Chris Coleman, a 6-11, 250-pound center, committed on Wednesday night to play for FIU and new basketball coach Isiah Thomas.
Coleman, who is a sophomore at Mount Zion Academy in North Carolina, would join the Panthers in 2011 as a freshman.
Trying to get CC on the phone to hear his thoughts. Until then here is a scouting report on the big fella: Learn about Chris Coleman
Here come the big boys!
Posted by: thechampionunderdog | July 08, 2009 at 08:50 PM
Welcome to FIU Mr. Coleman. We will build this program on the legend of Coach I. Thomas, the skills of your fellow recruits and your broad shoulders.
Posted by: gpantera | July 08, 2009 at 09:00 PM
wow u know we are becoming a big time program when we are recruiting 3 seasons out now!
Posted by: OC Panther | July 08, 2009 at 10:25 PM
Holy Macro!!...Amazing to get such an early commit...from such a top national player!!! Just...wow....
Welcome to FIU Chris....I've got a feeling, like you do, that FIU is on to great things in athletics, and Isiah and you are going to be big in this endeavor...
Posted by: FIU Fanatic | July 09, 2009 at 12:38 AM
Reports are that IT is also hot on the trail of Brandon Knight, the local 6-3/175 combo guard from Pine Crest HS in Ft. Lauderdale. Knight is a 5-star player for both, rivals.com and scout.com who is ranked as the #1 high school player by rivals.com and either #1 or #2 high school player in the nation by scout.com, while hoop scoop ranks him as the #4 player in the nation.
As for 2011 FIU commit Chris Coleman, Hoop Scoop ranks Chris in their latest ranking (March 19, 2009) as the nation's #8 ranked player!!! Believe it or not...Too bad this is for 2011 class...hopefully, IT is still here at FIU by then.
Posted by: FIU Fanatic | July 09, 2009 at 01:04 AM
I have the feeling that he will stay here for 5 years if PG is here for that amount of time too. But I am sure that if by then we are not in a stronger conference then he will leave.
But also we have to remember that winning the Belt every year is an automatic ticket to the Big dance.
Posted by: Baltimore Panther | July 09, 2009 at 08:04 AM
I am so glad IT came to FIU! Hope he stays here for a long time.
Posted by: LonePanther | July 09, 2009 at 08:10 AM
2011? he might not even be there by then........ is it that slow at FIU?
Posted by: ridgepanther | July 09, 2009 at 11:28 AM
It'a commitment, ridgepanther...A commitment from a huge kid who is ranked as the #8 player in the nation for the class of 2011. Of course it is newsworthy and big for ANY program to land a top 10 talent, even if (as I agree) it means for 2 years in advance.
Your negativism towards FIU is evident many a times. You should let go of your grudge towards PG and MC, as it clouds common sense...
Posted by: FIU Fanatic | July 09, 2009 at 01:45 PM
Slow? Man this is what big programs are supposed to do. They sign kids 2 years out all the time.
And duh, the fact that Isiah is signing people that far out tells you he is staying for a while.
great news, unheard of territory for FIU, Pete whats the highest ranked high school star UM has ever recruited?
Posted by: OC Panther | July 09, 2009 at 02:15 PM
Rumor!
from http://www.zagsblog.net/
Here are some quick notes.
**Chris Coleman, a 6-9 junior center from Durham (NC) Mt. Zion (pictured), has not committed to Florida International, according to his AAU coach, Don Marsh.
“I talked to his mother and she said, ‘No.’ I talked to Chris and he said, ‘No,’” Marsh said.
Posted by: gsadf | July 10, 2009 at 05:09 AM
Oops!! No rumor, unless that is wishful thinking by some non-FIU fans...LOL
http://w3.nbebasketball.com/2009/07/10/chris-coleman-confirms-fiu-commitment/
Here's a quote from such article:
It came as quite a surprise to many last night when Jeff Goodman of FoxSports.com reported that Chris Coleman had made a verbal commitment to Florida International University and their new head coach, Isaiah Thomas.
Even today, reports denying the commitment have popped up across the internet. Matt Whitfield decided to get the scoop directly and while checking in with Coleman earlier this evening at the Reebok All-American Camp in Philadelphia, the 6-foot-10 center who attended Mt. Zion Academy last season, confirmed his commitment to FIU.
“I liked that he played in the NBA, coached in the NBA and he’s got a lot of experience and stuff,” Coleman told NBE this evening. “That is where I am trying to get, so that is why I committed.”
Coleman and his team attended the FIU team camp a couple weeks ago and he got a chance to see the campus and meet Thomas and his staff. It was actually at that time that he committed to FIU.
From the Big East, Connecticut, West Virginia and Syracuse had offered and Coleman said that Virginia Tech, Texas, North Carolina State and Wake Forest were among the others that had offered.
Posted by: FIU Fanatic | July 10, 2009 at 02:05 PM