Derrick Jones (Committed to UNLV)

[mauconnfan]

Prediction: Clarke, Enoch and Stone

Add Jalen in and this is one heck of recruiting class!

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

With the way Ollie coaches defense Jones would end up a lockdown defender with his length and athleticism. I don't really care how hard Clarke plays because you can't play for Ollie unless you play hard anyways. Jones potential is so much higher and Ollie will take him there. To me there is no debate on who I'd rather have. I hope we hold out for him cause he could play a lot of roles on this team as a rebounder, finisher playing with our guards, and versatile defender like Roscoe or Kromah was. He's my 2nd favorite player in this class next to Adams.

 

[mauconnfan]

With the way Ollie coaches defense Jones would end up a lockdown defender with his length and athleticism. I don't really care how hard Clarke plays because you can't play for Ollie unless you play hard anyways. Jones potential is so much higher and Ollie will take him there. To me there is no debate on who I'd rather have. I hope we hold out for him cause he could play a lot of roles on this team as a rebounder, finisher playing with our guards, and versatile defender like Roscoe or Kromah was. He's my 2nd favorite player in this class next to Adams.

He's not that much better to wait that's for sure......if Clarke wants to be a Husky grab him right away!

 

[DogMania]

Big difference between Stone, Jones and Newman vs Clarke, Koumadje and Baptiste. There is a lot of potential there, but I will be disappointed if we don't get 1 marquee player after a NC and locking up KO.
I would think there might be a need to look at our reputation with recruits and/or our recruiting process if we can't get at least close to a top ten player
Especially since we made a couple of them our top target.

Adams was the top target for the class and KO already got him. As for Clarke and Jones, who knows how their careers pan out and who ultimately ends up better, but there is not a big difference in their rankings at all. I would love to get Jones, but this belief on here that he's some kind of one and done player that I've seen tossed around here is crazy. I guarantee you if we got him guys would be getting impatient with him just like people got with Sticks. It seems like every year we go through this on the board with posters stomping their feet about recruiting and in the end it doesn't matter.

I was going to make the same point. Adams is a 5 star on at least one of the recruiting sites.

As for the comparison of Stone, Jones and Newman vs Clarke, Koumadje and Baptiste, that's not the correct mix of recruits. It's more like Stone, Jones and Newman vs Baptiste, Clarke and Enoch. If they don't land Stone they'll try to land some other less heralded 5 in Bastiste, Koumadje or some other big with potential. The difference between Jones and Clarke aren't that far apart based on some that follow recruiting closely. I think Jones has the chance to be an elite college and NBA player while Clarke not as much upside at the next level, though I might be very wrong on that. As for Newman, he's a h*ll of a player and a likely one-hit-wonder, but we really don't need another guard. He's just that talented that he'd be hard to pass up. We are in need of a 4 though, and Enoch seems to be the recruit that many believe is UConn's to lose.

If Stone, Jones and Newman decide to wait till after the fall signing period, I don't see KO holding ships over in hopes to land any of these 3, nor do I think he should. My guess is we end up with Adams, Clarke, Enoch and some 5 who's name is not Stone, unless he decides to decide sooner than later. UK has positioned themselves to pick up some of these elite 2015 recruits due to their annual spring reload. The Squid can afford to hold out for these kids due to the reputation he's built there.

Maybe KO holds over one of the 4 ships. Maybe he fills all 4 but figures a 5th will free up next spring. The issue though isn't with the number of ships as it is who files them. If they land Clarke, Jones will look elsewhere, and KO probably won't want both since I think UConn needs to land a 4 & 5 in 2015. Maybe he'd take both if that presented itself and go with a 1, two 3s and a 4/5 combo. Good to see that UConn has options, but it won't take long before the well starts to dry up. Like many on the Yard, I feel a tad greedy and want to see KO pull in UConn's best class ever, but on the other hand, I'm starting to get concerned with the higher ranked recruits wanting to hold off till spring, that the next tier of recruits could go elsewhere. If Jones waits till spring and Clarke decides to go to, say, VCU, there goes our 3, or we sweat it out till spring hoping we can out-recruit UK and any other elite program that still has ships to fill. There is the possibility that UK fills their ships with other elite recruits this fall and won't have room to add a Jones or a Newman next spring, but I still don't see KO deciding to hold out for any more than one of these top recruits.

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

He's not that much better to wait that's for sure.if Clarke wants to be a Husky grab him right away!

