Abdul Gaddy, a top 2009 recruit from Tacoma, Wash., says Arizona is "definitely my leader" despite decommitting in May.

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Brandon Jennings' legacy will not be understood for at least one year.

In the meantime, he has work to do. Next week, he will train in front of European scouts in Las Vegas. He could select a European team one week later, said Steve Smith, his former Oak Hill (Va.) Academy coach.

The former Arizona Wildcats 2009 recruit will talk to shoe companies about a contract. They will likely be intrigued by the notion — true or just hype — of Jennings as a trail blazer. Tuesday, he became the first prominent American recruit to bypass college to play overseas for one season.

"You see people, not just shoe companies but other endorsers, they like the guys that are free spirits, pioneers," Smith said.

Maybe the ripples caused by Jennings will turn into waves. Maybe they will not. But NCAA recruits, players, coaches and administrators are watching — and wondering what it means for the sport.

Tacoma (Wash.) Bellarmine Prep guard Abdul Gaddy, the Wildcats' top target for the 2009-10 season, sees a trend.

He calls Arizona "definitely my leader," despite decommitting in May. He does not blame high school stars who look overseas — but said he wants to go to college instead. He hopes to pick a school by late August.

"It's hard to pass up," he said. "What high school kid is going to pass up the opportunity — 'Come over here and we're going to pay you a certain amount of money, a million dollars. And you'll get maybe $2 million in shoe money.'

"If you put that in front of high schoolers, they're going to be, 'All right then.'"

There is no guarantee Jennings will make that kind of money. His value as an endorser hinges on NBA success, and European teams might not want a one-and-done player.

They could be enticed to sign Jennings to a multi-year deal and be guaranteed a buyout by whichever NBA team drafts the Compton, Calif., native in 2009.

Jonathan Givony, president of Draftexpress.com, said there are "only a few players in high school basketball that could go to Europe and have an impact," and those typically have developed bodies and jump shots to play the game's physical style.

The option might appeal to academic non-qualifiers, but "there are very few kids European teams would have any interest in paying," said Greg Hicks, the West Coast recruiting analyst for Scout.com.

Justin Young, a basketball recruiting senior writer for Rivals.com, is surprised it took this long for a player go to from high school straight to Europe before entering the NBA draft the following year.

"Jennings is very much a pioneer — both good and bad," he said. "It's the big question mark now. I'm sure college coaches are having to think about it now."

The Wildcats' response might come full-circle — by finding overseas players themselves.

UA coach Lute Olson has planned on attending the European Championships in Greece later this month. Assistant Mike Dunlap is at the William Jones Cup Basketball Tournament in Taiwan this week.

The Wildcats have two open scholarships for this upcoming season, assuming Olson awards senior walk-on David Bagga with a scholarship.

UA athletic director Jim Livengood said managing scholarships — knowing years in advance who will be on a team — is "next to impossible, a guesstimate on a great day."

He favors a baseball-like system — where players could only declare for the NBA out of high school or after at least two years in college — to take the guesswork out.

He said, "It's way too early" to tell what Jennings' move means for the game.

"If this is being perceived as a new era, I think that's wrong," he said. "It's hard to say. I just know this is not going to go away."

Livengood said a recruiting focus overseas is "another way to address" the issue of players leaving early — or in Jennings' case, not coming at all.

"That doesn't mean that we're going to have teams loaded up with foreign players," he said.

Gaddy could be the next American recruit to come to Arizona, even if playing professionally in Europe becomes a trendy option.

"I'd probably take it," he said, "if I didn't have the guidance I did."