By Joseph Staszewski
Rawle Alkins is quickly learning what a headache having to pick both a prep school and college can be.
“I’m going to have to make two really big decisions,” Alkins said.
The former Christ the King star is one of the most highly recruited boys’ basketball prospects in the country. He is now getting phone calls from prep school coaches along with college ones. The surge came after Alkins announced he would not officially seek a fifth year of eligibility from the CHSAA to return to Middle Village next season. The Canarsie native’s phone is constantly getting calls and texts.
“It’s crazy,” Alkins said. “As soon as I made that announcement every single prep school you could imagine was calling my phone. It’s like double trouble now. I should have a phone for colleges and prep schools and a phone for me.”
Alkins admitted to not even checking his phone sometimes. Schools like St. John’s, Kentucky, Louisville or Indiana could be calling five minutes apart. He hasn’t put a timetable on when he will choose where he will play his senior season. He does have plans laid out for his college choice.
The 6-foot-4 Alkins, the No. 15 ranked prospect in the country by Rivals, expects to narrow his list down to five in the spring and pick a school shortly after that in the late spring. He is in no rush, understanding the decision has a long-term impact on his career and his overall future.
“I just don’t want to hurry up and commit and get these colleges off my back,” Alkins said. “At the end of the day it is the biggest decision of my life.”
It hasn’t taken his focus away from basketball. Alkins, who recently picked up an offer from North Carolina, had all three St. John’s coaches, including head man Chris Mullin, watching him at the Adidas Uprising All-American Camp last week.
Alkins and his Rens travel team won the Adidas Uprising Gauntlet championship in early July. He looked good on the opening day of the Adidas Uprising All-American camp July 15 at LIU Post. He hit 3-pointers with ease, showed off a step back jumper and had a thunderous one-handed slam in the lane in the early contest. Alkins dropped 24 points and dished out eight assists in the event’s all-star game at Rucker Park the next night.
“I’m always in the gym working out, Alkins said. “Colleges they are always going to be there.”
He has to deal with his short-term future first before he can start thinking long-term.
“Before I attend college and prepare to take my visits I have to find a prep school,” Alkins said.
