amore: stone update

[BigErnMcCracken]

staff time at this point in process would be better spent bringing a frontline juco or intl jones who can stick the j from 17 and be in storz for minimum 3 yrs

I kind of agree. I think that rather than continue to recruit kids who might come here the staff should just sign a Ju-Co or international big man who can shoot jumpers and plans to spend three years in college. I would also add that he should have a well-developed post-game, the passing instincts of Marc Gasol, and be a lock-down post defender. I think they should also add a 6-5 to 6-7 wing who can handle like a point guard and shoots upwards of 50% from three.

Can you please get a note to the staff advising them to drop all this "recruiting" nonsense and just sign one or both of those guys? I think you've really hit on something here.

 

[Gurleyman]

I kind of agree. I think that rather than continue to recruit kids who might come here the staff should just sign a Ju-Co or international big man who can shoot jumpers and plans to spend three years in college. I would also add that he should have a well-developed post-game, the passing instincts of Marc Gasol, and be a lock-down post defender. I think they should also add a 6-5 to 6-7 wing who can handle like a point guard and shoots upwards of 50% from three. Can you please get a note to the staff advising them to drop all this "recruiting" nonsense and just sign one or both of those guys? I think you've really hit on something here.

Trying to think of who has had success by mining the JuCo ranks. Cleanthony Early from Wichita State, certainly. Marquette found some guys there. We have Okwandu and Cassell, who were at least 3-year guys. Heck, Okwandu might be the only JuCo to win a ring since Larry Johnson (I'm sure there's been another role player like Okwandu along the way). But Chap wants us to join the A10, so clearly he's not very interested in winning titles.

 

[Chief00]

I think Kevin has to do too much of the assistant level recruiting so you don't have that marker where the head coach then takes over and closes the deal. In my view it's not so much Ollie could close better it's the foundational work that someone else should do so Kevin can focus on closing.

 

[Scot-e]

Can someone tell me about this kid?- never heard of him.

 

[superjohn]

Can someone tell me about this kid?- never heard of him.

6'10 center from Milwaukee, #5 in class overall and #1 center. We've been recruiting him for a long time and he is our #1 priority. Many have thought we were the favorites for a while, some seem to think the hometown Badgers are the favorite right now. Everyone says it's between us and Wisconsin but the he has said recently he won't sign until the Spring when most of the reports said he would have decided by now. Oh yeah, you know exactly who he is you bastard!

 

[pnow15]

Ollie cut down nets. Ollie cut down the nets. 95% of college basketball coaches never get to do that.
Of course he is a closer.

 

[jibsey]

I think Kevin has to do too much of the assistant level recruiting so you don't have that marker where the head coach then takes over and closes the deal. In my view it's not so much Ollie could close better it's the foundational work that someone else should do so Kevin can focus on closing.

I could not disagree more. If we were in a p5, KO has him locked up already more than likely. We are trying to get him to come to our conference so he can play Tulsa. ACC- BigTen Challenge? That's for suckers, he would rather play all his meaningful games in November and December. The fact that we are even in this vs Wisconsin at this point is a miracle, and I give KO and his staff kudos for that. I am amazed that KO has what he has at this point with next year's class which will undoubtedly improve, but I'm pretty sure they can't do more or better than what they've done with Stone.

 

[David 76]

I don't think there is a person on this forum who doesn't think we are incredibly lucky to have KO and we all know he deserves a ton of kudos.
Yet, every time someone suggests looking at our recruiting process, people react like they are not loyal enough to KO. I know nothing about recruiting kids for basketball. But I do know that every organization that is committed to excellence continually looks to improve every aspect of their organization.
So it is good to entertain the thought that we can improve our recruiting. Not because of the possibility of losing Stone to home state U. Not even because of losing 2 small forwards to "lesser" programs. But because you continually look to improve.

 

[Hoophound]

I could not disagree more. If we were in a p5, KO has him locked up already more than likely. We are trying to get him to come to our conference so he can play Tulsa. ACC- BigTen Challenge? That's for suckers, he would rather play all his meaningful games in November and December. The fact that we are even in this vs Wisconsin at this point is a miracle, and I give KO and his staff kudos for that. I am amazed that KO has what he has at this point with next year's class which will undoubtedly improve, but I'm pretty sure they can't do more or better than what they've done with Stone.

I think people should stop talking about the conference as a detriment. Nobody that matters mentions it. The AAC was good last year and we play some good OOC games. We are on tv constantly. I don't think we should keep bringing it up and making news out of it. Kids that come to play at UConn will be on TV a lot, more than almost anywhere else. They will be coached by one of the best, brightest and nicest guys in all of college sports.

 

[Fishy]

If you don't think the conference is a detriment, holy cow, I don't know what you're thinking.

Can we recruit with the likes of Arizona, Syracuse, NC State, Florida State, etc., right now? No.

Are they better programs? No.

Sooooo...where do you think the problem is?

 

[Chief00]

I don't believe Stone is going to WI. We will see.

 

[Paesano]

If you don't think the conference is a detriment, holy cow, I don't know what you're thinking.

Can we recruit with the likes of Arizona, Syracuse, NC State, Florida State, etc., right now? No.

Are they better programs? No.

Sooooo...where do you think the problem is?

The main problem is that they are taking the escalator and we are taking the stairs. Hell, some of them are on the Willy Wonka express elevator.

 

[Chief00]

No doubt conference is a huge drag on recruiting - that is very true.

 

[Kitaman]

No doubt conference is a huge drag on recruiting - that is very true.

