Derrick Jones (Committed to UNLV)

[boog204]

Why is this bad news for UCONN????

I mean I get why it could be if Mack commits elsewhere and then Jones has already made up his mind for elsewhere and we didn't get a chance to go after him hard again.

But this announcement doesn't suggest that Jones is definitively committing elsewhere.

Maybe he wants to jump on that wing scholly before an indecisive Mack does. Maybe he was told now is the time because Mack might take your spot. Who knows.

We're not taking both small forwards. So if it is true that we're in a tug of war for Mack, then that should mean that Jones is definitely gone. I can't imagine us doing the "whoever commits first" thing so close to the announcement date. You'd think that the staffs involved already know who has verballed or hasn't hence why we're suddenly turning up the heat on Mack.

 

[husky99]

I did not read the thread but hearing unlv. The talk I hear is grade s could be a problem

 

[superjohn]

I did not read the thread but hearing unlv. The talk I hear is grade s could be a problem

This is my guess, there hasn't been any chatter about us and Jones recently. My guess is we backed off when grades became a concern. Same thing happened with Rathan-Mayes, Jordan Bell and Kasongo.

 

[CallMeBruce]

Couldn't have said it better nell, so many chicken little's on this board, we'll be fine, just let it play out.

If it ends up being Adams, Enoch, Stone and some write in, it's still a solid class.

Stone, Adams, Enoch, and nothing else would be a superb class.

 

[vtmikeb]

Stone, Adams, Enoch, and nothing else would be a superb class.

Leaves the door open for a transfer/graduate transfer too.

 

[UConnRock]

I love your implied definition of "solid". A top 5 PG, a top 2 Center, and a top 50 PF who just turned 17 and is still growing. Enoch would have been top 20 or better next year if he had reclassified like many thought he would.

"Solid" Is Adams and Enoch and 1 or 2 top 150s. Getting Stone takes this well beyond "solid".

 

[ctchamps]

Yikes! Nothing but negative possibilities. One positive possibility is Jones believes Mack is heading to UConn! Why not wait until tomorrow to jump off the ledge.

 

[RayRay19]

Time to go watch some Jalen Adams mixtapes and know we are in great hands either way

 

[Dove]

To quote Bob Dylan..."Kevin Ollie must get Stone"!

 

[Fishy]

I'm not buying the 'grades are a concern' argument. His grades weren't a concern when UConn recruited him this summer and early fall.

 

[Burnsbros23]

Dave Rice=Lane Kiffin

He must be selling kids on the fact he lets them play. And boy does he.

 

[Burnsbros23]

You hear from some guy on some message board that grades are concern and then it gets repeated on here. Have not heard any reliable person say grades are an issue.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

"we backed off when grades became a concern" makes me laugh. No less ridiculous a statement than Kansas fans saying DeAndre was bought and paid for by UConn.

 

[3uconn]

I'm not buying the 'grades are a concern' argument. His grades weren't a concern when UConn recruited him this summer and early fall.

You hear from some guy on some message board that grades are concern and then it gets repeated on here. Have not heard any reliable person say grades are an issue.

I 99% believe grades are an issue. Notice how he hasn't taken any official visits. You need to have a qualifying SAT score to take an official visit. For a senior to not have taken the SAT (or to not have a qualifying score) at this point that's not a good sign. From what I've seen most SAT scores reflect, to some sort, the students grades as well.

I'm not saying Jones will never be eligible or that this is absolutely the case it's just from what I've been told and know. This has happened many times with recruits Ollie has gone after hard and Ollie has yet to make a wrong call.

 

[tzznandrew]

"we backed off when grades became a concern" makes me laugh. No less ridiculous a statement than Kansas fans saying DeAndre was bought and paid for by UConn.

Anything to let us sleep at night, right?

 

[superjohn]

I 99% believe grades are an issue. Notice how he hasn't taken any official visits. You need to have a qualifying SAT score to take an official visit. For a senior to not have taken the SAT (or to not have a qualifying score) at this point that's not a good sign. From what I've seen most SAT scores reflect, to some sort, the students grades as well.

I'm not saying Jones will never be eligible or that this is absolutely the case it's just from what I've been told and know. This has happened many times with recruits Ollie has gone after hard and Ollie has yet to make a wrong call.

Exactly, this board was in full freakout mode when Rathan-Mayes and Bell didn't choose us, it was strictly grades and they were both ineligible. From rumors on Jones it could be the same thing, Ollie is three for three so far on this issue.

 

[Chief00]

I did not read the thread but hearing unlv. The talk I hear is grade s could be a problem

Quite frankly, agreed.

 

[DogMania]

The grades thing is clearly speculative and ridiculous to bring up. What I think simply happened is that when Jones' camp made it clear that they would wait till the spring to sign, KO spent most of his time on the birds in the hand so to speak. Why waste a lot of time on a recruit that won't decide till spring when there are some very good options that will be pulling the trigger this month. If KO were to strike out on Mack and Clarke, he would re-engage in a big way with Jones. The downside to that approach would be if he changed his mind and decided to sign in November, which seems to be the case, or maybe he's just deciding now but waiting to sign his LOI in the spring.

