2020 Recruiting: Cam Thomas Update

[superjohn]

We went to visit Josh Gray at PSA last night. If we can't even close on Cardwell, there's no way you can chalk this class up as anything but an L on paper. Hurley's done a lot with a little in terms of talent his whole career, but this class is going to be a downgrade from 2019's, and that wasn't the intent.

That's what's concerning. We haven't gotten all these officials and some things should shake out in October but we seem to getting involved with reaches, especially at big. This is going to be a small 2-3 player class and with the Big East announcement I thought we would kill it, it seems to be the complete opposite.

If we can't get our first 2 or 3 options to fill a small class with what should be momentum at our backs, we've got big problems.

 

[CL82]

I posted this awhile back, but no one on this staff has ever brought top 50 talent to their previous teams except for Tom Moore and that was when he was at UConn the first time. If Hurley can't pull in a single top 100 kid in this class, that would be a red flag.

I view this differently. We are a program that is coming off of 3 losing seasons. The fact that we're in the conversation for so many top recruits speaks extraordinarily well for the staff. Being in the hunt is half the battle.

Now we just need to close.

 

[superjohn]

I think you might well be right. How much playing time will they get right away with that class in front of them.

We basically have no proven big time players coming off losing seasons and we're talking about a fear of playing time? We should routinely be getting big time classes, we're UConn with a new coach and back in the Big East.

 

[businesslawyer]

This is sports. The only thing that proves who can do the job are results. So yes, if they do whiff on one of our most important classes in this coaching tenure, it's a giant red flag. Who cares what someone's perception of another's ability to do the job is if the results aren't there?

So you weren't just asking. You were pretending you were asking when you want blood.

Yes, of course results matter. But the point is that statistical means and deviations are such that firing someone because they miss on one recruit, or even a few recruits in one year, is stupid because it doesn't tell you (absent combining it with Hurley's observations) about how he will do next year. It takes a few cycles to be able to judge based on numbers.

 

[superjohn]

I view this differently. We are a program that is coming off of 3 losing seasons. The fact that we're in the conversation for so many top recruits speaks extraordinarily well for the staff. Being in the hunt is half the battle.

No it doesn't...being named by top kids means nothing, it's all about closing. We didn't close on Kofi and because of it we got nothing at big. We don't seem to be trending in the right direction currently on this class.

Other schools have shown they can come off of sucking, get a new coach and they kill it in recruiting. Memphis has the #1 class in the country.

 

[kansashusky]

We went to visit Josh Gray at PSA last night. If we can't even close on Cardwell, there's no way you can chalk this class up as anything but an L on paper. Hurley's done a lot with a little in terms of talent his whole career, but this class is going to be a downgrade from 2019's, and that wasn't the intent.

There more for Jaylen than Gray. Also its a short ride from Storrs and a good place to continue a good relationship. I wouldn't read too much into it.

 

[kansashusky]

No it doesn't...being named by top kids means nothing, it's all about closing. We didn't close on Kofi and because of it we got nothing at big. We don't seem to be trending in the right direction currently on this class.

Other schools have shown they can come off of sucking, get a new coach and they kill it in recruiting. Memphis has the #1 class in the country.

I hate doing it, but completely agree here. KO made a lot of top 7s and 5s. Doesn't do any good. Need to close.

 

[navery12]

There more for Jaylen than Gray. Also its a short ride from Storrs and a good place to continue a good relationship. I wouldn't read too much into it.

Who is Jaylen?

 

[CL82]

No it doesn't...being named by top kids means nothing, it's all about closing. We didn't close on Kofi and because of it we got nothing at big. We don't seem to be trending in the right direction currently on this class.

Other schools have shown they can come off of sucking, get a new coach and they kill it in recruiting. Memphis has the #1 class in the country.

Lol, Hardaway is hardly the norm.

So your point is essentially that if you want win you've got to be the first guy across the finish line, which is indisputably true. My point is before you can do that you have got to be in the race.

 

[navery12]

Lol, Hardaway is hardly the norm.

So your point is essentially that if you want win you've got to be the first guy across the finish line, which is indisputably true. My point is before you can do that you have got to be in the race.

I think the point is we've been in the race, if we just wanted to be in the race we never needed to move on and hire Hurley. In that sense nothing has changed, we need to start closing

 

[BackAftaThis]

So you weren't just asking. You were pretending you were asking when you want blood.

Yes, of course results matter. But the point is that statistical means and deviations are such that firing someone because they miss on one recruit, or even a few recruits in one year, is stupid because it doesn't tell you (absent combining it with Hurley's observations) about how he will do next year. It takes a few cycles to be able to judge based on numbers.

Lol disagree completely. But you're getting way too worked up about a forum post about the topic. So we're going to agree to disagree on this topic.

 

[superjohn]

Lol, Hardaway is hardly the norm.

