Western Kentucky Basketball

Charles Bassey, a 5-star center from the Aspire Basketball Academy in Louisville, Kentucky, reportedly committed to Western Kentucky on Wednesday, according to Jon Rothstein of FRS Hoopz.  

Bassey, who stands 6'10" and weighs 220 pounds, is ranked as the No. 1 player from the state of Kentucky, the No. 2 center and the No. 3 player nationally in the Class of 2019, according to 247Sports. But as Rothstein reported, Bassey will reclassify into the Class of 2018, making him eligible to play this upcoming season.

Jerry Meyer of 247Sports called him "a physically imposing player" who "makes getting a double-double look easy" and is an "explosive athlete with a high-level motor."

He added: "There is nothing cute or sexy about Bassey’s game, so it is unfortunately tempting to take his prodigious production for granted."

And Sam Vecenie of The Athletic wrote in February:

"Simply put, Bassey does stuff that other guys can’t do with his athleticism and length. There are times when he looks like he’s out of a play, but he will just rise above everyone to grab a rebound and put it back into the net. This allows him to be productive at just about any level he plays. His physical tools will almost certainly carry him to the NBA."

Vecenie noted Bassey still looked raw at the time, and his defense and overall instincts will need to improve. At Western Kentucky, he'll have the opportunity to iron out some of his weaknesses. But his physical profile and overall strengths are so impressive that his shortcomings are unlikely to overshadow his strengths. 

And they are areas in which he can grow. He can improve defensively. He can improve the consistency of his jump shot. His feel for the game will continue to mature.

Bassey isn't the most polished prospect, but the fact that he can still dominate despite makes it scary to imagine what he can become if he steadily works on his game. 

Certainly, Western Kentucky will be excited to find out next season.

5-star center Mitchell Robinson is officially back at Western Kentucky.

Butch Stockton, Robinson's high school coach, told Evan Daniels of Scout.com that Robinson enrolled in the university Monday ahead of the 4 p.m. ET deadline.     

"Mitchell officially enrolled at Western Kentucky and is back on campus," Stockton said. "We just felt like it was the best place and that he could go and play."

Robinson, Scout.com's ninth-rated prospect and top-rated center in the class of 2017, left Western Kentucky in July amid uncertain circumstances. His departure came just weeks after the sudden resignation of assistant coach Shammond Williams, who is Robinson's godfather.

Williams was hired by Hilltoppers coach Rick Stansbury in June 2016; Robinson committed to the university a week later. The talented 7-footer is by far the best prospect to ever commit to Western Kentucky.

Stansbury, who previously coaxed a verbal out of Robinson during his time as an assistant at Texas A&M, has not commented on the circumstances that led to Williams' departure.

Robinson visited LSU, New Orleans and Kansas before deciding to return to Western Kentucky. Because he'd already taken classes and practiced with the Hilltoppers over the summer, he would have needed an NCAA waiver to be eligible as a transfer this season. The NCAA typically only grants those waivers in hardship cases.

Pat Forde of Yahoo Sports reported last week that Robinson was leaning toward sitting out the entire 2017-18 season to prepare for the NBA draft. However, it appears the prospect of sitting out a full year weighed too heavily, and he decided to return.

Robinson will be immediately eligible to practice with the team and play because he did not officially enroll in another university. 

Mitchell Robinson, the 5-star recruit who flirted with transferring and sitting out the 2017-18 season to prepare for the NBA, will return to Western Kentucky.

Chad Bishop of WBKO reported Mitchell is expected to enroll in the university by Monday's 4 p.m. deadline. Because he did not transfer, he will be eligible to practice immediately and play with the Hilltoppers this season.

Robinson was the No. 9 overall recruit and top-ranked center in the 2017 class, per Scout.com. By far the best prospect to ever commit to Western Kentucky, he's largely expected to be a one-and-done.

Robinson unexpectedly left Western Kentucky in late July, and the school announced he would transfer. The 7-footer has not given much insight into his decision to leave campus, but the departure of assistant coach Shammond Williams is thought to have played a part. Williams is Robinson's godfather.

Hilltoppers coach Rick Stansbury, who had a pre-existing relationship with Robinson dating back to his time as a Texas A&M assistant, hired Williams as an assistant in June 2016. Robinson committed to the team a week later.

