2025 Recruiting: Acaden Lewis

[Hunt for 7]

I have some quick questions as I have no idea how NIL really works. Seems as some of you do.

If a school has wealthy donor/alum say the richest person in the world. Net worth more than $80B.

Could that donor just contribute $30M a year to their school NIL collective?

Are there any limits? Or is the market just on its own setting the values these kids are looking to get paid?

 

[HooperScooper]

When, other than 2004, have we had multiple highly ranked recruits that won a NC? It's not the rankings that matter, it's the matter within the heads of the recruits and transfers that leads to championships.

What counts as "highly ranked" in your definition?

1999 - Rip and Khalid were both McDonald's All Americans. Kevin Freeman and Ricky Moore were both top 35 or so. Rashamel Jones and Edmund Saunders were also both pretty highly ranked recruits (not sure exactly where they were ranked).

2011 - Kemba and Alex Oriakhi were both McDonald's All Americans. Roscoe Smith was around 35. Jamal Coombs-McDaniel was around 50 and Jeremy Lamb and Shabazz Napier were around 75 (not sure those 3 would be "highly ranked" for your definition).

2014 - DeAndre Daniels was top 10-20. Omar Calhoun was top 40 or so. Ryan Boatright was around top 50-70. And Shabazz was around 75.

 

[Rich]

I have some quick questions as I have no idea how NIL really works. Seems as some of you do.

If a school has wealthy donor/alum say the richest person in the world. Net worth more than $80B.

Could that donor just contribute $30M a year to their school NIL collective?

Are there any limits? Or is the market just on its own setting the values these kids are looking to get paid?

Yes they can give as much as they please.
Price is what the market will bear. Kids are free agents.

 

[UCTitleTown]

What counts as "highly ranked" in your definition?

1999 - Rip and Khalid were both McDonald's All Americans. Kevin Freeman and Ricky Moore were both top 35 or so. Rashamel Jones and Edmund Saunders were also both pretty highly ranked recruits (not sure exactly where they were ranked).

2011 - Kemba and Alex Oriakhi were both McDonald's All Americans. Roscoe Smith was around 35. Jamal Coombs-McDaniel was around 50 and Jeremy Lamb and Shabazz Napier were around 75 (not sure those 3 would be "highly ranked" for your definition).

2014 - DeAndre Daniels was top 10-20. Omar Calhoun was top 40 or so. Ryan Boatright was around top 50-70. And Shabazz was around 75.

I seem to recall DeAndre being #8.

 

[HooperScooper]

I seem to recall DeAndre being #8.

#10 on Rivals was the highest. #16 on Prepstars was the next highest.

RSCIhoops - 2011 Final

2011 Final

sites.google.com

 

[ec33]

The kid wanted a Blue Blood and didn't want to worry about PT, which made Kentucky the easy choice in the end.

At least for now.

 

[Son of Robert]

What counts as "highly ranked" in your definition?

1999 - Rip and Khalid were both McDonald's All Americans. Kevin Freeman and Ricky Moore were both top 35 or so. Rashamel Jones and Edmund Saunders were also both pretty highly ranked recruits (not sure exactly where they were ranked).

2011 - Kemba and Alex Oriakhi were both McDonald's All Americans. Roscoe Smith was around 35. Jamal Coombs-McDaniel was around 50 and Jeremy Lamb and Shabazz Napier were around 75 (not sure those 3 would be "highly ranked" for your definition).

2014 - DeAndre Daniels was top 10-20. Omar Calhoun was top 40 or so. Ryan Boatright was around top 50-70. And Shabazz was around 75.

Pretty sure Rashamel Jones was like 27th, I think Saunders was top 50 or so.

 

[Muddler]

I just read an article from a Kentucky paper that said Pope is rolling beating out Duke and UConn for Lewis. Actually, Duke and UConn got commitments from 5 stars over 4 star Lewis. It makes for a great take for Kentucky, but I laughed out loud. It was either commit to Kentucky or reopen his recruitment like Bundalo.

Pope got Lewis for one reason: Lewis waited too long, and his options dried up. From what I heard, Kentucky was not choice number 1. It is a tricky game for both schools and recruits and just as there is a risk of committing early, there is also the risk of waiting too long.

 

[RuffRuff]

Pope got Lewis for one reason: Lewis waited too long, and his options dried up. From what I heard, Kentucky was not choice number 1. It is a tricky game for both schools and recruits and just as there is a risk of committing early, there is also the risk of waiting too long.

Part of Hurley’s evaluation seems to include going after kids that show conviction they want to be part of his program.

Not only did Acaden lose out on the best experience, but his UConn video would have been so much cooler. I’m still waiting on Furphy’s! Cmon UConn social media team!

 

[superjohn]

Pretty sure Rashamel Jones was like 27th, I think Saunders was top 50 or so.

