Charlotte 49ers assistant coach Dalonte Hill departed for Kansas State on Tuesday to join new coach Bob Huggins' staff.

A bigger question remains, however: Will Michael Beasley follow?

Hill, a 2001 Charlotte graduate and former 49ers player, worked extensively on recruiting during his three seasons.

His departure leaves in limbo one of Charlotte's biggest recruiting prizes -- a verbal commitment by high school star Michael Beasley, a 6-foot-10, 220-pound junior at Oak Hill (Va.) Academy.

Beasley, who can't sign a national letter of intent until this fall, also plays for the DC Assault AAU team, with whom Hill served as an assistant coach in 2002 and 2003.

In an interview in January with the Observer, Beasley said Hill was one of several reasons he committed early with the 49ers.

"My friends ask me all the time, `What do you see in Charlotte?' I mean, what I see in Charlotte is the NBA," he said. "I figure if I can go there, I can make it a powerhouse team. I can bring Charlotte to the level of Duke, UNC and Syracuse."

Neither Beasley nor Oak Hill coach Steve Smith could be reached for comment late Tuesday.

Hill, 27, joins Huggins, who sat out this season after accepting a contract buyout from Cincinnati.

Huggins is already busy trying to land top high school talent. Teammates O.J. Mayo and Bill Walker, who play at North College Hill High in Cincinnati, now list Kansas State among their college choices.

Mayo and Walker are ranked by most recruiting analysts among the top five players in the 2007 class. Adding Beasley to that class could arguably make it one of the best ever.

During Hill's tenure as coach at Charlotte, the 49ers went 61-30 with two trips to the NCAA tournament and one National Invitation Tournament appearance.

Charlotte's incoming recruiting class includes the nation's top junior college point guard, Carlos Williams of Wabash Valley Junior College, and high school star David Booker, Mississippi's Mr. Basketball, who committed to the 49ers last weekend.

Charlotte coach Bobby Lutz, whose staff had three former 49ers players this season, wished Hill well.

"Dalonte has matured as a coach over the past three years. He obviously understands how our business works," Lutz said. "I am confident he will be successful at Kansas State."