The machinations behind Williams' resignation are still unclear. However, Robinson left campus and sought a transfer less than a month afterward. He visited LSU, Kansas and New Orleans earlier this month but appeared to be leaning toward sitting out the 2017-18 season. Pat Forde of Yahoo Sports reported last week that Robinson had decided to spend the year preparing for the 2018 NBA draft, in which he'll likely be a lottery pick.

The change of heart will bring Western Kentucky back into the Conference USA championship picture and give Robinson a chance to show NBA scouts what he can do on the college stage. That said, NBA teams will monitor him closely after this month of uncertainty.

Mitchell Robinson, a 5-star center in the class of 2017, will have an opportunity to play for another school after Western Kentucky granted his release to transfer Tuesday, per Pat Forde of Yahoo Sports.

As Michael DeCourcy of Sporting News clarified, he will likely not be eligible until the 2018-19 season.

Robinson left the school two weeks into the summer semester, and the team announced Monday he was suspended indefinitely for a violation of team rules, according to ESPN's Jeff Goodman.

According to Goodman, Robinson was fine with the idea of sitting out a year if necessary to leave the school.

The 5-star recruit is Scout.com's No. 8 overall player in the 2017 class. At 7'0", Robinson uses his size to make an impact in the paint on both ends of the court. His athleticism also allows him to run the floor and fit into any system.

Players of Robinson's caliber rarely go to a school like Western Kentucky, which finished 15-17 last year and hasn't made the NCAA tournament in the past four seasons. However, Robinson's godfather, Shammond Williams, was an assistant coach for the Hilltoppers and served as his lead recruiter.

Williams has since resigned from his position, and none of the school's assistant coaches remain from last season.

Evan Daniels of Scout.com reported last Friday that Robinson had cleaned out his dorm and left the Western Kentucky campus. 

Considering Robinson could enter the NBA draft after the 2017-18 season anyway, he'll have to decide whether he wants to wait for another chance at a college season. As Forde speculated, he could instead spend this upcoming year with a professional team in another country, much like Terrance Ferguson did last season. 

ESPN's Jeff Goodman reported Friday that Western Kentucky incoming freshman center Mitchell Robinson left campus.

Goodman added the situation is fluid, but that Robinson has "serious questions" about playing at Western Kentucky. Gary Parrish of CBS Sports reported Robinson's dorm room was cleaned out, and Evan Daniels of Scout noted he was "expected to transfer."

According to Scout.com, Robinson is a 5-star prospect who ranks as the No. 8 overall player and No. 1 center in his class.

Robinson arrived on campus on July 10 after signing his letter of intent to play for the Hilltoppers in November.

Prior to arriving, there were rumblings that WKU was losing its grip on Robinson due to the resignation of assistant coach Shammond Williams, who is Robinson's godfather.

Despite that, Robinson's mother, Lakeisha, told Goodman on July 8 that the plan was still for Robinson to play at Western Kentucky.

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Per Scout, Robinson picked WKU despite scholarship offers from bigger schools such as Texas A&M, Alabama and LSU.

The 7'0", 222-pound big man is among the premier prospects in his class, and potentially leaving Western Kentucky creates an intriguing situation.

If he transfers elsewhere, it is likely Robinson will have to sit out one year before being eligible to play at the collegiate level.

He does have other options, though, such as taking a year off and entering the NBA draft, or even choosing to play overseas.

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For a complete player profile on Mitchell Robinson, visit Scout.com.

Western Kentucky's frontcourt just received a huge asset. On Wednesday, 5-star center Mitchell Robinson told CBS Sports' Jon Rothstein he's committed to the school.

Per 247Sports' composite rankings, Robinson is the No. 1 center in the nation and the No. 9 overall prospect in the class of 2017. He is also the No. 2 player in his home state of Louisiana. 

This is such a win for Western Kentucky that WKUInsider.com's Jody Demling called Robinson "the biggest recruit ever" for the program. 

With such a high rating, Robinson had attention from larger schools, including North Carolina, Texas A&M and LSU, per 247Sports. That makes his decision to go to Western Kentucky—a Conference USA team that has gone to the NCAA tournament four times in the past 13 years—surprising. 

Regardless, this 7-footer is an athletic center who can not only dominate down low with his superior blocking ability, but he can add a defensive presence away from the basket as well because of his speed:

He has a solid pair of hands that will help when it comes to rebounding and catching the ball in the post, which will make him a nightmare under the basket. 

Robinson will have to work on his strength and his offensive game down low. At 200 pounds, there's a possibility heavier, more physical big men around the NCAA could bully him. But that shouldn't be a major concern with his intangibles. 