So your point is essentially that if you want win you've got to be the first guy across the finish line, which is indisputably true. My point is before you can do that you have got to be in the race.

And my point is that's nonsense, plenty of programs that never win a thing bring in studs. I went through this the other day with a couple of posters.

 

[CL82]

I think the point is we've been in the race, if we just wanted to be in the race we never needed to move on and hire Hurley. In that sense nothing has changed, we need to start closing

Shrug. Inability to close wasn't KO's only problem.

We're in the hunt until we're not. For a lot of schools being named for these kids would be viewed as a positive. I view it a positive for 2nd year coach for a program that hasn't sniffed a tourney birth for three years.

I laugh at what a short memory this board has. Remember Bouknight, Gaffney and Akok? Somebody got them across the finish line. Way, way too early to be worried about this staff.

 

[CL82]

And my point is that's nonsense, plenty of programs that never win a thing bring in studs. I went through this the other day with a couple of posters.

Okay. Duly noted.

 

[navery12]

Shrug. Inability to close wasn't KO's only problem.

We're in the hunt until we're not. For a lot of schools being named for these kids would be viewed as a positive. I view it a positive for 2nd year coach for a program that hasn't sniffed a tourney birth for three years.

I laugh at what a short memory this board has. Remember Bouknight, Gaffney and Akok? Somebody got them across the finish line. Way, way too early to be worried about this staff.

Worried about the staff? Absolutely, way too early and by no means am I advocating firing anyone.

Way too early to be disappointed in this class? Right now, yes. 2 months from now if we still have nobody, not at all. You said it yourself, last year's class was tremendous, we should be building on that now

 

[JimHurley]

I think the point is we've been in the race, if we just wanted to be in the race we never needed to move on and hire Hurley. In that sense nothing has changed, we need to start closing

I wouldn’t go this far. We hired Hurley because we needed a head coach that was actually capable of coaching basketball. The recruits will come. Let’s not forget we’ve missed 3 tournaments in a row. We’re not exactly a hot name right now, but Hurley will get us there.

 

[UConnStats]

There more for Jaylen than Gray. Also its a short ride from Storrs and a good place to continue a good relationship. I wouldn't read too much into it.

That’s your assumption.

Cliff is basically a lost cause, so hopefully Gray is just a second option to Cardwell, who they really shouldn’t miss on.

 

[navery12]

I wouldn’t go this far. We hired Hurley because we needed a head coach that was actually capable of coaching basketball. The recruits will come. Let’s not forget we’ve missed 3 tournaments in a row. We’re not exactly a hot name right now, but Hurley will get us there.

I mean, yeah it was an exaggeration. Didn't want to derail the thread with tons of nuance, just saying we were in the mix before as well

 

[UCDaveD]

NOT GREAT!

 

[Dabutlerdidit]

There are no consequences in the NCAA payola program. Not now and likely not ever again for the P5. It's a checkers and chess thing when it comes to SEC money and non/low paying institutions. Kids are getting the message through their friends, coaches, and AAU network that "everyone's doing it!" and are jumping on board. And I don't blame them. It sucks but the playing field is now forever tilted.

This appears to be the issue.

 

[intlzncster]

No. Other schools got involved and muddy water. Heard staff is making another hard push to make up ground. Might come back in play, but at this moment outside looking in.

Seems our rep has taken way more of a hit than many here have given credence to.

 

[UConnTrumbull]

It’s getting to the point where it’s not even worth following recruiting. If we can’t get top 50 players over nouveau riche southern schools then we’re not competing for titles any time soon.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Seems our rep has taken way more of a hit than many here have given credence to.

Oh absolutely. We've been terrible and every school we recruit against is using that against us. Short memories? Sure, but these kids were in 6th or 7th grade when we last won a title. We need to crack the top 25, be seen at in the scrolling scores of top teams. That's relevance. The injuries kept us from the post-season last year, and I think that hurt Hurley's efforts.

I think we are being too quick to blame money, rather than acknowledge the hole we put ourselves in. A school like UConn cannot get away with losing in the way even an Oklahoma State can. We are more like Gonzaga in that regard. If we don't make some real noise with wins, right now in 19-20, we are going to make Hurley's job difficult.

We'll get some players. I have to believe we'll get a couple we like and need.

 

[auror]

Seems our rep has taken way more of a hit than many here have given credence to.

Then how did we get last year's class? This year's class should have built on that momentum + added the Big East move momentum (this year's class will never play in the AAC). Throw Carlton's improvement in there, we should be able to recruit a big into the infinite amount of playing time we'll have.

 

[Chief00]

Have to wonder if DH's back issue and surgery inhibited our efforts a bit. Nothing we could do about that and if that's the case, I have to believe we'll get better news with him back out there.

#thegrind

Of course, it did not help but no one will ever admit it for some reason.