Patterson High School sophomore Aquille Carr is one of the best ballers in the country. He now has the option to go pro.
The 5’6” point guard from Baltimore returned from a recent tournament in Italy with a $750,000 contract offer from Italian pro team Virtus Roma, according to Prep Rally.
While he hasn’t made a decision, Carr is reportedly considering the offer.
"I just want to keep [the Roma offer] in mind,” he told Scouts Focus' Joe Davis. “I don't want to make my decision so fast. But perhaps we might do that."
In perhaps a combination of denial and wishful thinking, Carr’s high school coach Harry Martin thinks otherwise.
"I think he's committed to playing for Patterson for the next two years, and then he would consider all options," said Martin. "I think it's just him keeping his options open.”
In most cases, we would get on our soapbox and denounce the fact that pro sports are going after athletes that are way too young to be tempted with pro money.
But Prep Rally brings up some good points.
Sports
• The pro team making the offer had great success with its previous U.S. high school import, Brandon Jennings, who used his year in Italy to improve his NBA draft status;
• Under Armour, which already has Jennings as a client, is looking for the next fresh face in the European market. Carr, who already plays on an Under Armour-sponsored AAU team, could be in line for a shoe deal, too;
• And though Carr is still a sophomore, he is an over-aged one. He's already 17 and will turn 18 during the next school year.
Virtus Roma signed Jennings to a $1.2 million, three-year contract when he was 18 years old. He is now an all-rookie guard with the Milwaukee Bucks.
And if all of that doesn’t convince you, this highlight video will. The kid is ridiculous.
(H/T TruthAboutIt.net)
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