This is really happening: Aquille Carr headed to Europe

Forgive the skepticism when it comes to the next move for Aquille Carr.

The 5-foot-7 (maybe) Baltimore point guard is a highlight-a-minute, mix tape king who has put up big numbers throughout his high school career. He poured in 27.6 points per game as a senior at Princeton Day Academy (Lanham, Md.) and led Patterson (Baltimore) to a state title as a junior.

Carr now plans on taking his game to Europe. The Washington Post reported Thursday that he will be represented by agent Johnny Foster of Capital Sports.

Van Whitfield, his coach last season at Princeton Day (and an incredible story in his own right after surviving a year-long battle with Swine Flu), contends that Carr is on the right track despite a chain of events that could give pause to teams overseas.

"He has a truly unique skill set," Whitfield said of Carr. "How often have we seen this in basketball? Someone of his size and stature with the ability to compete at the highest level?"

His talent, skill, quickness and scoring ability are undeniable. But 2012 was a troubling year for the "Crimestopper" – a nickname he received for his ability to draw everyone off the streets to come watch him play, and thus reduce the criminal element locally.

Carr spent time at four different schools in the span of eight months. He left Patterson for The Patrick School (Elizabeth, N.J.) in March in an effort to get his academics in order. That stay lasted only a couple of months before returning to Patterson.

As the 2012-13 season approached he was on the move once again, this time to Florida powerhouse Arlington Country Day (Jacksonville).

Carr's time in the Sunshine State was short-lived. Opting to be closer to home, he returned to Maryland and enrolled at Princeton Day. The school was on his radar due to a relationship with Chris Thomas, a hoops prodigy from Denver, who has seen his path to the Division I level blocked by off-court issues.

In addition to the flurry of transfers, Carr made an ill-fated January commitment to Seton Hall and was arrested in August on assault and reckless endangerment charges that were eventually dropped.

Aside from an entertaining showdown with 2013 top prospect Andrew Wiggins in December at the National High School Hoops Festival, Carr's time at Princeton Day was relatively uneventful.

"He was a pleasure to have and a really good teammate," Whitfield said. "It often gets lost when you are such a high-level player, but he brought such a high IQ to the game. Aquille has such a high understanding of the game."

Whitfield says he has received multiple calls from European clubs expressing interest in his star pupil. That claim would seem to be substantiated by an invite to the prestigious adidas Eurocamp, which will be held June 8-10 in Treviso, Italy.

The event is considered a key showcase opportunity for NBA hopefuls outside of the United States. Past participants include Serge Ibaka, Danilo Gallinari and Nicholas Batum.

"There are a lot of teams interested in seeing him up close," Whitfield said. "He has offers as it stands right now but he wanted to go and showcase himself against the very best. He will pleasantly surprise everyone with what he will achieve."

Seven 2012 Eurocampers were selected in the NBA Draft, including first round pick Evan Fournier.

The two most notable examples to take the European route straight out of high school are Brandon Jennings and Jeremy Tyler – both Southern California products.

Jennings played at Dominguez (Compton, Calif.) and Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) (earning MaxPreps National Player of the Year honors at the latter) before spending a year in Italy with Lottomatica Roma. He was a lottery pick in the 2009 NBA Draft and after four years in Milwaukee is considered one of the most promising young point guards in the league.

Tyler, a 6-10 post player who bypassed his entire senior year of high school at San Diego, played in Israel and Japan before being taken in the 2011 NBA Draft by Charlotte. He appeared in 20 games for Golden State this season before being traded to Atlanta in February.

Carr's transition doesn't come without concerns.

"Basketball is about to become a job," Whitfield said. "My concerns are what they would be for any young man making such a bold transition.

"How do you process it? How do you handle the responsibilities of the workplace, deal with life off the court and the culture shock. This is a young man going from east Baltimore to potentially a place like Italy or Germany."

If all goes well, Carr would be eligible to enter the 2014 NBA Draft. Don't count out the kid already credited with lowering the crime rate in Baltimore.