Edmund was 4th team parade All-American. 10 guys on each team so top 40. He was a pretty big deal in high school. Has had his own monthly diary in Slam Magazine which was huge at the time. He was going to probably go to UCLA but Harrick left and Kentucky was the other option. He didn't really want to go to UConn and Calhoun and him weren't really a fit on the court together. I think Edmund thought he should be more than a rebounder and screen setter, there is probably something to that as he had a pretty nice jumper. He had one more year of eligibility but I think Calhoun and him agreed it was time to move on.

 

[superjohn]

Pope got Lewis for one reason: Lewis waited too long, and his options dried up. From what I heard, Kentucky was not choice number 1. It is a tricky game for both schools and recruits and just as there is a risk of committing early, there is also the risk of waiting too long.

It was a domino game with recruiting guards this year. Everyone seemed to think Meleek Thomas was going to UConn early but he never pulled the trigger. Acaden Lewis seemed to want UConn but Darius Adams really wanted to come here and Hurley wanted him so that took us out of the mix for both. I think Hurley envisions a team where everyone can shoot at a high clip/efficiency and Adams will be in the Tristen Newton role. Hurley was a bit late on Mullins but as he was blowing up Hurley fell in love with him and sees him as an elite shooting guard, he wasn't losing him to homestate Indiana. The big land was Reibe because it was stiff competition with some serious programs who were on him a long time and we needed an anchor at center.

Basically it was going to work out great with guard recruiting no matter what because several top kids wanted to come here and Hurley got the kids who were dead set on wanting to be a part of this. Furphy is just icing on the cake, that kid isn't an elite athlete but he can play, he's not at all a throw in. He's going to he very good and I don't think it will take until his upperclass years like Dauster said. If you can play you can play.

 

[boog204]

Edmund was 4th team parade All-American. 10 guys on each team so top 40. He was a pretty big deal in high school. Has had his own monthly diary in Slam Magazine which was huge at the time. He was going to probably go to UCLA but Harrick left and Kentucky was the other option. He didn't really want to go to UConn and Calhoun and him weren't really a fit on the court together. I think Edmund thought he should be more than a rebounder and screen setter, there is probably something to that as he had a pretty nice jumper. He had one more year of eligibility but I think Calhoun and him agreed it was time to move on.

Edmund was a top ten guy up until his senior year, I think. From seeing Edmund around campus I am not surprised in the least that he, at times, butted heads with JC. Seemed to be two very different personalities. JCs offense, at the time, didn't really feature the big men. Their job was to screen for our scorer, play D, and get boards. I think Edmund had a lot more to his game than that so I get why he may have been a bit pissed. I mean, we saw KFree go through the same thing where he thought his game was stifled. Of course, it turned out KFree had no business being a 3.

 

[Scrutineer]

What counts as "highly ranked" in your definition?

1999 - Rip and Khalid were both McDonald's All Americans. Kevin Freeman and Ricky Moore were both top 35 or so. Rashamel Jones and Edmund Saunders were also both pretty highly ranked recruits (not sure exactly where they were ranked).

2011 - Kemba and Alex Oriakhi were both McDonald's All Americans. Roscoe Smith was around 35. Jamal Coombs-McDaniel was around 50 and Jeremy Lamb and Shabazz Napier were around 75 (not sure those 3 would be "highly ranked" for your definition).

2014 - DeAndre Daniels was top 10-20. Omar Calhoun was top 40 or so. Ryan Boatright was around top 50-70. And Shabazz was around 75.

Just my musings on how many great players 04 had but what I failed to mention was how the 06 team failed to achieve what we all believed was going to be automatic and it wasn't due to a lack of talent.

My main point (that I didn't make very well) was what's between the ears and in the heart can take you a long way. Tristen Newton and Cam Spencer are two examples of low or unranked players achieving greatness.

On paper and in the rankings, the 06 team should have easily won the NC but they were outplayed and outhustled.

There were great players on the teams you mentioned but not as many highly ranked as on the 04 team. What they had for the most part was the heart and will to win.

 

[Scrutineer]

Edmund was a top ten guy up until his senior year, I think. From seeing Edmund around campus I am not surprised in the least that he, at times, butted heads with JC. Seemed to be two very different personalities. JCs offense, at the time, didn't really feature the big men. Their job was to screen for our scorer, play D, and get boards. I think Edmund had a lot more to his game than that so I get why he may have been a bit pissed. I mean, we saw KFree go through the same thing where he thought his game was stifled. Of course, it turned out KFree had no business being a 3.

A knowledgeable guy I know who saw KF play a lot in high school games said he would have been a great shooting guard or small forward but sacrificed to play power forward for JC. Said he was a great shooter in high school and, while we all know that doesn't always translate at the next level, he felt he could have been at UConn as well. Of course, we'll never know.

 

[7774]

A knowledgeable guy I know who saw KF play a lot in high school games said he would have been a great shooting guard or small forward but sacrificed to play power forward for JC. Said he was a great shooter in high school and, while we all know that doesn't always translate at the next level, he felt he could have been at UConn as well. Of course, we'll never know.

?? We do know, as boog mentioned, we tried it KFree's senior year and it didn't go well.

