Ten-Year-Old Draws NBA's Attention

Jaylin Fleming looks like a star, but is it too soon to recruit him?
By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff
Posted Mar 31, 2010 2:25 PM CDT

Jaylin Fleming is the best 10-year-old basketball player in the country, and if you don’t believe that, just ask the legion of high school, college, and even NBA scouts circling him. “I’ve never seen a kid like this,” gushes the Knicks’ head athletic director. Jaylin’s already worked out with both the Knicks and the Chicago Bulls' Derrick Rose, and he’s visited more than one college. “He’s better than me—that’s what’s crazy about it,” Rose tells the Chicago Tribune.

Some wonder if it’s all moving a bit too fast. “It’s crazy,” says one high school coach. “The good thing is that he has a family that’s going to protect him. But think about the kids who don’t.” Illinois coach Bruce Weber says he wishes he didn’t have to scout 10-year-olds, but given the competition, "I don’t think I have a choice.” Jaylin, for his part, is taking it all in stride. “I’m a humble kid,” he says, “who’s trying to achieve a goal.” (More Jaylin Fleming stories.)

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