MacLean Declines to Sign Early as Deadline Passes

Don MacLean, a 6-10 center at Simi Valley High, let Wednesday’s midnight deadline pass without signing an early letter of intent.

MacLean, regarded as one of the nation’s top high school prospects, had narrowed his choices to five colleges--UCLA, Nevada-Las Vegas, Georgia Tech, Pittsburgh and Kentucky. He visited all five during the past six weeks but told Coach Bob Hawking on Wednesday that he wanted to postpone his decision.

“We’ve been talking every day and it’s no surprise that he decided to wait,” Hawking said. “I think it’s a healthy decision for him. I would have hated to see him make a decision just because he’s tired of the whole thing and just wanted to get it over with. I think that shows maturity on his part.”

MacLean’s mother Pat confirmed that her son had chosen to wait and said he was unavailable for comment. “The phone calls have been getting pretty crazy around here,” she said in reference to the recruiting crunch.

MacLean can verbally commit to a school any time but the earliest he can sign is the second week in April.

Hawking said that he expected MacLean’s decision to have little impact on his senior season.

“Now he can go on with things as normally as possible,” he said. “Recruiting will be something he thinks about but it won’t be the main thing in his life like it has been for the past few weeks.”

Hawking criticized the early signing recruiting process, saying it gives a player too little time to make a decision.

“For five consecutive weekends, bang, bang, bang, he went on recruiting trips,” Hawking said. “He really had no time to reflect.”

MacLean is a two-time Times All-Valley player who led Simi Valley to its second consecutive Marmonte League title last season. Simi Valley is 53-5 in MacLean’s two seasons and has reached the Southern Section 4-A Division semifinal and final in successive years.

MacLean averaged 24.7 points and 11.3 rebounds a game last season.