Recruit changes mind; he'll go to UW instead of USC

The University of Washington has taken a big, and somewhat unexpected, step toward solving its point guard woes by getting a commitment from Venoy Overton of Franklin High.

Overton, a 6-foot senior, had been committed to USC but said Monday he is changing his mind and will sign with UW in April.

"I just did a lot of thinking over the last few weeks that this would be the best thing for me and my family," Overton said.

Overton committed to USC last September but did not sign an official letter of intent.

While the Huskies appear to be full of scholarships for next season, Overton said he will be on full scholarship.

UW had had troubles at point guard this season with sophomore Justin Dentmon struggling.

Overton said the opportunity to make an immediate impact at that spot played a big role in his decision to change his mind.

"They said they really needed a point guard," Overton said.

Overton said UW "was always my top choice" but that "I just got caught into that whole USC thing" when he committed to the Trojans last September.

Overton said another factor in changing his mind was "I'm not sure about the playing time and how packed in it is there and how I would fit in. I feel it's a better fit for me at UW."

USC's recruiting class includes guard O.J. Mayo, considered by some as the top high school player in the country.

"Now I get to play against him," Overton said.

Overton said he made the announcement Monday so he can concentrate on playing in the state tournament for Franklin.

"I wanted to get this out of the way so I could just play basketball," he said.

Overton was named to the Star Times team last week after averaging 21.7 points and 5.7 assists this year for Franklin, which is 21-2 and the top-ranked 4A team in the state.

Overton said he talked with USC coaches to tell them the news. "It was tough, but they understood," he said.