Christian Vital

[Stainmaster]

we need guard depth, period. We need someone who can come in and play, maybe not averaging 10 ppg as a freshman, but if he can come in and make some plays, handle the ball, make some shots, help us get through pressing defenses, he will be a great find. Making statements based on stats like that is just simpleminded. We need role players who might turn into something more or not. This kid is wanted by top teams and we have a shot at him, so let's be happy to add him to the team if KO wants him. Was Austrie an asset? Hell yes he was. Now Alterique is injured. Do we freaking need more guards? We need some quality players to help this team, not all are going to be top 100 players.

Austrie is spot on. This program needs another Austrie - a backup guard who can come in perform at the level of a net positive.

 

[7774]

Honestly, I base it on the fact only 1 player outside the top 100 ever averaged double digits in the last 25 years and that was Gavin Edwards on a terrible NIT team who averaged 10.1. I never expect much and never get much.

Double digit points alone is a somewhat odd criteria for determining if a player is good.

 

[Huskyforlife]

See -- here is what amazes me about the unbridled stupidity of that statement. It appears that UConn, Iowa and Louisville all want the young man. In the face of that evidence that multiple big time coaches think he can play at a ranked D-1 level, how friggin stupid do you have to be to care how a recruiting site ranks him? What makes you think those people are better at judging talent than KO, Pitino and the Coach of Iowa?

Whatever you think of a situation where one coach offers a young man a spot that is way above his recruiting rankings, why is that relevant to a situation where three such coaches offer the young man?

UConn Maryland and louisville wanted Sam cassell. I still want Vital, just playing devils advocate.

 

[businesslawyer]

UConn Maryland and louisville wanted Sam cassell. I still want Vital, just playing devils advocate.

Your point? The question is not whether you can assume a player whom multiple coaches want will definitively work out. Of course you can't assume that. The question is whether it's rational to care how a young man is ranked by services when they are pursued by coaches of bit time programs.

 

[Huskyforlife]

Your point? The question is not whether you can assume a player whom multiple coaches want will definitively work out. Of course you can't assume that. The question is whether it's rational to care how a young man is ranked by services when they are pursued by coaches of bit time programs.

You said something like we should disregard recruiting rankings based on the programs recruiting said player. So I brought up cassell, who is a similar case. I agree with what you said, and trust Ollie and Pitinios scouting over websites, but it's not like we can say with 100% certainty that they will always be correct with their evaluations.

 

[husky99]

 

[upstater]

NEXT

 

[BobbySteels]

UConn suffered a lot of negative-recruiting from opposing coaches while under investigation, hopefully L'ville doesn't make it out of this mess without suffering the same... Although, at the same time it'd be nice to see Ollie 'rise above it' and win a recruiting battle outright without lowering to that level

 

[JSM1970]

I agree with this but I'd recruit over him in a second. If they think he has a real high ceiling like they projected with T Sam, Rakim "The Rock" Lubin and Bradley that is fine, else wise wouldn't they get a grad player.

we need guard depth, period. We need someone who can come in and play, maybe not averaging 10 ppg as a freshman, but if he can come in and make some plays, handle the ball, make some shots, help us get through pressing defenses, he will be a great find. Making statements based on stats like that is just simpleminded. We need role players who might turn into something more or not. This kid is wanted by top teams and we have a shot at him, so let's be happy to add him to the team if KO wants him. Was Austrie an asset? Hell yes he was. Now Alterique is injured. Do we freaking need more guards? uh, the answer is YES. We need some quality players to help this team, not all are going to be top 100 players.

 

[Rico444]

I agree with this but I'd recruit over him in a second. If they think he has a real high ceiling like they projected with T Sam, Rakim "The Rock" Lubin and Bradley that is fine, else wise wouldn't they get a grad player.

If he's another Craig Austrie, he'll probably only play 15-20 minutes a game at most. I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[Yankees32123]

For me, I want him because the scouting report says he is tough and can shoot. His stroke looks really nice on his mixtapes, way better than Sam C's and TSam's jumpshot ever looked, and I like his attitude a lot. His interviews last night were very impressive, everything he says is intentional, he doesn't give the same cliche basketball interview responses. He answered tough, and it seems like his play reflects that toughness. If he can come in an give us another shooter with Gibbs gone, and a more menacing attitude on the court, I am all in.

