C Zach Brown

[tcf15]

If the relationship with shoe companies is as big of a deal as it is made out to be in recruiting, this is probably a good thing for us: http://scouthoops.scout.com/story/1521295-notebook-big-weekend-for-bears

Zach Brown ranks No. 4 overall in the Class of 2017, and the sophomore’s AAU program — the South Beach All-Stars — has been added to Nike’s illustrious EYBL docket.

The center at Miami Beach (Fla.) High “most likely” will play up with the 17s in the actual league play, according to Brown’s guardian, Michael Lipman.

Nike for years dominated with the nation’s top talent, and the EYBL has been a godsend in terms of exposure and marketing clout. That said, Adidas and Under Armour recently launched leagues of their own and have begun to chip away at Nike’s advantage, at least a little.

Thus, bringing an elite big man such as Brown into the fold gives the company’s grassroots operations a shot in the arm.

 

[Jay-Bone]

Recent crystal balls for Brown and Samuels. Add in Waters, Diallo and Japhet and that class is an absolute monster! Covered in just about every position. Wow! Not to mention, Rafus and Pierre. The future is bright my friends.

 

[RipCity]

Recent crystal balls for Brown and Samuels. Add in Waters, Diallo and Japhet and that class is an absolute monster! Covered in just about every position. Wow! Not to mention, Rafus and Pierre. The future is bright my friends.

I think losing on Waters or Diallo would be very disappointing because I love to keep the great local kids who grew up UConn fans, but all of these kids are going to draw a lot more interest by the time they decide. Brown, in particular, will probably have Duke, UNC, Kansas, or Kentucky on him in due time.

 

[Jay-Bone]

I think losing on Waters or Diallo would be very disappointing because I love to keep the great local kids who grew up UConn fans, but all of these kids are going to draw a lot more interest by the time they decide. Brown, in particular, will probably have Duke, UNC, Kansas, or Kentucky on him in due time.

Sure, just like Govan and many before. All signs pointed to us early on, then..... Just saying it looks like we have a nice little pool going with a lot of prospect. Sure it's conjecturing, that's why Ollie's nets are so wide. Include Brown, Jones and Kegler for '16 and we can be well covered with boku talent. Have got to wrap up the local kids.

 

[Matrim55]

Sure, just like Govan and many before. All signs pointed to us early on, then.....

We lost our lead on Govan as we started gaining momentum with Stone. JG saw the writing on the wall (or thought he did, anyway) and went with the school that made it clear he was their No. 1 priority.

It was a miscalculation on Ollie's part, and hopefully a lesson well-learned.

 

[CallMeBruce]

We lost our lead on Govan as we started gaining momentum with Stone. JG saw the writing on the wall (or thought he did, anyway) and went with the school that made it clear he was their No. 1 priority.

It was a miscalculation on Ollie's part, and hopefully a lesson well-learned.

How good would we feel about this recruiting class if we'd managed to hold on to Govan and Ali?

 

[Matrim55]

How good would we feel about this recruiting class if we'd managed to hold on to Govan and Ali?

Most of us would feel great. But there'd still be a large and loud contingent screaming about the fact that we only got a top-50 center and not a top-10, and that we need to force [insert player here] to decommit or transfer because we need another ball-handler.

The Boneyard is not for mentally or emotionally stable fans.

 

[CallMeBruce]

Most of us would feel great. But there'd still be a large and loud contingent screaming about the fact that we only got a top-50 center and not a top-10, and that we need to force [insert player here] to decommit or transfer because we need another ball-handler.

The Boneyard is not for mentally or emotionally stable fans.

That's fair. But I'd feel really good.

 

[Fishy]

Most of us would feel great. But there'd still be a large and loud contingent screaming about the fact that we only got a top-50 center and not a top-10, and that we need to force [insert player here] to decommit or transfer because we need another ball-handler.

The Boneyard is not for mentally or emotionally stable fans.

Just stop already.

And not for nothing, Ollie didn't 'miscalculate' on Jessie Govan and he didn't 'see the handwriting on the wall'.

