In the spring, Selby transferred to Lake Clifton, where he’ll finish his high school career. As a senior, he’ll join the defending Class 3A state champion Lakers. Herman Harried’s squad lost Memphis-bound standouts Will and Antonio Barton, who will finish their high school careers at different prep schools, plus big man Cleveland Melvin and point guard Jason Sharp. Selby will have the opportunity to run the show, much like he did all summer long on the AAU circuit.

 Playing primarily with Nike Baltimore Elite, Selby quickly emerged as one of the top point guards in the nation for the 2010 class. A consensus top 10 prospect in the country, Selby had his way with the nation’s best. But it wasn’t long before controversy surfaced again.

 In July, Selby withdrew his commitment to Tennessee (an adidas school), the program he pledged to 10 months earlier. Soon after, reports surfaced that Witherspoon had met with William Wesley at the LeBron James Skills Academy in Akron, Ohio earlier that month. Worldwide Wes’ longtime associations with Nike and Kentucky coach John Calipari resulted in an all-out media frenzy.

 Witherspoon said it was a casual conversation, noting that Wesley simply recommended Selby work with a track coach for speed training. Selby also had a brief exchange with Wesley at the National Basketball Players Association Top 100 camp in Charlottesville, Va.

 Both claimed that the de-commitment had nothing to do with Nike or Wesley -- who sources say was actually approached by Witherspoon -- and everything to do with wanting to look at other schools. Selby only considered Tennessee and Louisville the first time around, so there was a desire to see what else was out there. Still, the damage was done. Selby was suddenly being portrayed as the poster boy for all that’s wrong with college basketball.

 “The controversy is more surprising because people are not telling the truth,” Witherspoon said. “I think it’s been frustrating more so than difficult because everyone’s speculating that a shoe company is the reason we opened his recruitment up. … So I actually don’t read [reports on Selby anymore]. You Google ‘Josh Selby’ … and you have people saying he’s been to six different schools. He hasn’t been to six different schools. As a parent, I’m the one they should be bashing. I’m the adult, and Josh is not a bad kid. He’s a kid that lives in the gym. Josh would rather be playing basketball and getting better.”

 Selby carries himself with a swagger, refusing to let anyone see him in a vulnerable state. On the court, preserving that ever-stoic façade is simple. It’s the only place he feels respite from the critical outside world. But that’s not to say those public condemnations aren’t bothersome.

 “They don’t know that we don’t have transportation,” Selby said. “They don’t know what I came from. They don’t know what type of life I was living. They don’t know any of that. For them to judge me just because I’ve transferred from some schools, that’s crazy, to criticize a kid like that. They said I got expelled from DeMatha, but that’s not true. They don’t know about me, but it’s already written. It’s already on Google.”

 Selby dealt with the criticism as one might expect: he immersed himself in basketball. Shortly after the Tennessee controversy broke, Selby suited up for Baltimore Assault -- an adidas-sponsored AAU program -- in Las Vegas. Despite a slew of college coaches and media watching, Selby blocked out all other distractions.

 “That was my safety zone, on the court,” Selby said. “With basketball, there’s no pressure. I’m in my own world.”

 A who’s who of powerhouse programs have made inquiries to Selby’s camp since his breakup with Tennessee, including Kentucky, Connecticut, Syracuse, Memphis, Kansas, Florida and several others. Selby said he’ll consider any school that shows interest, but in reality, the aforementioned programs and others of their stature are the most likely destinations. Selby and Witherspoon both said that they’ve learned to expect criticism, no matter what course of action is taken.

 “It don’t matter which decision we make,” Witherspoon said. “If we don’t pick an adidas school, they’ll say Nike has something to do with it, and if we don’t pick a Nike school, they’ll say adidas has something to do with it. [People will say] ‘maybe she got paid by adidas.’ So I’m in a catch 22 no matter what school Josh picks. We can deal with all the bad publicity that he’s gotten so far. We have our heads up, and we can deal with anything else.”

 Returning to high school in Baltimore will remove Selby from the national radar, and bring back a sense of normalcy in his life.

 “I’m very excited for that,” Selby said. “I missed high school because not only do I want to play, but I want to go to high school and get to college so I can get closer to my dream.”

 With all the time on the road this summer, plus nights at home in Rosedale, conversation between Selby and Witherspoon often turns to that dream. Draft night is often discussed, and Selby already has an outfit to wear in mind.

 When that day comes to pass, it’s likely that basketball will be the singular focus in Selby’s life, and all the controversy of this summer will be long forgotten.