For the recruitniks out there, the commitment of Christian Sanders to Stanford comes as a surprise. It's a loss for Maryland, as Coach Mark Turgeon recruited Sanders for some time and indiciations pointed to UMD as the leader for the Texas combo guard. But here comes the silver lining: Torian Graham.
Graham is by all assessments more talented than Sanders. Sanders though is a heady player with a smooth stroke that could provide a calming influence for the team. I don't think you can say the same with Graham. Rumors and scuttlebutt say he can be temperamental with some academic troubles. But, Graham played some summer league with DC Assault and is said to have a good relationship with UMD assistant Dalonte Hill. Perhaps Hill can provide the leadership Graham needs, and he can maximize his considerable skill in College Park.
Sanders took his academics very serious, and that was surely a factor in his commitment to Stanford. UMD is a good school, but not in the same league. Good for Sanders, if in fact he chose academics over the better hoops program.
Recruiting stays fluid, things change and 18-year-old kids are not the best at making up their minds. If this move goes as some predict, losing Sanders to gain Graham, it could work out very well for the Terps. It's a risk, but Graham's talent make it a risk worth taking.