By the time he arrives at Western Kentucky for the 2017-18 season, the Hilltoppers will have just lost big men Anton Waters, Ben Lawson and Phabian Glasco to graduation, which means Robinson could step in and start immediately. 

If Robinson lives up to his ratings and the hype, then Western Kentucky will be a team college basketball fans will be seeing on the big stage in a couple of years. 

Stats courtesy of Sports-Reference.com. 

Star ranking courtesy of 247Sports.

Alassane Kah, a 6'10" power forward from Fishburne Military Academy, committed to the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers Tuesday night, according to Corey Albertson of Rivals.com.

Kah, a native of Senegal, moved to the United States in 2009. Like most kids in Africa, Kah grew up playing soccer and learned about basketball from watching games on television. Kah will be attending Fishburne for postgraduate school; he attended Walnut Ridge High School in Columbus, Ohio last year.

"I had a bond with the team and coaches." Kah told Jordan Wells of InsideHilltopperSports.com about his commitment to WKU. "The people around there are so nice. It's the right fit."

Kah chose WKU over Richmond, St. Bonaventure, Bowling Green, and Delaware. The head coach at Fishburne, Ed Huckaby, said Kah really enjoyed WKU's environment and coach Ray Harper.

Last year, Kah helped Walnut Ridge to a 21-2 record and was named to the Columbus All-City basketball team.

"Kah has major athleticism," Huckaby said. "He is an explosive athlete around the rim. He is long, athletic, and does a good job finding the ball off the glass. He gets his hands on a lot of balls and plays with high energy."

Huckaby added, "Offensively, he is a very good shooter with range to arc. He does a good job using his length and quickness to attack the rim. His ballhandling ability is good for a big man and he has good hands and feet, because of his time playing soccer. He has a good base and the learning curve to develop a solid all-around game."

Kah is Western Kentucky's first commit for the 2013 class. Coach Ray Harper is recruiting several prospects from around the state of Kentucky including Trinity High School guard Darryl Hicks and Ballard High School guard Lavonne Holland.

Jon Hancock is a contributor for Bleacher Report. Unless otherwise noted, all quotes were obtained firsthand.

You can follow Jon on Twitter @JonKYSportsCo

One of tonight's Cinderellas has heard all the names.

Unlikely under-dog, sleeper, dark horse, improbable entry, long-shot, very long-shot!

However, the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers laugh away the names and dismiss all the cheap shots.

Because, beginning at 6:35pm ET tonight on TruTV, the least-likely of NCAA Cinderellas will start dancing against Mississippi Valley State in the First Four play-in game.

The winner squares-off in the Field of 64 against the tournament's overall number one seed, the University of Kentucky Wildcats.

The Hilltoppers personify the reversal of fortune fate for which the Cinderella story has popularized.

However, of all 500+ iterations of the Cinderella Euro-fable, none comes as close to mirroring the unexpected success of this 15 - 18 NCAA tournament-bound team.

WKU's frenetic finish to an otherwise awful season qualifies them as this year's crazy, incredulous entrant into the spectacular sports event cleverly coined March Madness.

Although Western Kentucky has enjoyed a rich basketball tradition highlighted by 22 NCAA invitations, seven Round of 16 successes and a 1971 Final Four appearance, its 2011 - 2012 season had been fraught with difficulties.

A mid-season coaching change, dismal home game attendance, and a bizarre 72 - 70 overtime loss in early January to a Lousiana-Lafayette team that employed six players on its inexplicable game-winning possession appeared to doom the Hilltopper hopes for an even moderately successful 2011 - 2012 campaign.

However, revived under new head coach Ray Harper, the once 5 -13 Hilltoppers slowly showed improvement.

Then, miraculously, last week they won four games in four days, all by less than five points over favored opponents FIU, Arkansas-Little Rock, Denver and North Texas to advance to tonight's game as champion of the Sun belt Conference. 

Western Kentucky's maddening march into this year's NCAA tournament exemplifies the exciting, chaotic, wonderfully unpredictable nature of this annual event.

So, call them unlikely under-dog, dark horse or whatever you want, but it's doubtful this Cinderella will listen or care as the Hilltoppers take to the hardwood this evening to begin their improbable 2012 dance.

Straight talk. No static.

MIKE - aka Mike Raffone - thee ultimate talking head on sports!

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