Babysitting in Vegas

Updated: March 23, 2011 12:34PM

LAS VEGAS, Nev. -- For college coaches, the second part of the July live evaluation period has little to do with actually evaluating players.

As one college coach said: "We don't need to evaluate anybody now. We already know who we want. Now we just have to babysit kids and make sure we are seen at every one of their games."

If that is the case then the "babysitters" trailing top uncommitted prospects like De La Salle's Mike Shaw, Young's Sam Thompson and East Aurora's Ryan Boatright have million dollar contracts and championship pedigrees on their resumes.

Illinois coach Bruce Weber, Michigan State's Tom Izzo, Pittsburgh's Jaime Dixon, Notre Dame's Mike Brey, Oregon States' Craig Robinson, Louisville's Rick Pitino and Florida's Billy Donovan were just a few of the head coaches in attendance when Shaw, Thompson and the Mac Irvin Fire took the floor for their first game in Las Vegas while assistant coaches from DePaul, Wisconsin and Ohio State also joined them.

Neither Thompson nor Shaw has focused on the recruiting process much of late.

"Everything is pretty much the same in my recruitment," Thompson said, indicating that his top five of Oregon State, Ohio State, Florida, Georgetown and Kansas has remained the same.

Meanwhile, there have been rumors that Shaw was cutting his list to Michigan State and DePaul (eliminating Illinois), but the De La Salle forward maintains the same recruiting list as before.

"I haven't cut anything down yet," Shaw said. "After July I'll look to do that."

Boatright has drawn schools from all over into his recruiting process and although his first game in Vegas was cancelled when the other team failed to show, a number of teams still showed up to watch the East Aurora star.

Miami coach Frank Haith, Cincinnati coach Mick Cronin and assistant coaches from Kansas State and West Virginia were among a few of the coaches in attendance.

In the second game Boatright played, this time an actual game, he drew assistants from Kentucky, DePaul, Minnesota while Haith was joined by Iowa head coach Fran McCaffery and Providence coach Keno Davis.

"I'm talking to some new schools but they haven't necessarily offered because they have to get my transcripts," Boatright said. "Kansas State, Miami, Tennessee, UTEP and West Virginia and a couple other schools (have talked to me recently)."

America's most wanted: Perspectives rising senior Anthony Davis may not be in Las Vegas, but coaches are still trailing his every move in Kansas City. According to numerous sources, Ohio State coach Thad Matta followed Davis throughout the weekend, showing up every time he played. Kentucky coach John Calipari was there on the first day. Kentucky assistant coach Kenny Payne and Syracuse assistant Rob Murphy have also been front and center watching Davis on both days.

While much speculation has been made about North Carolina jumping into the picture for Davis, Tar Heels Roy Williams has not been present in Kansas City and only assistant coach Steve Robinson appeared during the second day of the tournament to watch the star, who many believe has a chance to be ranked as the top player in the country at the end of the July evaluation period.

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