There were three options Stanton Kidd considered when it came to his college basketball future.
The Edmondson senior could: wait until later this summer in hopes of an improved SAT score and a Division I scholarship; attend prep school for a year, get a better test score and then move on to college; go to junior college, play two years and transfer to a four-year school.
On Sunday, Kidd decided on the third option. He faxed his letter of intent to South Plains College in Levelland, Texas on Tuesday.
"Me and my father sat down," Kidd said. "And he said, 'There's nothing wrong with JUCO. You can do one year of prep, but JUCO is two years of regular college courses. They'll give you the experience [to make sure] you're ready to go to a four-year university. [At junior college you're] going to classes and taking care of your own responsibilities.' ... I want to be at school. We [would have had to] pay for prep school, and I wanted to go somewhere for free." Kidd, a 6-foot-7, 205-pound small forward, averaged 19 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks for Edmondson as a senior. A first-team All-Metro selection and team captain, Kidd led the Red Storm to their first Baltimore City championship. He received Division I interest from Delaware, Delaware State, Morgan State and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.
The South Plains staff discovered Kidd at the Pittsburgh Jam Fest last month, where he was playing with the Crusader Nation AAU team. While Kidd hasn't visited the school, he was impressed with the high-major schools that regularly recruit South Plains. Texas is a long way from home, but Kidd said he's ready for the journey.
"It's going to be a new experience to get away from home," Kidd said. "It's best to get away and experience what college is all about. It's only two years, then I'll leave again to a university, but it's not too much to worry about. I've been training [for college basketball] since AAU at six years old. ... So it feels good [to have made my decision]. It makes my senior year go by much easier now. I don't have too much to worry about."
Baltimore Sun photo of Stanton Kidd by Kenneth K. Lam / March 17, 2010