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Elite 2014 recruit cites religion as a major deciding factor

leronblack

Nike

FORT WAYNE, In. -- High school basketball recruits usually have a few specific traits in mind as they sift through scholarship offers trying to decide on a school. Most players will cite similar things like a relationship with the coach, the style of play, or the chance to play for a league or national title.

But for elite class of 2014 forward Leron Black, a native of Memphis and the No. 16 prospect in the class of 2014 according to Rivals, he has a very important and specific factor in mind when he chooses his future program: Religion.

While religious beliefs have been in a factor in the recruitment of other players before, it is rare to hear a player cite religion as a main reason for deciding on a program.

“The main thing I’m looking for is I’m big on my Christianity, so I want to be somewhere where I can express that and spread it around and the coaches won’t have a problem with it,” Black explained to NBC Sports.

Black went on to explain his reason for using religion as the primary factor in his basketball future. The 6-8 forward from White Station High School currently claims scholarship offers from Florida, Connecticut, Illinois, Baylor, Ohio State, North Carolina State, Georgia Tech and Tennessee.

"(My Christianity) plays a big role in my life, I pray and read my Bible every day,” Black said. “It’s really big in my household and important to me and my family.”

While Black is still early in the recruiting process and not intent on making any visits anytime soon, he is still fielding calls from coaches and going through the process at his own pace. Interestingly enough, Black was once committed to Baylor, but decommited after he felt he wasn’t ready to decide his future.

“I still love the coaching staff and everybody over there, I just thought I committed too early,” Black said of the Baylor situation. “I wanted to take some time and I wanted to make sure that (the school) was the place God wanted me to be.”

The focus for Black right now is to get healthy after missing most of the spring with an ankle injury. While Black’s trademark lift and explosiveness is noticeably down at the Bill Hensley Memorial Run-N-Slam, he is playing his way back into shape with Team Thad.

“I hadn’t played in like three weeks so this is my first time playing in awhile. I just have to get my feel back,” Black said. “I hurt my ankle and I had past ankle injuries to the same ankle so the doctor just told me I needed some time to rest and heal.”

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