MONTEGO BAY, St James - On the eve of his college career at the University of Louisville, highly-rated Jamaican basketball centre, Samardo Samuels, is keeping his options open as he looks forward to what is expected to be a pivotal period of his sporting career.

Samuels... if opportunity for NBA comes I will take it (Photo: Paul Reid)

Samuels, the former Muschett High student who turned down several highly-rated colleges, including the University of North Carolina, the alma mater of NBA great Michael Jordan and the school that has sent the most players to the NBA, opted for Louisville and coach Rick Pitino.

The Jamaican, who has grown to a massive 6' 8" 235lbs player, migrated to the United States about four years ago after he was discovered during the ISSA/KFC high schools league. He said he had no second thoughts about his choice to go to college instead of opting to go straight into the NBA.

In a recent interview with the Sunday Observer, Samuels - who is on a short vacation here - said, "This is where I want to be.

Growing up in Jamaica I had dreams of going to university and I have the opportunity now to go to a four-year university, and that means a lot."

The player who was rated the top centre among the 2008 high school graduating class, was hesitant to discuss his future past the next four years as he says getting a degree is the priority, but does not rule out any possibility.

"Well I intend to stay all four years, but if the opportunity comes up I will take it of course for my family, but whatever happens I can always get my degree.

"The good thing is you can always go back to get the degree even if you leave and go to the NBA early... my options are wide open," he argued.

Samuels, who was a high school All-American at St Benedicts in New Jersey, said his immediate goal was to make Louisville a better team and to win the NCAA title.

"All the teams I go to all win and I hope I can take this to Louisville as well and go all the way to winning the NCAA championships," he confirmed.

He was full of praise for coach Pitino, whom he described as "the best coach in the whole United States," adding, "I am going to try to learn as much as I can".

Samuels will have his work cut out for him if he is to improve on Louisville's record last season after they advanced to the Elite Eight in the NCAA tournament in April.

While the odds are that he should start immediately due to the departure of forwards Juan Palacios and David Padgett and the retirement of centre Clarence Holloway due to a medical condition, Samuels said he needs to stay humble and earn his place.

"The big guys are leaving and that gives me a good opportunity to come in and start right away, but I'm not looking at it like that, saying because I am an All-American I have to start... my attitude is that I have to work hard like any other freshman that's coming in and we've gotta earn our spot on the team," he said.

He also keeps in constant touch with Pitino.

"We talk all the time about different things. He advised me not to listen to the media; that you got to come in and be like Michael Jordan and try to win everything on your own. We have other good players and you will get the chance to be yourself and no reason to put pressure on yourself."

The young giant, who watched the Reggae Boyz beat the Bahamas 6-0 in a CONCACAF World Cup qualifying game at the Trelawny Multi-Purpose Stadium on Wednesday, said he will forego AAU basketball this summer and instead work at a camp run by Phoenix Suns' NBA all-star player Amare Stoudemire in Phoenix before heading to Louisville late July when summer school begins.

If there is any area where there are any uncertainties it's what course of studies Samuel will pursue.

"I always wanted to do business management, but lately I have been thinking of doing something in communications as well," he told the Sunday Observer.

There is enough time to make this choice, however, but for now, Samuels is keeping an open mind "and just paying full attention to the stuff going on around me and trying to learn from it".

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