Words. Casey Mack

Rodney Purvis is moving on up. The former No. 1 prospect in the national Class of 2013 is giving up that crown to conquer a bigger challenge. Anxious to join the college ranks (and presumably the NBA) sooner rather than later, Purvis has decided to move up to the 2012 senior class.

The 6-3 guard from Upper Room Christian (Raleigh, NC) had reclassified before he began his high school career to gain an extra year of experience. Now with all of the top schools like Duke, Texas, North Carolina and Kentucky after him, Purvis doesn’t want to prolong his college debut any longer than he needs to. MORE >

Words. Jason Jordan

Try as he may, Rodney Purvis has the darnedest time blocking out other people’s expectations of him. Still, when you’ve been dubbed “The Next Big Thing” since you were 13, the microscope is impossible to juke-out, even if Purvis is one of the craftiest guards in the country.

“It’s hard to please everyone,” says Purvis. “That’s why I’m not big on attention.”

He’s well aware that such an early anointment is as much a curse as it is a gift, often times more of the former, and on some level that worries him. MORE >

Words. Jason Jordan

Upper Room Christian Academy (Raleigh, N.C.) point guard Rodney Purvis has decided to switch from the CP3 All-Stars AAU to the Boo Williams Summer League for the upcoming AAU season, because BWSL is allowing him to run the point exclusively.

“At this point, I want to concentrate on being a point guard full-time,” said Purvis, who will run with the 16-and-under team. “I just think it’s important for me to continue to develop.”

That might sound a bit extreme since Purvis is just a 15-year-old freshman, but when you’re good enough to be dubbed “the next John Wall” things have a way of taking off fast. MORE >