I know the rankings say differently but he is. Jones can be a top 10, elite college and nba player. Clarke is a good 4 year player but he doesn't seem to have that athleticism to really excel at the next level. Ones a Rudy Gay (I know he doesn't have the best rep around here but imagine him with the guards we have now?) and the other is a Lasan Kromah. Clarke is a 6'5 SF who seems to have a great game but is physically limited. He makes up for it through his great motor but that gets you so far. Jones is that elite level athlete that can really make that leap under Ollie's coaching to becoming a UConn great. Especially playing with guards who will allow him to play off ball and not have a lot of dribbling responsibilities like Rudy did.

 

[Chin Diesel]

I know the rankings say differently but he is. Jones can be a top 10, elite college and nba player. Clarke is a good 4 year player but he doesn't seem to have that athleticism to really excel at the next level. Ones a Rudy Gay (I know he doesn't have the best rep around here but imagine him with the guards we have now?) and the other is a Lasan Kromah. Clarke is a 6'5 SF who seems to have a great game but is physically limited. He makes up for it through his great motor but that gets you so far. Jones is that elite level athlete that can really make that leap under Ollie's coaching to becoming a UConn great. Especially playing with guards who will allow him to play off ball and not have a lot of dribbling responsibilities like Rudy did.

Too tempting to not point out the obvious.

One of those players referenced was a key player on a championship team- and showed some stellar athleticism in the process. The other wasn't.

I won't speak for anyone else but if Clarke can give four years of what Kromah gave this year, sign me up. Even if it takes Clarke four years to reach that level, I'll take it. Clarke has the combination of athleticism and tenacity that Burrell, DePriest, Kromah and several of fans' favorite Huskies.

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

Too tempting to not point out the obvious.

One of those players referenced was a key player on a championship team- and showed some stellar athleticism in the process. The other wasn't.

I won't speak for anyone else but if Clarke can give four years of what Kromah gave this year, sign me up. Even if it takes Clarke four years to reach that level, I'll take it. Clarke has the combination of athleticism and tenacity that Burrell, DePriest, Kromah and several of fans' favorite Huskies.

One was a role player on a championship team and the teams 5th best player at best. The other was the best player on a team that was #1 all year and went to the elite 8 and was a huge reason we got guys like Sticks and Roscoe because of his presence in the NBA. Two more wings that lead us to a final four and a ring. So I'll take the guy who can be one of the best players on the team and in the nation while still giving us a great chance to win it all.

 

[Walker11]

I know the rankings say differently but he is. Jones can be a top 10, elite college and nba player. Clarke is a good 4 year player but he doesn't seem to have that athleticism to really excel at the next level. Ones a Rudy Gay (I know he doesn't have the best rep around here but imagine him with the guards we have now?) and the other is a Lasan Kromah. Clarke is a 6'5 SF who seems to have a great game but is physically limited. He makes up for it through his great motor but that gets you so far. Jones is that elite level athlete that can really make that leap under Ollie's coaching to becoming a UConn great. Especially playing with guards who will allow him to play off ball and not have a lot of dribbling responsibilities like Rudy did.

You definitely know your stuff usually but I think you are a little off on this one. Clark is a very, very good athlete. He is quick and explosive. He is not Jones, who is arguably the best athlete in his class, but athleticism is not his weakness. Kromah is a good comparison, but he seems like a more athletic Kromah. Clark has an ugly set shot right now and that seems to be his limitation. I don't like the Gay comparison either. Gay had much better ball skills than Jones at the same time.

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

I just know there are 3 guys that IMO are must gets in Adams, Jones, and Enoch. I plan on us having 5 school lies available after this season (I just can't see Purvis with all his talent coming back next year because the nba doesn't like old guys) and any combination of Stone/Newman/Baptist/Clarke/Christ/Briscoe would be peaches. If it's the former two boy would his team be LOADED. Don't even know how we would find minutes for everybody.

 

[selles]

One was a role player on a championship team and the teams 5th best player at best. The other was the best player on a team that was #1 all year and went to the elite 8 and was a huge reason we got guys like Sticks and Roscoe because of his presence in the NBA. Two more wings that lead us to a final four and a ring. So I'll take the guy who can be one of the best players on the team and in the nation while still giving us a great chance to win it all.

I love both Sticks and Scoe but I'm not sure either of them led us anywhere, and in any event Roscoe surely didn't lead us anywhere as a wing.

Clarke is being criminally underrated around here. People do realize 247 ranks him #40 and Jones #30 right? Not a huge gap. This is not an "I hope he can become Kromah when he's a senior" bench guy, this is a Top 50 recruit who will be an excellent player.

