bgorman@heraldsun.com; 419-6668
CHAPEL HILL -- North Carolina coach Roy Williams said Friday he's not surprised how quickly Kentucky freshman John Wall has established himself as one of the top players in nation.
After all, Wall is the best point guard Williams has seen out of high school since nine-time NBA All-Star Jason Kidd in 1991.
"There's not a lot that you couldn't like [about him]," Williams said.
The No. 10 Tar Heels meet Wall and his No. 5 Wildcats at Rupp Arena today (12:30 p.m., CBS) in a matchup between the two winningest programs in college basketball history. Wall, who played at Word of God in Raleigh, leads UK with 18.5 points per game and already has hit a game-winning shot with 0.5 on the clock, and made some end-of-game clutch free throws for another UK victory.
But even though Williams said Friday that he is one of Wall's biggest fans, he never officially offered him a scholarship.
"I had a conversation with John," Williams said. "We visited. And a couple things happened immediately after that and that made me make the decision not to go any further.
"I thought he would've been a great player for us, but things just didn't fit. Some shoes don't fit."
Wall had eligibility and academic issues surrounding him in high school. He was suspended by the NCAA for two games this season and had to make restitutions for nearly $800 in expenses incurred on unofficial visits when he was a recruit. Wall was also cited for breaking and entering in an unoccupied house in Raleigh in April.
"I think the whole scenario was a difficult one because, again, I loved him to death and tried very hard to recruit him earlier," Williams said.
Williams said Wall came to UNC for one or two football games but never for a basketball game. He said the coaching staff left tickets for Wall for three or four basketball games but things happened and Wall never came.
Williams said the only phone conversation he had with Wall -- who some have projected as the No. 1 NBA draft pick this coming spring -- during his senior year was during the week of the Final Four in April. Earlier this week, Wall said Williams told him during that conversation that he'd call him after the Final Four, but Wall never heard from Williams again.
"I did have a conversation with him before the national championship," Williams said. "After that, some things happened and it just didn't fit. Everything in recruiting doesn't have to be public knowledge."
And while Wall certainly will be the focus of attention today, Williams pointed out that Kentucky has some other impressive players. Besides Wall, two other freshmen -- forward DeMarcus Cousins and guard Eric Bledsoe -- are averaging double figures. Junior forward Patrick Patterson, Kentucky's second-leading scorer (16.3) and top rebounder (10.6), has been a handful for UNC the past two seasons.
The game also will be the first true road test of the season for the young Tar Heels. UNC played two games in Madison Square Garden for the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic, a neutral site.
"It will be a hostile environment, and I think you've got to get ready for that," said Williams, whose UNC program has won the past five meetings with the Wildcats. "You just got to stay focused -- focused on our bench and what's going on on the court -- and keep everything else out of it. ... Do the best you possibly can to hold your concentration regardless whether things are going good or they're going poorly."
