Speedy Claxton Has Hofstra Flying High

Craig “Speedy” Claxton has the name. He’s second in the nation in scoring, so he has the numbers. NBA scouts consider him among the top point guards in the country, so he has the game.

Look around all you want, the only thing you can’t find is his ego.

The 5-foot-11 senior guard from Hofstra has started a cult following of sorts on western Long Island. The Flying Dutchmen officially open their $17.5 million, 5,000-seat Hofstra Arena today, and more than a few people are referring to it as “The House That Speedy Built.”

Telling Claxton that has him turn his eyes away even more than usual, although he did break into a small smile.

“I’m glad I got a chance to be here for the arena. It’s a great place and just another step for the program,” he said. “The PFC is the place we used to call home. We made that a hard place to win and now this is a hard to place to win.”

Hofstra won its last 15 games in the Physical Fitness Center, including a 39-point effort by Claxton in the finale there against Iona. The first four games in the new arena were victories as well.

The official opening against America East rival Delaware is expected to be a sellout, and the indoor fireworks and special ceremonies could be considered a tribute to Claxton for what he’s done over the last four years.

A member of one of New York City’s best high school teams ever at Christ The King -- along with Erick Barkley of St. John’s and Lamar Odom of the Los Angeles Clippers -- Claxton verbally committed before his senior season to Hofstra and second-year coach Jay Wright.

There was a lot of late interest from bigger schools as Claxton and his heralded teammates stayed at top of the national rankings.

“Our players don’t sign letters of intent early to protect themselves in case of injuries or coaching changes,” Christ The King coach Bob Oliva said. “That was a misconception that he was going some place else. Speedy’s handshake is as good as anyone else’s signature, like back in the old days.”

Wright was constantly being reassured by Claxton and his family that he was going to Hofstra, but the doubt was still there. Now, even the worrying has to seem worth it.

“He brought so much with him,” said Wright, a rising star in the coaching ranks who turned down an offer from Fordham last spring. “He was obviously a great player from a great program. He brought some street legend with him and he was also a Long Island kid and they counted him as their own and so did New York City because he played there. The package was bigger than we ever thought of.”

Claxton was third-team all-conference as a freshman and the league’s player of the year as a sophomore. The Flying Dutchmen went 12-15 and 19-12 those two seasons but his effect was being noticed by the players who were suddenly considering Hofstra.