Will Romeo Langford choose Indiana, Kansas or Vanderbilt? Sportswriters discuss

Romeo Langford, the No. 1 uncommitted basketball player in the country, will choose between Indiana, Kansas and Vanderbilt on April 30.

Langford could have signed as early as Wednesday, when the NCAA late signing period began, but his father told the Louisville Courier-Journal Wednesday that the announcement will be April 30.

In the meantime, we assembled a roundtable of writers who cover his prospective schools to banter about Langford’s options. Here is the conversation between Indiana beat writer Zach Osterman of The Indy Star, Vanderbilt beat writer Adam Sparks of The Tennessean and C.J. Moore, contributor to The Athletic and co-author of “Beyond the Streak,” about Kansas basketball.

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Sparks: Zach, we originally thought Romeo was going to announce at the McDonald’s All-American Game, but now he’s apparently going to do it from his New Albany (Ind.) High School. Should we read into that location that he’s picking the Hoosiers?

Osterman: Well, IU fans would certainly like to think so! Honestly, no. Langford grew up in New Albany. Depending upon who you believe, he turned down some strong prep school offers to play his whole career in New Albany. His hometown clearly means a lot to him, and I think in terms of location, it’s as much about the sort of cap tip to where he grew up and all the people who have supported him through his career to this point, not necessarily a silent wink at any one school.

Sparks: So if he doesn’t choose Indiana, will Hoosier fans be shocked — putting on biblical sackcloth and mourning in the streets? Or just a shoulder shrug and move on?

Osterman: Oh, they’ll react either way. I certainly think there will be some backlash if he doesn’t pick Indiana. Although the truth is, all of this has kind of happened so fast for IU that I don’t know how long it would last. Indiana wasn’t really a serious player in his recruitment until Archie Miller arrived, so it’s moved quickly for the Hoosiers. Fans would definitely get cranky about it for a while, but they’d also probably start thinking pretty quickly about Keion Brooks and Trayce Jackson-Davis in 2019. Nature of the beast around here.

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Sparks: C.J., out here people tend to believe Romeo will choose the home-state Hoosiers or join Vanderbilt’s blue-chip class, the best in program history, and that Kansas is a darkhorse. Do we have tunnel vision? In other words, do Kansas fans believe they will get Romeo in the end?

Moore: Kansas fans always think they have a shot because Bill Self has pulled some rabbits out of his hat in the spring. (Andrew Wiggins, for instance.) But everyone I’ve talked to in the last year who would have any sort of knowledge about it has said either Vandy or Indiana. I don’t think the disappointment Vandy and IU fans would feel if he went to KU would be felt at Kansas.

Sparks: I think Vandy fans would be disappointed but not shocked if he went to IU. Although, this recruiting class has been a whirlwind. Vandy has never signed a McDonald’s All-American before, and Bryce Drew already has two in this class — and Romeo would be three. At this point, signing Romeo would be mind-boggling, but Vandy fans are starting to believe. But truth be told, I think a lot of Vandy fans are starting to fear that he’s going to IU. Seems to be a few signs of that from their perspective, or just pessimism during a long waiting game.

Sparks: Are you guys impressed by how well Romeo has hidden his feelings, or is he simply undecided to this point?

Moore: I would think he has decided by now, but in recruiting I always remind myself these are 18- and 19-year-old kids. You never know how they think. I do respect the guys who don’t tease fans along the way, I guess.

More: Vanderbilt signees Darius Garland, Simi Shittu recruit Romeo Langford, E.J. Montgomery at McDonald's game

Osterman: I think the big thing is that it’s always felt like he’s kept his circle small. His family has been heavily involved all along the way. Jim Shannon, his high school coach, has been at New Albany for years and isn’t going to betray anything. And Romeo himself is really level-headed and laid back. Just not sure it’s ever been a recruitment where there have been many opportunities for leaks, one reason why I’m more skeptical than ever of the rumors in this one.

Sparks: Zach, it looks like Romeo has gotten the rock star treatment up there. And he seems like a good, sincere kid — signing autographs and posing for photos for an hour or so after games. Will that buzz continue if he signs with IU, and do you think he wants to deal with that type of hero worship?

Osterman: That’s definitely been a big part of the growth of his image in the state as he’s pushed for records this winter; that is, the whole fan interaction piece of it. And he would have to know that, if he does pick Indiana, it will only get more intense when he reaches campus. Would they set up an autograph table outside the home locker room at Assembly Hall? Who knows. But I can’t imagine that environment he already lives in isn’t part of his evaluation of IU. He’d have to know what he’d be walking into if he picked the Hoosiers.

