Non-UConn recruiting thread

[Coler]

Rooting for UNC.

Also, while I don't care for it in the long run, we've gotten great impact players from the portal the last 2 years, so I'm not worried. Also, I think we'll have a great '25 class.

 

[FormerCTrez]

I knew you were my favorite Canadian poster for a reason.

Haha Haha @Triad

 

[hoopsnloops32]

I just don't see the big deal. In the end the family is going to make the decision based on their personal requirements. If the game did, fine but it's not a tea leaf to read for signs in my opinion.

If you don’t find this out of character announcement odd, that’s your own prerogative.

Interesting final 3. UCONN's roster is stacked next year, but if she's as good as advertised, she has a good shot to start from the get go over Brady/Patterson. The following year (her sophomore year) she'd be in a position to take over as a go to player with Fudd/Bueckers both likely departing. Geno's longevity has to be a question too though, he'll be 75 by the time she finishes her collegiate career.


Duke/UNC has the appeal of staying at home and having Sarah be the hometown hero that takes her program to the next level, in the mold of Caitlin Clark, Juju Watkins or A'ja Wilson. Duke has a young roster coming back and a couple of really athletic incoming recruits as well. They're primed to be a giant in the near future and Strong would be the centerpiece of the team if she commits.

For North Carolina, they're in a similar predicament but not quite as strong on paper. They do have Ciera Toomey as a RS freshman next year too (#4 recruit from 2023) and would be undoubtedly very good with her and Strong in the lineup together.

South Carolina never made sense on paper with Watkins/Kitts ahead of her the next 2 years, and LSU similarly would put Strong behind Morrow on the depth chart for at least her first season.

UConns roster is not stacked next year imo. At least not to start the season. We likely won’t have Ayanna, Azzi or Aubrey until halfway through the season. It’s unclear if Caroline will be good to go next season and if she is, when. Id say there are huge gaps in the front court heading into next season with only Ice and Jana likely rotational players available. The small forward position in particular has a huge whole without CD and Aubrey to start the season. If Strong came to UConn she’s just be competing with Morgan Cheli to start imo.

 

[Geew1992]

Interesting final 3. UCONN's roster is stacked next year, but if she's as good as advertised, she has a good shot to start from the get go over Brady/Patterson. The following year (her sophomore year) she'd be in a position to take over as a go to player with Fudd/Bueckers both likely departing. Geno's longevity has to be a question too though, he'll be 75 by the time she finishes her collegiate career.


Duke/UNC has the appeal of staying at home and having Sarah be the hometown hero that takes her program to the next level, in the mold of Caitlin Clark, Juju Watkins or A'ja Wilson. Duke has a young roster coming back and a couple of really athletic incoming recruits as well. They're primed to be a giant in the near future and Strong would be the centerpiece of the team if she commits.

For North Carolina, they're in a similar predicament but not quite as strong on paper. They do have Ciera Toomey as a RS freshman next year too (#4 recruit from 2023) and would be undoubtedly very good with her and Strong in the lineup together.

South Carolina never made sense on paper with Watkins/Kitts ahead of her the next 2 years, and LSU similarly would put Strong behind Morrow on the depth chart for at least her first season.

Rumors are swirling about players transferring out of UNC.

 

[bballnut90]

Rumors are swirling about players transferring out of UNC.

Interesting tidbit....curious to see what the offseason brings.

 

[Gamecockfan77]

A lineup of Last Tear Poa/Makaylah Williams/Flaujae Johnson/Aneesah Morrow/S'Myah Smith is still top 10 (potentially top 5).

Top 5?

 

[bballnut90]

Top 5?

Potentially, yes. That's a really solid starting 5 and knowing Kim she'll pick up some portal talent too. South Carolina, Texas, Notre Dame, UCONN, USC, Oregon State and UCLA are the other squads that have a ton of talent coming back. Only SC seems like a safe bet at preseason #1, after that I think you could make a case that any of those teams slide in somewhere between 2 and 8.

 

[hornets]

Rumors are swirling about players transferring out of UNC.

That's the word. How true it is I don't know, but its definitely out there. The one guy who copies, and paste info from here, and twitter, that tries to be an insider name Carolina 151, seems to think UNC has an edge with with Strong, but they say that about every major recruit? I wouldn't put nothing into what they say. I'm taking the wait and see approach!

 

[HuskyFan1125]

The interesting thing about UNC is all 5 seniors have an extra year of eligibility and they have several injured that were out for the season that are returning including a top recruit (Toomey).

 

[TN-Gamecock]

Toomey may be good but I don't think she'll be great. She is certainly not going to be a Breanna Stewart type player. They're bench help is weak so if those 5 do depart, UNC will be rebuilding. To build a championship team, it takes a good 3-4 years of top notch recruiting...(Top 5 classes).

 

[TN-Gamecock]

Potentially, yes. That's a really solid starting 5 and knowing Kim she'll pick up some portal talent too. South Carolina, Texas, Notre Dame, UCONN, USC, Oregon State and UCLA are the other squads that have a ton of talent coming back. Only SC seems like a safe bet at preseason #1, after that I think you could make a case that any of those teams slide in somewhere between 2 and 8.