We never had him. Georgetown was in late on him, got him to take an unofficial visit and then sealed the deal the following week. Govan committed to Georgetown the day after they got another front court kid who was rated a bit higher, Noah Dickerson. (Dickerson eventually bailed to get away from Govan.)

 

[CTBasketball]

Just stop already.

And not for nothing, Ollie didn't 'miscalculate' on Jessie Govan and he didn't 'see the handwriting on the wall'.

We never had him. Georgetown was in late on him, got him to take an unofficial visit and then sealed the deal the following week. Govan committed to Georgetown the day after they got another front court kid who was rated a bit higher, Noah Dickerson. (Dickerson eventually bailed to get away from Govan.)

Govan is a bust. It was like taking a pitch up 3-0 in the count.

 

[Fishy]

How good would we feel about this recruiting class if we'd managed to hold on to Govan and Ali?

In this class, Ali is really the big miss.

Add Ali to what we have coming in and anything past that is gravy.

 

[Fishy]

Govan is a bust. It was like taking a pitch up 3-0 in the count.

Ah, sure.

That's why the staff spent a year on him.

Thanks for the guidance, brainstorm.

 

[UConn990411]

How is it so difficult for some people on here to admit this coaching staff has a recruiting problem?

Either they're doing it wrong or don't have the right staff in place. Or both.

But there's definitely an issue.

 

[Jay-Bone]

In this class, Ali is really the big miss.

Add Ali to what we have coming in and anything past that is gravy.

This is partially why I can't say Ollie is an egregious recruiter. Technically he received verbals from 4 - 4 star kids. Unfortunately one flipped and one got injured.

 

[CTBasketball]

Ah, sure.

That's why the staff spent a year on him.

Thanks for the guidance, brainstorm.

Calhoun spent over a year on Nate Miles. Your point? We also spent about two weeks on DeAndre Daniels...

 

[donyell34]

Fishy a little grouchy today ; must be all that white stuff.

 

[Stainmaster]

Govan is a bust. It was like taking a pitch up 3-0 in the count.

He's a bust before he's played a minute of college basketball. Because he didn't commit to UCONN. Good to know.

 

[CTBasketball]

He's a bust before he's played a minute of college basketball. Because he didn't commit to UCONN. Good to know.

No...have you ever seen him play on multiple occasions? He's unathletic, slow, overweight, a poor rebounder, bad shot-blocker... I could go on. The only reason why he's rated so high is because he's bigger than everyone in high school, and performs slightly under average in AAU.

 

[Stainmaster]

No...have you ever seen him play on multiple occasions? He's unathletic, slow, overweight, a poor rebounder, bad shot-blocker... I could go on. The only reason why he's rated so high is because he's bigger than everyone in high school, and performs slightly under average in AAU.

If he had signed with us this wouldn't even cross your mind. Try to do a better job of masking your sour grapes.

 

[CTBasketball]

If he had signed with us this wouldn't even cross your mind. Try to do a better job of masking your sour grapes.

Actually no I was against signing him from the beginning. Astonishingly, going to watch a kid play tells a lot more than mixtapes on YouTube.

The only thing he has going for him is his size and rudimentary offensive fundamentals - very soft hands.

 

[KembaStepback]

Actually no I was against signing him from the beginning. Astonishingly, going to watch a kid play tells a lot more than mixtapes on YouTube.

The only thing he has going for him is his size and rudimentary offensive fundamentals - very soft hands.

He's what, 14 or 15 years old at this point? I'm sure he'll improve in the next few seasons...

 

[CallMeBruce]

He's what, 14 or 15 years old at this point? I'm sure he'll improve in the next few seasons...

You silly goose, you must think we're talking about the player this thread is supposed to be about!

 

[Fishy]

Here's fat, slow Jessie Govan.

How does he even manage to walk carrying all that weight?!

 

[CallMeBruce]

The best part of that is that the video opens to the fattest man ever choking on his own fourth chin.

 

[Gurleyman]

In this class, Ali is really the big miss. Add Ali to what we have coming in and anything past that is gravy.