Its a valuable source of fuel for outside conference coaches to use and exploit like hell.

"who would you rather play Tulsa or MSU?" or "name me 4 teams in the AAC", etc.. So much good material for them to use. Ollie has such an uphill battle with this league.

 

[TyroneShoo]

Was in Milwaukee this weekend and a local guy who is neither a badger nor Uconn fan said, " you're from CT, Uconn fans must be happy they're probably going to land a kid named diamond stone from here". He is Very well connected to Marquette folks (and Milwaukee things)but Not the kind of guy I'd have expected to be up to speed or bring up Badger recruiting stuff. Might just be the local vibe. I don't have a horse in this race and can't vouch for the quality of the source but just something I heard from a local sports fan.

 

[Hoophound]

If you don't think the conference is a detriment, holy cow, I don't know what you're thinking. Can we recruit with the likes of Arizona, Syracuse, NC State, Florida State, etc., right now? No. Are they better programs? No. Sooooo...where do you think the problem is?

I think making threads about it incessantly on our own board is the definition of stupid. Pointing it out every single day on the board when it is never talked about on national tv or anywhere else recruits will see it is detrimental to the cause. While the conference doesn't help, SMU and Memphis are recruiting, we have done pretty darn well, and our roster is full of young guys (unfortunately, none can shoot). The AAC is not the reason Diamond Stone hasn't committed yet. Is it the reason we didn't get Mack or Jones? Maybe, but it could also be Purvis, Hamilton, Calhoun, Cassell, Samuel and Adams that gave them pause.

I think a far better point to make around here, especially in regard to football recruiting, is that we need admissions to give us a little more slack right now. There is more academically marginal talent out there to have. Let's make up for conference affiliation by taking some of those guys and tutoring the holy hell out of them. I complain about the AAC too and I totally understand your concerns. However, we are creating media fodder and raising concern for recruits on an issue that really isn't an issue at this point. Last season was fun, the games were mostly entertaining and the crowds were good. Most importantly, we are on TV all the the freakin time. That is very big for these guys. We need to sell what we have not what we don't have.

 

[donyell34]

Johnny Selvie and I wish we could get another Johnny. Scour the JC landscape and go big time international. Just need a big and a wing how hard can that be. Only kidding I know how hard that can be. Need a Neil's to fall into our lap.

 

[Kembacity]

I think Kevin has to do too much of the assistant level recruiting so you don't have that marker where the head coach then takes over and closes the deal. In my view it's not so much Ollie could close better it's the foundational work that someone else should do so Kevin can focus on closing.

Maybe we can get Walter Raymond on the staff as an assistant next year. Wouldn't be bad to have superstar and best 3 point shooter in NBA history telling you to come to UConn and then have the staff follow that up with the superstar young NCAA coach who has won a ring to close the deal

 

[Hoophound]

Maybe we can get Walter Raymond on the staff as an assistant next year. Wouldn't be bad to have superstar and best 3 point shooter in NBA history telling you to come to UConn and then have the staff follow that up with the superstar young NCAA coach who has won a ring to close the deal

I've travelled a lot for work in the past, I quickly lost interest. I can't imagine a guy with Ray's wealth viewing being an assistant as appealing. It is a lot of miles and overnights away from home. When you can literally do anything you want with your time, that's not very appealing.

 

[pj]

Yes. Hardly anyone says Gonzaga can't recruit, or isn't a good destination for a recruit, because of its league, yet UConn fans think a little thing like realignment can sabotage our status. Stop denigrating our own school. If fans repeat it enough, recruits might start to believe it. Negative recruiting from competing coaches is not as credible as negative recruiting from a school's own fans.

 

[Walker11]

Yes. Hardly anyone says Gonzaga can't recruit, or isn't a good destination for a recruit, because of its league, yet UConn fans think a little thing like realignment can sabotage our status. Stop denigrating our own school. If fans repeat it enough, recruits might start to believe it. Negative recruiting from competing coaches is not as credible as negative recruiting from a school's own fans.

Sure, we can recruit like Gonzaga while in the AAC but who wants to recruit a a mix of 3 and 4 star talent when you are the defending national champions with arguably the best and most likeable young coach in the country?

 

[jibsey]

I've travelled a lot for work in the past, I quickly lost interest. I can't imagine a guy with Ray's wealth viewing being an assistant as appealing. It is a lot of miles and overnights away from home. When you can literally do anything you want with your time, that's not very appealing.

Ray is too much of an intellectual and achiever to not do something else in life. The travel in college hoop is not like the NBA so it's more like getting out of the house, but as much of an icon that he is, I don't see him as a second banana. Can he graft his jumper onto our player's arms?

 

[CL82]

If you don't think the conference is a detriment, holy cow, I don't know what you're thinking.

Can we recruit with the likes of Arizona, Syracuse, NC State, Florida State, etc., right now? No.

Are they better programs? No.

Sooooo...where do you think the problem is?

I think that I'll wait until the Spring signing period to concede that we can't recruit with the likes of Arizona, Syracuse, NC State, Florida State, etc., and likely not even then. I'd love for Stone to end up in Storrs, but the sun will still come up the next day if he doesn't come here.

 

[intlzncster]

you don't have to subscribe, just need to create an account to read- it's free.

Heck, there's ways to read it without even doing that.

 

[intlzncster]

Have you forgotten where you are? If he doesn't choose us it should be considered nothing less than the seventh sign of the apocalypse and the eternal damnation of our basketball program.

I think a lot of people will want to just say "next".

Problem is that there is no "next".