCampus Editor Cory Schouten and Sports Editor Eric Talbot contributed to this story.