Matos looking to move on, kept out of UNM workouts
Several schools interested, per center’s social media
Whether or not Bayron Matos will be a Lobo next season remains undecided.
But for now, the physically imposing 6-foot-9 post player from the Dominican Republic who announced last month he has entered the transfer portal “is not working out with the team anymore,” New Mexico’s new men’s basketball caoch, Richard Pitino, said Wednesday.
Pitino noted that Matos was out of the country visiting family and entered the transfer portal before meeting the new coach in person. Matos returned to Albuquerque and, despite his being quite public about several other highmajor programs recruiting him, initially was allowed by Pitino to work out with the Lobos.
“I wanted to give him the opportunity to work out because I’d never met him, didn’t know him at all,” Pitino said. “But after you know, two workouts, we discussed that it’s best for him to explore that (transfer process) away from the team. I think it’s fair for everybody.”
Matos, who enrolled at UNM in January 2020 but did not start playing until the 2020-21 season, has posted on social media in recent weeks several messages and photos about programs that have contacted him, and several of late that have offered him scholarships. So, for now, the highly uncommon practice of such a public recruitment taking place while a player is still practicing with a team has come to an end.
Matos averaged 6.0 points and 4.1 rebounds in 18.9 minutes per game this past season, starting in 15 of the 20 games he appeared in, but did not play in UNM’s final two games.
Wednesday, Pac-12 school Washington State offered Matos a scholarship. Matos posted a photo of himself in Lobos gear with a Washington State logo and the words, “Only God plans. Thank you to Washington State for the offer.”
He’s also been offered, according to his Twitter account, by Tulsa, St. John’s, South Florida and Seton Hall, all of which came with photos of himself thanking the opposing school’s coaching staff for the offer.
Asked if Matos could still come back to the Lobos, Pitino said, “I have no idea. He hasn’t made his decision yet.”
PREP SIGNEE: Pitino noted he’s impressed
with November Lobo signee Jamel King, the 6-foot-7 wing from Alabama who played this season at Scottsdale’s Bella Vista Prep.
“Well, he’s all in … and that excites me,” Pitino said. “He’s versatile. He can shoot the basketball, he’s got good length. And he’s very, very eager to be a Lobo. And we need guys like that. We did our due diligence on him, and he’s somebody that’s going to fit our style of play very well.” RECRUITING MYSTERY: Pitino has yet to reel in a new recruit since becoming coach and has no intention of playing out his recruiting practices on social media.
Wednesday he reiterated the program’s recruiting focus will primarily be in the Southwest — he noted Tuesday’s hire of Eric Brown was a big boost on that front in California and Arizona.
But he also knows the transfer portal has changed the geography restrictions of recruiting and wouldn’t comment much on several UNM targets that are transfers from other Division I programs, including several from his old school, Minnesota.
Pitino on Wednesday declined to even confirm when asked by a reporter recruitment of specific players — something the NCAA allows coaches to do as long as they don’t discuss things like a player’s ability, strengths, attributes or potential fit on the team.
As for the players on campus working out and not planning on transferring, Pitino said he remains impressed.
“Our team is not complete by any means, but the ones that are here and working with us every single day are phenomenal kids,” Pitino said.
“… I mean, these guys work their butts off. They’re respectful, they have great attitudes are coachable. You know, we’ve just got some holes to fill, certainly, in the roster. But they’ve been a lot of fun to work with.”