Four days after landing its biggest prize, the UCLA men’s
basketball team continues to fill out its 2005 recruiting
class.
The Bruins received a verbal commitment on Friday from Luc Mbah
a Moute, a small forward from Cameroon.
Mbah a Moute, who attends high school at the Montervade Academy
in Florida, is the second international player in the Bruins’
2005 recruiting class. Last Tuesday, they received a verbal
commitment from Ryan Wright of Canada.
“He really enjoyed having the opportunity to come to
California,” Mbah a Moute’s high school coach Kevin
Sutton said.
“He had a very good time. He enjoyed attending a class and
getting the chance to meeting a professor.”
Mbah a Moute averaged 12 points per game last season at
Montervade, and although he stands at 6-foot-6, Sutton expects him
to play the point guard position in college.
“He’s multi-talented, and he has an excellent work
ethic,” Sutton said.
“He’s very versatile. I think he is just beginning
to scratch the surface of what he can become.”
Mbah a Moute was not highly recruited by some of the elite
programs because of a hitch in his shot. However, Sutton has
indicated that his shooting ability has greatly improved since the
early summer. With UCLA’s 2004 incoming class providing depth
at the guard and wing positions, Mbah a Moute will face stiff
competition if he hopes to make an immediate contribution to the
team.
Sutton indicated that all the schools did a wonderful job
recruiting his star player, and that although UCLA was the only
West Coast school Mbah a Moute considered, the school’s
location was not a major factor in his decision.
While many freshmen have trouble adjusting to life away from
home, Mbah a Moute has already made the transition. And although
the Atlantic Ocean separates him from his family members, Sutton
maintains they were instrumental in his decision to choose UCLA
over South Carolina and Virginia Tech.
“It came down to comfort level,” Sutton said.
“He and his family just felt like UCLA was the best
fit.”
As an honor roll student at Montervade, academics played an
important role in influencing Mbah a Moute’s decision.
According to Sutton, he has aspirations of following his
father’s footsteps and pursuing a career in accounting.
With one of its two Cameroon recruits committed, UCLA will now
turn its attention to Alfred Aboya, a 6-foot-8 post player. Should
Aboya choose UCLA over Georgetown, it would leave coach Ben Howland
with possibly one more scholarship to give out for next year.
With reports from Jeff Eisenberg, Bruin sports senior
staff.