 

[PWS]

NEXT

He has said good things about Ollie. Is best friends w former teammate Enoch. Good friends w AAU teammates, Larrier and Adams. Just played w Diarra who was recruiting him hard. &, you want to pack it in bc he makes one nice comment about Pitino. Thank God, you are not the recruiting coordinator. Not saying he is coming, but I like our chances.

 

[Huskyforlife]

He has said good things about Ollie. Is best friends w former teammate Enoch. Good friends w AAU teammates, Larrier and Adams. Just played w Diarra who was recruiting him hard. &, you want to pack it in bc he makes one nice comment about Pitino. Thank God, you are not the recruiting coordinator. Not saying he is coming, but I like our chances.

He's joking. I think

 

[JSM1970]

He's not even top 200. UK has 5 guys top 27, Duke 4 top 20, Arizona 3 top 20 and people are hoping we can land a consensus top 215 player. Praying for B12.

He has said good things about Ollie. Is best friends w former teammate Enoch. Good friends w AAU teammates, Larrier and Adams. Just played w Diarra who was recruiting him hard. &, you want to pack it in bc he makes one nice comment about Pitino. Thank God, you are not the recruiting coordinator. Not saying he is coming, but I like our chances.

 

[Matrim55]

He's not even top 200. UK has 5 guys top 27, Duke 4 top 20, Arizona 3 top 20 and people are hoping we can land a consensus top 215 player. Praying for B12.

We have a top 6 or 7 recruiting class, and are competing against Louisville -- one of the 10-best programs in the sport's history -- for this kid.

I have my doubts as well, but your insistence upon worst-case pearl-clutching is as ridiculous & predictable as ever.

 

[tcf15]

He's not even top 200. UK has 5 guys top 27, Duke 4 top 20, Arizona 3 top 20 and people are hoping we can land a consensus top 215 player. Praying for B12.

Your point? We are adding depth to a top 10 recruiting class.

 

[Stainmaster]

He's not even top 200. UK has 5 guys top 27, Duke 4 top 20, Arizona 3 top 20 and people are hoping we can land a consensus top 215 player. Praying for B12.

I feel confident in saying you have no ability to evaluate talent.

 

[gtcam]

We have a top 6 or 7 recruiting class, and are competing against Louisville -- one of the 10-best programs in the sport's history -- for this kid.

I have my doubts as well, but your insistence upon worst-case pearl-clutching is as ridiculous & predictable as ever.

Top 10 best program? - big whoop
UConn is top 5

 

[Stainmaster]

Top 10 best program? - big whoop
UConn is top 5

So do all the players we bring aboard need to be sought after by the other 4 in the top 5?

 

[tcf15]

Top 10 best program? - big whoop
UConn is top 5

Strange reply - he wasn't disparaging UConn at all.

 

[jleves]

He's not even top 200. UK has 5 guys top 27, Duke 4 top 20, Arizona 3 top 20 and people are hoping we can land a consensus top 215 player. Praying for B12.

You're right - with only two open ships we have to save them for walkons not spend them on kids 1000 slots better.

 

[uchusky32]

Not sure what the problem is here. We need depth. We aren't getting another top 50 guy this year unless something opens up. We cant wait and hope someone falls in our lap. We have open scholarships available for top so called talent next year.

 

[Stainmaster]

You're right - with only two open ships we have to save them for walkons not spend them on kids 1000 slots better.

It's as if people want Mike Noyes (no disrespect) to be the 2nd guard off the bench.

 

[Huskyforlife]

Fwiw I've been told there's a good chance he doesn't make it to Louisville. Or at the very least, he visits Louisville just to be sure. As has been reported, he really likes Ollie, and Diarra did a nice job pitching the program. He said there's about a 70% chance we end up with a commitment, or silent verbal. Hope he's right.

 

[Leebo]

You're right - with only two open ships we have to save them for walkons not spend them on kids 1000 slots better.

I know it's not relevant to the sarcastic point you're making, but we have three open right now, right?