Sparks: At Vandy, he would also get a lot of attention, but not in the same way. It would be more as part of a hyped group rather than a rock star individual — sort of a poor man’s Fab Five feel. He would be a star, but one of three or four stars in this class. C.J., how would he be regarded by Kansas fans?

More: Vanderbilt basketball has spot available for Romeo Langford with two players leaving

Moore: There’s so much attention around KU basketball that he’d definitely get treated like a star, but it would be nothing like Indiana. KU has other guys on his level next year. I think Dedric Lawson is going to be the biggest star on the team whether Langford signs or not. So at KU, he gets the attention but can share it and not be too overwhelmed.

Sparks: So aside from fan reaction, let’s talk about on the court. Vandy went 12-20 last season. Indiana went 16-15. Granted, Vandy and IU should be much better with their incoming strong recruiting classes, and especially with Langford. But Kansas just went to the Final Four. C.J., is winning in his lone college season the best selling point for the Jayhawks?

Moore: I think that and the fact that KU’s guards have had so much success in recent years. For a long time KU was regarded as a big man school under Self. That’s changing after the year Frank Mason had in 2017 and now Devonte’ Graham following it. He’ll get plenty of chances to show off his abilities and also get to play for a winner. There’s no question Kansas will be one of the best teams in the country, and I’m sure he craves playing on a big stage in March. There’s also a big need for him. The one hole on KU’s roster next season is a shooter. He’d fit that need. That’s the KU pitch.

More: What lauded Vanderbilt basketball recruit Romeo Langford said before Saturday's game

Sparks: Zach, how good is IU next season if Romeo signs there and plays only one season as a one-and-done?

Osterman: There are still some other loose ends around the Big Ten, early entry wise. But sort of like Kansas, IU’s got just about everything else it would want to be competitive at the top end of the conference: two capable point guards, wing depth, post depth and an All-Big Ten forward (presuming Juwan Morgan doesn’t leave for the NBA, which would surprise me). It’s maybe a 19-20 win team without Langford, but there is a Romeo-sized hole at the 2, for a player that can hit 3s, drive from the perimeter and give Indiana good inside-outside balance. He’d be counted on to produce volume stats, but I don’t think that kind of responsibility would bother him much. So if he picks Indiana, I think that could position them somewhere in the Big Ten’s top 3-4, with a shot at title contention.

Sparks: If Romeo signs at Vandy, I think they are an NCAA tournament team. (But they should be without him, as well, even in a strong SEC field.) How good could they be beyond that? Not sure. It really depends on whether Bryce Drew can mesh together a lot of new pieces and get freshmen to play well together. This will be a completely revamped — albeit talented — roster. It’s possible, perhaps likely, that four of five starters ultimately will be newcomers. Darius Garland and Simi Shittu are both five-star players. Aaron Neismith is a four-star small forward. Two transfers will join the mix and perhaps start. And Saben Lee, one of the top freshmen in the SEC last season, will start at one of the guard spots. The potential backcourt of Garland, Lee and Langford would make Memorial Gym the place to be every game night. But without Langford, it still should be a pretty good team.

Sparks: Sidenote — Can we all agree not to use “Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?” between now and April 30? Or have we already?

Moore: Done.

Osterman: It’s not even linguistically correct! Wherefore means why, I think.

Sparks: Yeah, I don’t recall much Shakespeare, but I kind of thought that.

Osterman: Won’t stop the headline writers, will it?

Sparks: I was thinking the exact same thing.

Sparks: Who is brave enough to make a speculative prediction? Rank your guess for where Romeo Langford will go from 1 to 3, with 1 being his most likely choice. (Fans, don’t burn us at the stake if we get this one wrong. We’re merely sportswriters.)

Moore: 1. Indiana; 2. Vandy; 3. Kansas. I think it’s hard to turn down a worshipping fan base in your home state.

Osterman: If C.J.’s brave enough, then I am too, dammit. With minimal conviction, I would say the same: 1. Indiana, 2. Vandy, 3. Kansas. He and his family have kept information so tight that I won’t be at all surprised if I’m wrong. But that’s the best forecast I can give.

Sparks: Woah, great minds think alike, or we’re all really really foolish. I’m guessing the same here: 1. Indiana, 2. Vandy, 3. Kansas. Picking IU seems to make sense for obvious reasons. Although, I wonder if the fact that he’s a one-and-done player changes anything. He’d only be at IU for, like, nine months. Vandy offers him a chance to be part of a memorable class in program history. Kansas probably gives him the best chance to win something really big in his lone college season. So I guess what we’re all saying is that it depends on what Romeo values the most — and none of us truly know that.

Osterman: Bingo.

Reach Adam Sparks at asparks@tennessean.com and on Twitter @AdamSparks. Reach Zach Osterman on Twitter @ZachOsterman and C.J. Moore @CJMooreHoops.