One possible spin to this is maybe KO told him, Mack and Clarke that he would only take one SF and whoever commits first gets the ship. If that's the case, he might be deciding on Either UConn or UNLV for the following reasons: He might pick UConn tomorrow if he and his family really liked KO and the Huskies and didn't want to have limited choices come springtime. Or maybe he is picking UNLV since some of his other choices are dropping off the board and even UNLV has some options at the wing that they will pull the trigger on if Jones is set on waiting till the spring.

The sudden change to decide now just seems suspect to me, if he picks UNLV. One would think that a UNLV offer would likely still be on the table next spring, where in UConn's case they could end up filling all their 2015 ships this fall and not have one for him. Though, I would assume they'd find a way to clear a ship for him next spring if he wanted to come here.

What a crazy mad dash to the finish line. I can easily see that our 2015 class as it will stand after the November signing period ends turn out to be just Adams and Enoch. On the other hand I can see it turn out to be Adams, Enoch, Stone and either Mack or Jones. Hey, I don't know if anyone came up with this, but if Mack and Stone choose UConn, we can call them Mack and Cheese Head. Apologies if someone already came up with that Cheesy joke. Okay, I'll stop!

 

[superjohn]

The grades thing is clearly speculative and ridiculous to bring up. What I think simply happened is that when Jones' camp made it clear that they would wait till the spring to sign, KO spent most of his time on the birds in the hand so to speak. Why waste a lot of time on a recruit that won't decide till spring when there are some very good options that will be pulling the trigger this month. If KO were to strike out on Mack and Clarke, he would re-engage in a big way with Jones. The downside to that approach would be if he changed his mind and decided to sign in November, which seems to be the case, or maybe he's just deciding now but waiting to sign his LOI in the spring.

One possible spin to this is maybe KO told him, Mack and Clarke that he would only take one SF and whoever commits first gets the ship. If that's the case, he might be deciding on Either UConn or UNLV for the following reasons: He might pick UConn tomorrow if he and his family really liked KO and the Huskies and didn't want to have limited choices come springtime. Or maybe he is picking UNLV since some of his other choices are dropping off the board and even UNLV has some options at the wing that they will pull the trigger on if Jones is set on waiting till the spring.

The sudden change to decide now just seems suspect to me, if he picks UNLV. One would think that a UNLV offer would likely still be on the table next spring, where in UConn's case they could end up filling all their 2015 ships this fall and not have one for him. Though, I would assume they'd find a way to clear a ship for him next spring if he wanted to come here.

What a crazy mad dash to the finish line. I can easily see that our 2015 class as it will stand after the November signing period ends turn out to be just Adams and Enoch. On the other hand I can see it turn out to be Adams, Enoch, Stone and either Mack or Jones. Hey, I don't know if anyone came up with this, but if Mack and Stone choose UConn, we can call them Mack and Cheese Head. Apologies if someone already came up with that Cheesy joke. Okay, I'll stop!

How is the grade thing ridiculous to bring up? Usually where there is smoke there is fire, we've just seen it happen with three kids we were recruiting recently.

 

[caw]

Well tomorrow should be fun.

 

[RipCity]

Quite frankly, agreed.

You remind me of Perd Hapley

 

[kcc1442]

We're not taking both small forwards. So if it is true that we're in a tug of war for Mack, then that should mean that Jones is definitely gone. I can't imagine us doing the "whoever commits first" thing so close to the announcement date. You'd think that the staffs involved already know who has verballed or hasn't hence why we're suddenly turning up the heat on Mack.

So you are saying IF, and this is purely hypothetical, but if DJones decided while he's been listening to all the momentum that he wanted to be at UCONN, and he called up OLLIE and said I want to commit and sign Thursday. You think that Ollie would say no wait until Mack has decided. Hell no! He would turn around with Jones in his back pocket and sorry Mack you gotta go to VCU, you will be great there.

 

[pj]

So you are saying IF, and this is purely hypothetical, but if DJones decided while he's been listening to all the momentum that he wanted to be at UCONN, and he called up OLLIE and said I want to commit and sign Thursday. You think that Ollie would say no wait until Mack has decided. Hell no! He would turn around with Jones in his back pocket and sorry Mack you gotta go to VCU, you will be great there.

If Jones is 50-50 to be eligible and Mack is 100%, why would you turn down Mack in favor of a chance at Jones? Rather it would make sense to have an offer to Jones that becomes committable as soon as he qualifies academically, and a committable offer to Mack. If you miss on Mack, Jones can commit when he's eligible -- in the spring if that's when it happens.

If Jones calls and wants to commit without having made himself eligible or getting cleared by UConn admissions, I'd tell him, hold off, we want to wait for Mack and Briscoe to decide.

 

[David 76]

Jones is my top choice of the 3 SFs. Hope it works out.
But Stone is the big deal.

 

[7774]

How is the grade thing ridiculous to bring up? Usually where there is smoke there is fire, we've just seen it happen with three kids we were recruiting recently.

I don't get it either. The grades comment was posted weeks ago when we appeared to be in great shape with Jones, and was immediately followed by us getting much more active with Clarke and Mack. It's not like a sour grapes situation.

Making sure we don't bring in guys that f with the APR is obviously a huge priority for us.