2009 Ed Daniel - Moving on
Posted by Brooks
After May of this year, Hayes High School in Birmingham, AL shut its doors for the final time. With the closing of Hayes, many of the top local talents in Birmingham have now been dispersed across the city. Ed Daniel, class of 2009, is one of those players.
Daniel is rated as a three-star prospect by Rivals.com and is considered to be a highly underrated prospect by many within the Birmingham hoops scene. One local assistant coach I spoke with recently said, "Daniel is a guy that is not as valued as he should be. He's a kid who works hard, is a tremendous athlete and knows what his role is on the floor."
Ed Daniel is listed at 6-foot-7, 210 pounds and has a freakish ability to spring off the floor with the best athletes in the 2009 class. In terms of Ed's goals for his senior season, he told me that he wants to "raise [his] stats up to 25 points, 15 rebounds, 7 blocks and 6 assists a game".
As a local Birmingham guy, I feel the need to get guys like Daniel a little more exposure. He is definitely the type of player that can make an impact where he lands. Despite the fact that Daniel is best known as Demarcus Cousins' cousin, there are many more things about his game that make him noteworthy in his own right. Look for Daniel to move on from Hayes High School and put a big stamp on his new team, Woodlawn High School, as a senior.
Short Q&A with Ed Daniel
BH: What all have you been up to this summer?
ED: "Nothing but playing AAU. I played at the Battle at the Bluff [and the] Bluff City Classic."
BH: What was your favorite moment?
ED: "When we were in Orlando, I sent us into overtime by hittin' a shot."
BH: Which player did you enjoy facing up against this summer the most?
ED: "I really wanted to match up with Xavier Henry, but we didn't make it far enough."
BH: So Hayes High School shut down? Where are you headed next year?
ED: "Woodlawn...[coached by] Demetrius Turner."
BH: Who else from Hayes is headed to Woodlawn with you?
ED: "Nothing but playing AAU. I played at the Battle at the Bluff [and the] Bluff City Classic."
BH: What was your favorite moment?
ED: "When we were in Orlando, I sent us into overtime by hittin' a shot."
BH: Which player did you enjoy facing up against this summer the most?
ED: "I really wanted to match up with Xavier Henry, but we didn't make it far enough."
BH: So Hayes High School shut down? Where are you headed next year?
ED: "Woodlawn...[coached by] Demetrius Turner."
BH: Who else from Hayes is headed to Woodlawn with you?
ED: "Christopher Davis, Eric Brown, and Jenkins
BH: Where is Eric Bledsoe going?
ED: "Eric is at Parker."
BH: What’s the number one thing you want to accomplish during your senior season?
ED: "Raising my stats to 25 points, 15 rebounds, 7 blocks and 6 assists."
BH: What aspect of your game do you need to work on the most?
ED: "Dribbling."
BH: What spot do you feel like you'll play in college?
ED: "The 2 and the 3."
BH: What is your role when you step on the floor?
ED: "To keep my teammates together and to never give up on the team. Always keep the team up."
BH: Who is your favorite player?
ED: "NBA, Lebron James….college, Chris Douglas-Roberts."
BH: What schools are recruiting you the hardest?
ED: "Southern Illinois, South Alabama, UT Chattanooga, Murray State, University of New Orleans."
BH: What’s the number one thing you want to accomplish during your senior season?
ED: "Raising my stats to 25 points, 15 rebounds, 7 blocks and 6 assists."
BH: What aspect of your game do you need to work on the most?
ED: "Dribbling."
BH: What spot do you feel like you'll play in college?
ED: "The 2 and the 3."
BH: What is your role when you step on the floor?
ED: "To keep my teammates together and to never give up on the team. Always keep the team up."
BH: Who is your favorite player?
ED: "NBA, Lebron James….college, Chris Douglas-Roberts."
BH: What schools are recruiting you the hardest?
ED: "Southern Illinois, South Alabama, UT Chattanooga, Murray State, University of New Orleans."
BH: Is UAB not recruiting you?
ED: "Yeah, UAB is recruiting me but not as hard as everyone else."
BH: Would you be interested in staying home to play?
ED: "Yeah, UAB is recruiting me but not as hard as everyone else."
BH: Would you be interested in staying home to play?
ED: "Yes sir."
BH: What schools are YOU interested in the most?
EB: "Murry State, UAB, SIU, Southern University."
BH: If you could go to ANY school, what school would you go to? Your dream school?
EB: "Tennessee – cause when we used to go to play in their AAU tournament it seems like there was a lot to do out there."
BH: Do you have a timeline on when you’re going to make a decision?
EB: "Probably will verbally commit in November but sign in April."
BH: What’s your favorite part about being a high profile recruit?
EB: "Going to the campus and viewing their sites. Getting to know the schools better."
BH: What’s your least favorite part?
EB: "8-9 phone calls a day, hah."
BH: How often do you get bugged for interviews?
EB: "This is probably about the 5th time."
BH: What’s in your iPod?
EB: "Lil Wayne, Weezy, Gucci Mane, Rick Ross…and Young Jeezy"
BH: What is one thing you are looking forward to the most about going to college?
EB: "Just to get out and be on my own."
BH: Tell the readers one thing about Ed Daniel that sets you apart from everyone else...
EB: "I am probably the smallest, hard working big man there is."
BH: What schools are YOU interested in the most?
EB: "Murry State, UAB, SIU, Southern University."
BH: If you could go to ANY school, what school would you go to? Your dream school?
EB: "Tennessee – cause when we used to go to play in their AAU tournament it seems like there was a lot to do out there."
BH: Do you have a timeline on when you’re going to make a decision?
EB: "Probably will verbally commit in November but sign in April."
BH: What’s your favorite part about being a high profile recruit?
EB: "Going to the campus and viewing their sites. Getting to know the schools better."
BH: What’s your least favorite part?
EB: "8-9 phone calls a day, hah."
BH: How often do you get bugged for interviews?
EB: "This is probably about the 5th time."
BH: What’s in your iPod?
EB: "Lil Wayne, Weezy, Gucci Mane, Rick Ross…and Young Jeezy"
BH: What is one thing you are looking forward to the most about going to college?
EB: "Just to get out and be on my own."
BH: Tell the readers one thing about Ed Daniel that sets you apart from everyone else...
EB: "I am probably the smallest, hard working big man there is."
Finally, when I asked Ed if Demarcus Cousins' destination had any influence on where he went to school, he said, "Yessir...I mean, he wants me to come to where he's going to school...it's just gonna have to work out."
