Bordow: Marvin Bagley III leaving Corona del Sol no surprise

When I went on Twitter early Monday evening and found out that Marvin Bagley III had announced he was leaving Tempe Corona del Sol to play at Hillcrest Prep, one of those basketball academies that has opened in Phoenix, I was neither surprised nor disappointed.

I figured it would happen.

Over the weekend azcentral sports reporter Richard Obert wrote a story saying Bagley’s dad, Marvin Bagley Jr., had joined Hillcrest’s coaching staff, and that Marvin’s little brother Marcus, a 6-foot-4 8th-grader, would play for Hillcrest’s national team.

Marvin Bagley Jr. said of his son, “As of now, Marvin likes Corona and wants to stay there.”

As of now.

Right then I knew he was gone.

This is what’s happening in high school basketball, I guess. Before Bagley’s decision, guard Markus Howard left Gilbert Perry to play for Findlay Prep in Las Vegas. Frankly, I’m amazed guard Alex Barcello is still at Corona. Doesn’t he know it’s passé to play for your high school team?

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What bothers me is the we-didn’t-do-anything-wrong posture of these basketball academies. Hillcrest coach Nick Weaver told Obert that Hillcrest won’t pursue Arizona players. No, but it hired Bagley’s father and put his little brother on the national team. If that’s not recruiting, what is?

As for Bagley, I’m sure, like Howard, he wants to play at the highest level possible to get ready for his college career. I guess that makes sense for him. But it stinks for Bagley’s teammates at Corona and the new coach, Neil MacDonald, who must feel like he just got punched in the gut.

It’s a new day, though.

The team comes second.

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