Chol Marial #3 in class of 2019 (plays in CT)

[UChusky916]

We never really got that many top 25 kids...and even less burger boys. Its a stretch to think we're suddenly going to be reeling in top 25 kids on the reg. It never really happened in the past and prob won't start now. I can think of maybe 5 - 10 top 25 kids in our history. Calhoun was always able to develop those 50-100+ guys into studs like Ray, Ben, Mek, Bazz, Boone, Thabeet etc. I hope Ollie can do the same.

Ollie is not Calhoun. Ollie clearly has a different recruiting strategy rather than finding the 'diamonds in the rough' that Calhoun could. KO has been after many of the top 25 kids nationally, while also spreading a wider net.

And yes, KO has been reeling in top 25 kids on the reg. And he's done it while in a worse conference than Calhoun had the luxury of AND while dealing with recruiting sanctions:

KO's recruits:
-DeAndre Daniels (16th in 247 2011 recruits) -- Don't tell me this was Calhoun's recruit, it wasn't.
-Andre Drummond (nr due to late qualifying, but arguably top 3 recruit in 2011) -- Again, don't tell me this was Calhoun's recruit. Calhoun was non-committal on coaching in 2012 and we just lost our top recruiter, LaFleur, to Providence. KO got him here.
-Rodney Purvis (14th in 247 2013 rankings)
-Daniel Hamilton (17th in 247 2014 rankings)
-Jalen Adams (23rd in 247 2015 rankings)

Then you've also got guys on the top 30 borderline:
-Terry Larrier: (33 in 2015)
-Alterique Gilbert (32 in 2017)


Considering the above and that he's been a head coach for 5 years, you simply can't say that KO can't reel-in Top25 guys.

 

[KembaStepback]

Nope. Your interpretation of the post is dumb. Your straw man is dumb. Who said anything about Top 30? Only you. So, yeah, congrats, the straw man argument you created is dumb. Diallo was top 10. This kid is top 10. How many Top 10 recruits has Ollie beaten UK or Duke or even UNC or Kansas for? Hell, even Calhoun didn't win many of those battles. By the way, Ray Allen was, I believe, ranked in the 30s in his senior year. Ollie has been able to get a few kids in the 20s and 30 but, yeah, it is hard to find the Ray Allen among those top 30-50 guys and even harder to find that Okafor among the top 100 guys. But that is the key, isn't it? If you can't win the battles for those sure fire guys in the Top 10 then you have to find that occasional diamond that is vastly underrated. Calhoun could do that. Still haven't seen that from KO yet. It isn't just about rankings. It is about finding the RIGHT kids that are in the 20s, 30s, 50s and so on.

I think you both need to find a middle ground. Just because Ollie hasn't landed that top 10 guy yet, doesn't mean he wont. Also - from the looks of things Vital and Jackson are looking like players. Both of which were ranked >70. Ollie's only been the head coach for a few years...can we cut him some slack? Lets see what happens when some of these recruits become upper classmen.

 

[superjohn]

Ollie is not Calhoun. Ollie clearly has a different recruiting strategy rather than finding the 'diamonds in the rough' that Calhoun could. KO has been after many of the top 25 kids nationally, while also spreading a wider net.

And yes, KO has been reeling in top 25 kids on the reg. And he's done it while in a worse conference than Calhoun had the luxury of AND while dealing with recruiting sanctions:

KO's recruits:
-DeAndre Daniels (16th in 247 2011 recruits) -- Don't tell me this was Calhoun's recruit, it wasn't.
-Andre Drummond (nr due to late qualifying, but arguably top 3 recruit in 2011) -- Again, don't tell me this was Calhoun's recruit. Calhoun was non-committal on coaching in 2012 and we just lost our top recruiter, LaFleur, to Providence. KO got him here.
-Rodney Purvis (14th in 247 2013 rankings)
-Daniel Hamilton (17th in 247 2014 rankings)
-Jalen Adams (23rd in 247 2015 rankings)

Then you've also got guys on the top 30 borderline:
-Terry Larrier: (33 in 2015)
-Alterique Gilbert (32 in 2017)


Considering the above and that he's been a head coach for 5 years, you simply can't say that KO can't reel-in Top25 guys.

Ollie being from LA probably helped a little but DeAndre came to UConn to be coached by Calhoun. Drummond was absolutely Calhoun's recruit.

 

[Tenspro2002]

Ollie is not Calhoun. Ollie clearly has a different recruiting strategy rather than finding the 'diamonds in the rough' that Calhoun could. KO has been after many of the top 25 kids nationally, while also spreading a wider net.

And yes, KO has been reeling in top 25 kids on the reg. And he's done it while in a worse conference than Calhoun had the luxury of AND while dealing with recruiting sanctions:

KO's recruits:
-DeAndre Daniels (16th in 247 2011 recruits) -- Don't tell me this was Calhoun's recruit, it wasn't.
-Andre Drummond (nr due to late qualifying, but arguably top 3 recruit in 2011) -- Again, don't tell me this was Calhoun's recruit. Calhoun was non-committal on coaching in 2012 and we just lost our top recruiter, LaFleur, to Providence. KO got him here.
-Rodney Purvis (14th in 247 2013 rankings)
-Daniel Hamilton (17th in 247 2014 rankings)
-Jalen Adams (23rd in 247 2015 rankings)

Then you've also got guys on the top 30 borderline:
-Terry Larrier: (33 in 2015)
-Alterique Gilbert (32 in 2017)


Considering the above and that he's been a head coach for 5 years, you simply can't say that KO can't reel-in Top25 guys.

Purvis and Larrier went elsewhere -- we got them second-hand. It's not the same thing.

Hamilton, Adams, Gilbert, and MAL are legit though.

