Oliver looking forward to making an impact

Say you went on a recruiting trip to one the most storied programs in college basketball history with your high school teammate. It's a visit to a university that one of the top players ever at your alma mater starred at earlier this decade. And a few days later, this teammate you've had since first grade commits – thus following tradition.

Wouldn't the likelihood of you winding up there too have just as good of odds as Ashley Judd appearing courtside, game in, game out at Rupp Arena? Not when you're Adrian Oliver.

A prolific scorer as a combo guard at Modesto Christian High School in California, Oliver opted for the unconventional route when it came to his justification for choosing Washington over Kentucky. He said no to joining teammate and childhood buddy Michael Porter in the Modesto Christian-to-Lexington pipeline – which started with Chuck Hayes (now with the Houston Rockets) five years ago.

Oliver, who committed to Washington four days after visiting in May of 2005, had been to the Bluegrass state just a week prior. But with a deep connection between Lorenzo Romar and Oliver's family, the choice to stay closer to home was solidified even more for the 81st-ranked prospect in the Class of 2006. (Romar, with strong spiritual roots, was the guest speaker at the Crusaders' varsity basketball banquet at the conclusion of Oliver's senior season.)

Now, the Husky coach will see first-hand the level of dedication that accompanies Oliver to the floor. With a Michael Jordan-like work ethic and an off-season regimen dripping of discipline, Oliver's loving the fact that summer ball is already here. "With three (Quincy Pondexter, Phil Nelson, and Oliver) of the four (Spencer Hawes, who was playing for the U-18 national team) new guys here earlier than normal, it speeds up the process," said Oliver last week after torching the nets during pickup games at UW.

Oliver's also enjoying his summer routine: "I'm waking up and playing basketball day. If I wasn't here (doing that), I'd be playing at home." He failed to finish that sentence, leaving out a little word called weightlifting. Constantly pumping iron when he's not hitting the hardwood, the 6-3, 187-pounder is his worst critic: "I'm trying to perfect every aspect (of my game) and working every day. Because at this level, it's faster."

All this hard work has paid off for Oliver – who has a wingspan of a player half a foot taller. "I have NBA range now," he said. Oliver, the most gifted scorer that Modesto Christian coach Gary Porter has ever coached, is a slasher extraordinaire with both a mid-range game and a propensity to connect from deep.

This whole package, along with a Brandon Roy-esque basketball IQ (according to Romar), makes you wonder how Oliver has sort of been the forgotten one in this simply stellar recruiting class. Or how there can be talk that he won't hardly see daylight as a freshmen buried at the bottom of the Washington pool of guards.

But the mature-beyond-his-years Oliver is OK with all the nonsense. He doesn't need the attention he rightfully deserves. Rather, his focus is "to bring my drive and my will to win."

Winning is something Oliver fully expects during his Husky tenure. And he's not expecting to wait very long – even if the likes of Roy and Bobby Jones (both in The League), along with Jamaal Williams and Mike Jensen all are gone. "There's not a drop-off at all," he said. "We'll surprise a lot of people. There's so much talent on this team. It's scary what we can do."

A couple cohorts whom have impressed the wide-eyed freshman thus far are nearby Fresno-product Pondexter (his roommate come fall) and sophomore forward Jon Brockman. "He's the best (on the team) in the open court," said Oliver about Pondexter. "And I didn't realize Jon was that big and that good."

Similiar statements of shock and awe may be made about Oliver come about February, when the second half of Pac-10 play begins and he has gotten adjusted to life at the next level. Then it may be Tubby Smith scowling, wondering what might have been.