Marquette Recruiting, Zach Smart

CLASS OF 2011 INTRO: WAYNE BLACKSHEAR

Blackshear near the top of loaded Chi-town class of 2011 studs

By Zach Smart

Smack in the middle of high school, sophomore year is hardly a time to start worring about colleges.

Instead, worries over social scenes, girlfriends, groupies, homework and perhaps fighting for burn behind a four-year senior guard are typically thrust to the forefront.

For Wayne Blackshear, a blossoming 6-foot-5, 215-pound guard forward at Curie HS in Chicago, college is down the road.

The All-American whose common blend of strength, agility, versatility, court sense, and selflessness has emerged as one of the nation’s top prospect.

Blackshear, who’s being actively pursued by a number of top-tier Division-1 programs–LSU, USC, Kentucky, Kansas and Marquette to name a few–remains focused on the task at hand.

“I don’t really pay attention to it,” said Blackshear, who runs with the well-traveled Mac Irvin Firw on the AAU circuit.

“You can talk, but you got to perform on the court so you can back it up. That’s what I try to do every night, go out there and play like I do every night.”

Every night, opposing coaches remind players that this is the latest standout to come to fruition in the windy city that breeds ballers.

Blackshear didn’t start hooping until four years ago, but he wasn’t the work-in-progress who can’t run the floor and chew bubble gum at the time.

He’s got God-given talent and understands how to use his strength and athletic gifts to his advantage.

He’s the kid that dropped 22 points and snared nine boards despite getting in early foul trouble. He’s the kid who enters the gym first, yet exists dead last.

He’s the kid who’s a pretty accurate depiction of a full package. He can dishN rebound, score, and strap up scorers.

Teams know who the babyfaced Blackshear is the moment he enters the gym. He’s the kid Morgan Park tried to put the clamps on by sitting in a box-and-one defense.

Blackshear still managed 14 points, and his teammates were beneficiaries of his presence. He dealt out five assists, grabbed six boards and blocked five shots, each one as mammoth as the next, en route to the victory.

“The win was especially gratifying because it was against my AAU coach,” said Blackshear, who’s got the facial features of Glen “Big Baby” Davis.

The Cha-town kid speaks softly but carries a big stick on the court.

“He’s just getting so much thrown at him, right away,” said coach Mike Oliver, who serves as a father figure and 24-7 mentor to the neophyte.

“He’ll become a great player, no doubt about it by the time he’s a junior and senior.”

Oliver continued, “He’s a special player, but right now we’re wanting him to be more aggressive and to be that leader.”

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