COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Romeo Weems can’t relate to his peers who, in addition to putting forth supreme effort this weekend at USA Basketball Men’s Junior National Team Minicamp, have to rack their brains over which college they’ll ultimately pick.
Weems got the latter out of the way in May when he committed to DePaul and said times like these make him happy that his concentration can remain laser-focused on the hardwood.
“It just feels great to have that out of the way,” said Weems, a forward at New Haven (Mich.) High School. “I just couldn’t imagine still having to go through that right now. I have other things I am working on.”
Weems is fresh off of surgery to repair bone chips in his shooting elbow.
Unbeknown to most, he played his entire high school season plus the spring and summer with the injury and only came off physical therapy a week ago.
“I feel the difference big time already,” Weems said. “The thing with me is getting my wind up so that’s what I’m doing here. More than anything it just feels good that I don’t feel pain every time that I shoot. That was the worst.”
Given the full scope of Weems’ health challenges, it makes his production over the last year that much more impressive.
He collected 23.5 points, 10.8 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 4.8 steals and two blocks a game for New Haven last season, including a near quintuple-double – 21 points, 16 rebounds, 12 assists and 10 steals and seven blocks – in a regional title game.
There were rumblings that Weems could reopen his recruitment after a productive summer running with The Family (Mich.) on the Nike EYBL, where he averaged 15.3 points, 7.6 rebounds, 2.4 assists, two steals and two blocks a game.
However, Weems was quick to shut down any thought of him backing out on the Blue Demons.
“I’m 100 percent going to DePaul,” Weems said matter-of-factly. “No teams are still recruiting me and I don’t really care if they are or not because I’ve got my school. I feel at home there, I’ve got a great relationship with the coaches and it’s close to home so my parents can come. Yeah, I’m not going anywhere.”
Follow Jason Jordan on Twitter: @JayJayUSATODAY