 

[uconnfan68]

Edmund was 4th team parade All-American. 10 guys on each team so top 40. He was a pretty big deal in high school. Has had his own monthly diary in Slam Magazine which was huge at the time. He was going to probably go to UCLA but Harrick left and Kentucky was the other option. He didn't really want to go to UConn and Calhoun and him weren't really a fit on the court together. I think Edmund thought he should be more than a rebounder and screen setter, there is probably something to that as he had a pretty nice jumper. He had one more year of eligibility but I think Calhoun and him agreed it was time to move on.

Saw Edzilla in hs, and saw him get outplayed by a 6'3" kid. Thought he was a little lazy, but it seemed like JC showed him how to light that fire. He absolutely could have been in the league with his talent. It just shows what work ethic means.

 

[superjohn]

Edmund was a top ten guy up until his senior year, I think. From seeing Edmund around campus I am not surprised in the least that he, at times, butted heads with JC. Seemed to be two very different personalities. JCs offense, at the time, didn't really feature the big men. Their job was to screen for our scorer, play D, and get boards. I think Edmund had a lot more to his game than that so I get why he may have been a bit pissed. I mean, we saw KFree go through the same thing where he thought his game was stifled. Of course, it turned out KFree had no business being a 3.

Waterbury basketball was fun back then...

 

[Jbirdp5]

Waterbury basketball was fun back then...

Undefeated Norwalk beat Edmund to knock him out of the states in a great game.

 

[Son of Robert]

Great team, Saunders was rockin.

 

[HooperScooper]

Interesting article that Nan posted in the "UConn in the News, Nov 19" about Lewis's recruitment. He was ready to commit to UConn until his father stepped in. Sounds like his father really wanted him to go to Kentucky. No big deal but it's always interesting to me to hear what happens with recruiting that we usually don't hear about.

“He was not going to Kentucky without ever seeing them practice. He had seen Duke practice multiple times. Same with UConn. He had been to USC multiple times. But he had never seen Pope run a practice even though Pope had built an incredible relationship with him,” Lewis’ father said. “His choice was going to be UConn.”

Kentucky almost lost signee Acaden Lewis to UConn

Kentucky coach Mark Pope had no idea he was so close to losing top 40 recruit Acaden Lewis to Connecticut.

www.state-journal.com

 

[CardiacAndre7]

Interesting article that Nan posted in the "UConn in the News, Nov 19" about Lewis's recruitment. He was ready to commit to UConn until his father stepped in. Sounds like his father really wanted him to go to Kentucky. No big deal but it's always interesting to me to hear what happens with recruiting that we usually don't hear about.

“He was not going to Kentucky without ever seeing them practice. He had seen Duke practice multiple times. Same with UConn. He had been to USC multiple times. But he had never seen Pope run a practice even though Pope had built an incredible relationship with him,” Lewis’ father said. “His choice was going to be UConn.”

Kentucky almost lost signee Acaden Lewis to UConn

Kentucky coach Mark Pope had no idea he was so close to losing top 40 recruit Acaden Lewis to Connecticut.

www.state-journal.com

Said it before, he is going to be really great, another one of those players I think is vastly underranked. Good luck to him.

 

[superjohn]

Interesting article that Nan posted in the "UConn in the News, Nov 19" about Lewis's recruitment. He was ready to commit to UConn until his father stepped in. Sounds like his father really wanted him to go to Kentucky. No big deal but it's always interesting to me to hear what happens with recruiting that we usually don't hear about.

“He was not going to Kentucky without ever seeing them practice. He had seen Duke practice multiple times. Same with UConn. He had been to USC multiple times. But he had never seen Pope run a practice even though Pope had built an incredible relationship with him,” Lewis’ father said. “His choice was going to be UConn.”

Kentucky almost lost signee Acaden Lewis to UConn

Kentucky coach Mark Pope had no idea he was so close to losing top 40 recruit Acaden Lewis to Connecticut.

www.state-journal.com

It's nice when the dad is involved but it should always be up to the kid. I'm glad it worked out the way it did and we got Braylon and Darius instead.

 

[BGesus4]

Nothing wrong with Pope being the DLeague for UConn

 

[boog204]

Interesting article that Nan posted in the "UConn in the News, Nov 19" about Lewis's recruitment. He was ready to commit to UConn until his father stepped in. Sounds like his father really wanted him to go to Kentucky. No big deal but it's always interesting to me to hear what happens with recruiting that we usually don't hear about.

“He was not going to Kentucky without ever seeing them practice. He had seen Duke practice multiple times. Same with UConn. He had been to USC multiple times. But he had never seen Pope run a practice even though Pope had built an incredible relationship with him,” Lewis’ father said. “His choice was going to be UConn.”

Kentucky almost lost signee Acaden Lewis to UConn

Kentucky coach Mark Pope had no idea he was so close to losing top 40 recruit Acaden Lewis to Connecticut.

www.state-journal.com

Put this on Rupp Rafters and watch them lose their minds...

 

[Tyler2Rings]

Pope's a good coach. I'm a Hurley guy but Acaden couldn't go wrong on this one