I freely admit I could be proven wrong on this, but I'm still not sure Ali answers our biggest problems. Great athlete, can attack the basket, but a below average passer and long-range shooter. He's basically another guy that sounds like he's best suited to the 3, and that's really where Purvis and Hamilton both belong as well in college (and Omar, and SCII, and you could probably even say TSam would fit better there as a defensive stopper/wing passer than a point).

We seem like we targeted the wrong type of players in our final recruiting push in the fall (other than Briscoe, who probably was just waiting out an offer from UK the whole time) - I imagine due to us projecting Purvis and Cassell as better options at the 2 than they really are.

 

[UCweCONN]

I'm very dissappointed with losing Ali. He is an impact player. Imagine him in this line-up with Brimah and Hamilton? I was never a Govan fan as he plays below the rim. I dream of the day when like UNC, Duke, Kentucky, and Kansas we can have a short list of blue chips and get them without the drama (but if that ever happened what would this board do without all the Larrier, Stone, Kasongo, Mack etc. posts???). I've said before, we must offer more recruits than any other program in the country. I wish there was a way to check this. I think kids want to feel wanted and not just one of a hoard of potential recruits. We cast a wide net.

 

[upstater]

I freely admit I could be proven wrong on this, but I'm still not sure Ali answers our biggest problems. Great athlete, can attack the basket, but a below average passer and long-range shooter. He's basically another guy that sounds like he's best suited to the 3, and that's really where Purvis and Hamilton both belong as well in college (and Omar, and SCII, and you could probably even say TSam would fit better there as a defensive stopper/wing passer than a point).

We seem like we targeted the wrong type of players in our final recruiting push in the fall (other than Briscoe, who probably was just waiting out an offer from UK the whole time) - I imagine due to us projecting Purvis and Cassell as better options at the 2 than they really are.

He's a year younger than Hamilton. When DHam goes pro after sophomore year, then what? Uconn needs a 3 badly. Need a PG badly. And a big. Lol. Uconn is pretty thin all around for 2017: Adams, Purvis, Facey, Brimah, Enoch, with Samuel, Cassell and Lubin on the bench. They need a lot more.

Ali would have been great, he would have had big minutes as a Soph.

 

[Gurleyman]

He's a year younger than Hamilton. When DHam goes pro after sophomore year, then what? Uconn needs a 3 badly. Need a PG badly. And a big. Lol. Uconn is pretty thin all around for 2017: Adams, Purvis, Facey, Brimah, Enoch, with Samuel, Cassell and Lubin on the bench. They need a lot more. Ali would have been great, he would have had big minutes as a Soph.

If we had decent guards, then if DHam goes, we put Purvis at the 3 for his senior year. That's where he belongs in college, and trying to play him as a 2 when he can't create off the dribble or pass consistently is what's often causing a lot of our problems. He can slash against broken down defenses, and sometimes get on a nice roll shooting, but he isn't a secondary ballhandler or creator. He has a slashing 3's game - we just don't have two good guards right now to play him at the 3. Even Cassell would be better suited at the 3 when he gets out of the boot. Omar is also clearly better at the 3, but he only has a year left anyway.

We don't need a 3 short term as badly as we need 1s and 2s (besides Adams). What we have now are a bunch of guys listed as guards who don't play enough like guards. Which is fine if you can put guards next to them. But we don't have them - which is why that should've been the bigger focus of our recruiting, in hindsight (I can say that now that I've seen Purvis and Cassell for a full season - back in November, I might have thought we were in better shape there too).

 

[tcf15]

So this may be KO's first legit AAU connection. Also, Zach Brown rocking the UConn gear.

Caption: 3-0. Good way to start the summer AAU EYBL season. The twin towers are holding it down in the paint. #nikesouthbeach

 

[mauconnfan]

So this may be KO's first legit AAU connection. Also, Zach Brown rocking the UConn gear.

Caption: 3-0. Good way to start the summer AAU EYBL season. The twin towers are holding it down in the paint. #nikesouthbeach

Can't open it? Does he look good in UConn gear?