Lance climbs up the ladder, then down it.

Talented?  Undoubtedly.  Head case?  It appears so.  Enigma?  Too many rhetorical questions.

In a rare sign that college coaches may actually have a conscience about the character of the players they recruit, Arizona has announced that their roster is full and they are not interested in Lance Stephenson.  Kansas and Kentucky have reportedly filled their starting back courts with players that have come back to school.  That basically leaves Maryland and St. John’s as the front runners.  Although St. John’s might have a local edge on the NY player, Maryland has a much bigger program of late and would provide the blue chip with a much larger stage to showcase his pro talent.

Stephenson’s coachability is still a major question.  I don’t think he’s a fit for the combustible Gary Williams.  The only thing that works is that he is clearly a one-and-done player, and with Vasquez likely to come back to school the Terps would have one of the top back courts in the nation for next year.  If Williams lands Stephenson he would permanently get the media off his back regarding blue chip recruits, although this might be a “for better or for worse” scenario.

For now, it appears as though the Terps might actually be in the driver’s seat to win the Lance Stephenson sweepstakes.  Let’s recognize that it would be a circus with Lance in town, but a circus can be very entertaining.  Stephenson would make Maryland an instant contender for 2009.  It’s just one year baby.  One year.

Just one thing Lance: Please take your own SATs.