Three weeks ago, Nerlens Noel narrowed his list of schools to Syracuse, Kentucky and Georgetown.

Noel, the No. 1 recruit in the Class of 2012, will make his decision Wednesday.

The 6-foot-10, 205-pound center from Tilton School in Tilton, N.H., will choose where he will attend school and play basketball next season at 7:30 p.m. in a live telecast on ESPNU.

Shabazz Muhammad, a small forward who is the No. 2 player in next year’s freshman class, will also make his decision during the telecast. Muhammad is deciding between Kentucky, Duke and UCLA, according to an article published by ESPN on Tuesday.

Noel, who was compared to Anthony Davis, Kentucky center and NCAA Player of the Year this past season, is known most for his shot-blocking ability. He was originally a member of the Class of 2013, but reclassified in February to reach college next year.

The Orange has the No. 11 recruiting Class for 2012, according to Scout.com. Noel would be the third player in Syracuse’s incoming freshman class. Center DaJuan Coleman, of DeWitt, and power forward Jeremi Grant, from Hyattsville, Md., committed to SU in the fall. Coleman is ranked as the No. 6 center and Grant the No. 7 power forward in the class, according to Scout.com

Although the Orange does have Coleman coming in next season, Noel would help fill the void left at center by Fab Melo, who declared for the NBA Draft on April 5.

mcooperj@syr.edu

Published on April 10, 2012 at 12:00 pm

Contact Mark: mcooperj@syr.edu | @mark_cooperjr