 

[Pudge]

Purvis and Larrier went elsewhere -- we got them second-hand. It's not the same thing.

Hamilton, Adams, Gilbert, and MAL are legit though.

Anything to make you whine. The fact that other top Programs live this way ... is reason for you to ignore that Transfers are a way of life in CBB.

I think UConn has often been blessed by the unexpected guys stepping up to greater deeds. That is a Josh Boone, a Jake Voskhul, a Emeka Okafor ... even seeing Rip Hamilton as a top 20 kid before all the others. I am heartened by how good Vital has been. Hoping Polley or Carlton show that they were underrated.

 

[HooperScooper]

Ollie is not Calhoun. Ollie clearly has a different recruiting strategy rather than finding the 'diamonds in the rough' that Calhoun could. KO has been after many of the top 25 kids nationally, while also spreading a wider net.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't this Calhoun's recruiting strategy also? He went after many top 25 recruits as a first choice, got a few and lost a lot, like most programs. So then he would get a bunch of 25-75 ranked recruits that ended up turning out well.

Just off the top of my head I'd say the majority of his best players were those top 25 recruits (Donyell Marshall, Rip Hamilton, Khalid El-Amin, Rudy Gay, guys like that) and then a bunch in the 25-50ish range who ended up being really good also (Ben Gordon, Ray Allen, A.J. Price, Jeff Adrien, guys like that). Obviously recruiting and rankings is an inexact science so not every recruit fits into this argument. But I'd say generally it was true.

 

[Pudge]

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't this Calhoun's recruiting strategy also? He went after many top 25 recruits as a first choice, got a few and lost a lot, like most programs. So then he would get a bunch of 25-75 ranked recruits that ended up turning out well.

Just off the top of my head I'd say the majority of his best players were those top 25 recruits (Donyell Marshall, Rip Hamilton, Khalid El-Amin, Rudy Gay, guys like that) and then a bunch in the 25-50ish range who ended up being really good also (Ben Gordon, Ray Allen, A.J. Price, Jeff Adrien, guys like that). Obviously recruiting and rankings is an inexact science so not every recruit fits into this argument. But I'd say generally it was true.

Bingo

I would say - in general - WE WON guys who were top rankings in weird ways. Donyell was ours ONLY because things happened well down the line with Maryland and Cuse. Hamilton was a kid we loved far earlier than the pack of others. El-Amin was a mystery; then he signed. Gay? Well that's the exception. Hard fought that we won fair & square (and I am laughing as I say that)

The Okafors, Boones, Voskuhls, Gordons, Freeman's ... simple good networking and evaluation. We really don't stock up on the top 25 - certainly rare in top 10. We win NC with kids that aren't huge superstar can't miss.

 

[ctchamps]

Can this Dinka dunk!?

Can this Dinka dunk at the Dunkin Donuts Center?

I dink he can!

Hope we get him and play those Friars when we do!

 

[Paesano]

I think you both need to find a middle ground. Just because Ollie hasn't landed that top 10 guy yet, doesn't mean he wont. Also - from the looks of things Vital and Jackson are looking like players. Both of which were ranked >70. Ollie's only been the head coach for a few years...can we cut him some slack? Lets see what happens when some of these recruits become upper classmen.

I hope you are right. I would love to think Ollie can land a top 10 guy but it is hard to believe that after Diallo. I don't know if there is any way to get closer to a kid than Ollie did with Diallo. He was on him early, the kid was basically local and Ollie was around him a ton. If you can't land THAT kid, hard to imagine he can land any kid that is a priority for the squid, K or a few others out there. We may beat those guys out for Top 25-50 kids who are their second choice but our first choice but, if a kid is a first choice for the squid, hard to imagine we will get him after the Diallo saga.

 

[KembaStepback]

I hope you are right. I would love to think Ollie can land a top 10 guy but it is hard to believe that after Diallo. I don't know if there is any way to get closer to a kid than Ollie did with Diallo. He was on him early, the kid was basically local and Ollie was around him a ton. If you can't land THAT kid, hard to imagine he can land any kid that is a priority for the squid, K or a few others out there. We may beat those guys out for Top 25-50 kids who are their second choice but our first choice but, if a kid is a first choice for the squid, hard to imagine we will get him after the Diallo saga.

Diallo is a loser. He strung us along to jump to UK. His "best friend" goes to UConn. The kid is an attention hog. Plain and simple. I actually doubt he even plays for UK. He'll probably declare this yr.
Ollie is super likeable and relates really well with players. He just started with the U18 USA team. He'll make connections. We will land one eventually. It's tough when you have a year like this one with 2 of our top 3 players getting hurt and the team is losing. Once they do better next yr, they'll look more and more attractive to recruits. The team will have guys going pro, a good foundation to build on and that should set up up for the long haul.

 

[Jaker]

Can he do anything besides stand under the hoop and hold the net?

 

[BUConn10]

Drummond was Ollie's recruit? And no one can tell you otherwise? LOL

 

[Matrim55]

Can he do anything besides stand under the hoop and hold the net?

Yes, the kid's a legitimately good/fluid athlete:



Nice little lefty jump-hook, and the Porzingis comp kind of makes sense. That said, there are a few worrying things about his game:

1. His hands are just good, not great
2. He's not quick off his feet, which is why he's not an incredible rebounder
3. He tries to block every shot to the moon rather than keeping the ball in play

He's going to be a one-and-done guy, for sure. I just don't think that "one" is going to be a an epoch-making season, and it wouldn't shock me to see him drop out of the top 10 by the time he's a senior in HS.

 

[imno1]

He's in a walking boot. Seems about right after this yr...lol JK

One or two injuries away from being a lock