I’m sure your looking for RD or Dudley to give you an answer here, but just from what I’ve read from them and from Kevin McPherson as of the last week or so, his goal is to come in the Spring semester of 18-19 season to practice with the team early then play in 19-20, so I doubt Weathers or signing any other PG would affect that, since it would be the same situation as far as eligibility regardless of who they sign. I think he’s mentioned only way he would play the 18-19 season if CMA really needed him to.
and here’s what Mcpherson said about it in an article a couple days ago.
“Going back to the mid-point of the high-school season, Dr. Hill indicated to me the possibility of Juice being a mid-term transfer in January 2019 (which is the mid-point of the 2018-19 academic/athletic year), and he said at the time Juice would practice but not play, meaning 2019-20 would be his freshman season as a redshirt.”
Yes, that is exactly what Dr. Hill said on the radio on DTS when he first let that news out. Additionally, Dr. Hill pointed out the example of Kentucky freshman Hamidou Diallo as what Justice wanted to do. It is just too much for Justice to finish his high school work before the 2018 fall semester. He also mentioned that he was going to ask Mike Anderson in a few weeks if he approves of that plan. Judging from all the recent media reports, it appears Mike approved that plan.
Honestly, it’s a really good idea, not sure why more kids don’t do it. Hardly anyone in basketball uses redshirts unless they transfer. And practicing/getting adjusted to college life 6 months ahead of time is way more beneficial in the long run than playing another year of high school basketball.
If they added Weathers, he and Hill being on the same team down the line would potentially be as dynamic a 1-2 combo as they’ve had at PG in quite a while.
Lord knows things have changed a lot since I was in high school (a mere 35 years ago, OK, now I feel old) but I know the only reason I had to come back for my 12th grade year was to take 12th grade English. (Not that I considered skipping my Senior year, I didn’t). To graduate early you somehow have to get in an extra year of any class that is required to have 4 of in your last 4 years of school. In the early 1980’s in Arkansas the only one like that was English. Some people did it, as a few students each year would graduate early, but I don’t honestly know how they did it. I couldn’t take 11 grade English until I had finished 10th grade English, etc. etc.
Wonder how Desi Sills fits in that picture. Also Garland had hopes to play PG. And there is Glasper who knows he perhaps has to develop into a PG to get minutes. It could get crowded and interesting.
About 20 people in my class (1978) did that. Most were girls who were dating older guys, including those already in college. They went to summer school to knock out senior English.