The one I know the least about, and have actually been to their campus is OSU. I would love to see my Gamecocks play the Beavers (ouch)..lol...They just do not get a lot of publicity on the East coast.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Toomey may be good but I don't think she'll be great. She is certainly not going to be a Breanna Stewart type player. They're bench help is weak so if those 5 do depart, UNC will be rebuilding. To build a championship team, it takes a good 3-4 years of top notch recruiting...(Top 5 classes).

Except when it doesn't. Mulkey won a Title in year 2 at LSU. She had very little time to build a team through recruiting, and there wasn't that much there when she arrived. The transfer portal changes everything. Trying to build through it year after year is a crap shoot, but sometimes it works out beautifully.

 

[SCGamecock]

Hoarding the talent!

 

[triaddukefan]

Hoarding the talent!

Just trying to play catch up

 

[BRS24]

Now that Imari Berry has been released from Clemson NLI, here is a past article that listed a few programs and why she made the decision at the time.

https://www.thestate.com/sports/college/acc/clemson-university/article278347009.html

On coach Geno Auriemma and UConn, who offered in July 2022: “UConn, they talked to me for a couple months, then that was it.”​

On coach Dawn Staley and South Carolina, who offered in June 2022: “They called me (to offer), and they barely talked to me afterwards.”​

On coach Kellie Harper and Tennessee, the runner-up in Berry’s recruitment: “I barely talked to most of the coaching staff. I just talked to the head coach.”​

 

[From France]

I would try not for the last roster place but for someone moving on with nearly the same name

 

[Dillon77]

Now that Imari Berry has been released from Clemson NLI, here is a past article that listed a few programs and why she made the decision at the time.

https://www.thestate.com/sports/college/acc/clemson-university/article278347009.html

On coach Geno Auriemma and UConn, who offered in July 2022: “UConn, they talked to me for a couple months, then that was it.”​

On coach Dawn Staley and South Carolina, who offered in June 2022: “They called me (to offer), and they barely talked to me afterwards.”​

On coach Kellie Harper and Tennessee, the runner-up in Berry’s recruitment: “I barely talked to most of the coaching staff. I just talked to the head coach.”​

Thanks for this, particularly when on reads Raoul's post about Berry "narrowing" her list:

 

[southie]

Imari Berry seems to as of late be following players/coaches from Virginia Tech and Syracuse on Instagram, and coaches from Texas. I wonder if she selected the 'DO NOT CONTACT' option when she entered the transfer portal; otherwise, I would have expected to see a lot more school reps "following" her on social media; perhaps they are and I just overlooked it.

 

[Dillon77]

Imari Berry seems to as of late be following players/coaches from Virginia Tech and Syracuse on Instagram, and coaches from Texas. I wonder if she selected the 'DO NOT CONTACT' option when she entered the transfer portal; otherwise, I would have expected to see a lot more school reps "following" her on social media; perhaps they are and I just overlooked it.

That message makes a whole lot of sense and is one of the reasons why I have no trouble with transfers (change in coaching staff -- especially before you start your life as a student.)

Well, on a completely sartorial perspective, if she still likes orange (or burnt orange), Syracuse, Tennessee or Texas would fit right in. With Dyashia Fair and Jewell Spear moving on, there are openings for shooting guards at 'Cuse and Knoxville.

 

[BRS24]

Imari Berry seems to as of late be following players/coaches from Virginia Tech and Syracuse on Instagram, and coaches from Texas. I wonder if she selected the 'DO NOT CONTACT' option when she entered the transfer portal; otherwise, I would have expected to see a lot more school reps "following" her on social media; perhaps they are and I just overlooked it.

Truly not sure if players who signed an NLI and then were released, are required to enter the portal, as they were never a student athlete at the college/uni where they committed?

 

[southie]

Truly not sure if players who signed an NLI and then were released, are required to enter the portal, as they were never a student athlete at the college/uni where they committed?

You are correct. Was getting her confused with a transfer. Just found it odd that only a handful of schools seem to be new follows/followers on social media.

 

[BRS24]

You are correct. Was getting her confused with a transfer. Just found it odd that only a handful of schools seem to be new follows/followers on social media.

Wondering if a few things may contribute to her decision - this season's success of teams not originally on her radar, portal activity, coaching changes, etc?

 

[JeannoCT]

That message makes a whole lot of sense and is one of the reasons why I have no trouble with transfers (change in coaching staff -- especially before you start your life as a student.)

Well, on a completely sartorial perspective, if she still likes orange (or burnt orange), Syracuse, Tennessee or Texas would fit right in. With Dyashia Fair and Jewell Spear moving on, there are openings for shooting guards at 'Cuse and Knoxville.

Is Jewell Spear moving on?? I had not read that.

 

[Dillon77]

Is Jewell Spear moving on?? I had not read that.

Sorry for spreading "disinformation." I thought Jewell was using her Covid year at Tennessee. Not so, this is her senior year. I'm still not used to seeing her in that orange uniform.....maybe I'll get used to it if she hangs around next year, too.

 

[CBus13]

That message makes a whole lot of sense and is one of the reasons why I have no trouble with transfers (change in coaching staff -- especially before you start your life as a student.)

Well, on a completely sartorial perspective, if she still likes orange (or burnt orange), Syracuse, Tennessee or Texas would fit right in. With Dyashia Fair and Jewell Spear moving on, there are openings for shooting guards at 'Cuse and Knoxville.

I wouldn't be super surprised if Maryland or VT were in the picture as well. [Not because of the Orange haha].