 

[Jluc]

None of you know what kind of college player or NBA player any of these kids will be

 

[Walker11]

I just know there are 3 guys that IMO are must gets in Adams, Jones, and Enoch. I plan on us having 5 school lies available after this season (I just can't see Purvis with all his talent coming back next year because the nba doesn't like old guys) and any combination of Stone/Newman/Baptist/Clarke/Christ/Briscoe would be peaches. If it's the former two boy would his team be LOADED. Don't even know how we would find minutes for everybody.

Can you imagine a second unit of guards JR Cassel/ JR/Samuels/ FR Adams wings FR Jones/ SR Calhoun Bigs SR Nolan/JR Facey/SO Lubin. This could be a UK situation where the second unit has a top 25 lineup.

 

[superjohn]

I agree that Jones has a little better upside than Clarke but Clarke is a really good athlete and has one of the best motors in the class. I don't like the Gay=Jones comparison or the Kromah=Clarke comparison. I get your point about Gay and I'm a big Rudy fan but he wasn't the best player on that team, Marcus Williams was.

 

[Chin Diesel]

I love both Sticks and Scoe but I'm not sure either of them led us anywhere, and in any event Roscoe surely didn't lead us anywhere as a wing.

Clarke is being criminally underrated around here. People do realize 247 ranks him #40 and Jones #30 right? Not a huge gap. This is not an "I hope he can become Kromah when he's a senior" bench guy, this is a Top 50 recruit who will be an excellent player.

I think Clarke is going to be an impact player from year due to his energy and motor. However, if it turns out his floor is Kromah as a senior, the program still has gotten a very good player.

It was either earlier in this thread or in another thread where I said Clarke is one of those players that Cincy and Marquette always had that drove us fans nuts. They were all over the place creating havoc.

Heck, if Clarke commits UConn can *finally* bring back the 2-2-1 press.

 

[Chin Diesel]

I agree that Jones has a little better upside than Clarke but Clarke is a really good athlete and has one of the best motors in the class. I don't like the Gay=Jones comparison or the Kromah=Clarke comparison. I get your point about Gay and I'm a big Rudy fan but he wasn't the best player on that team, Marcus Williams was.

Well played "I'm a big Rudy fan". Well played.

 

[superjohn]

Well played "I'm a big Rudy fan". Well played.

That line will always belong to Rick Majerus, RIP.

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

You definitely know your stuff usually but I think you are a little off on this one. Clark is a very, very good athlete. He is quick and explosive. He is not Jones, who is arguably the best athlete in his class, but athleticism is not his weakness. Kromah is a good comparison, but he seems like a more athletic Kromah. Clark has an ugly set shot right now and that seems to be his limitation. I don't like the Gay comparison either. Gay had much better ball skills than Jones at the same time.

I'm sorry I just saw a recent Chris Clarke highlight and he is much longer and athletic than I remembered when I first watched him. I would still prefer jones over him but it's not as big of a gap as I was thinking before.

Also by ball skills do you mean handling? Cause if you do I don't think so. I actually think Jones has much better handle than Rudy did at the same time. Rudy used to play center in high school. Rudy was bigger weight wise than a Jones coming out but handle is something he struggles with even today.

 

[Walker11]

Rudy has never been a plus ball handler but he could shoot, even a pull up off a few dribbles and I don't think Jones has that yet.

 

[Dove]

Well played "I'm a big Rudy fan". Well played.

Not as well played as "I'm a big Rudy guy".

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

I love both Sticks and Scoe but I'm not sure either of them led us anywhere, and in any event Roscoe surely didn't lead us anywhere as a wing.

Clarke is being criminally underrated around here. People do realize 247 ranks him #40 and Jones #30 right? Not a huge gap. This is not an "I hope he can become Kromah when he's a senior" bench guy, this is a Top 50 recruit who will be an excellent player.

Sticks definitely had a huge part in us making the final four in 2009 playing like a lottery pick that tournament by taking advantage of his length and athleticism through finishing around the basket, rebounding, and great defense. I see jones contributing the same way except better handle and a better jumpshot. Also no confident issues. But Clarke would play like Kromah did as a senior his freshman year. I definitely wouldn't make the comparison to Kromah as a freshman since I don't think none of us seen him play his freshman year.

Roscoe was an elite defender and great rebounder on the 2011 championship team. Played a huge role by making it hard on guys like Leonard, Williams, and Jones during that run. Which is why I would want Jones so much in that same light on the defensive end because of his length and athleticism. Combine that with our weight room and Ollie's defensive principles and we would have one elite defender.

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

Rudy has never been a plus ball handler but he could shoot, even a pull up off a few dribbles and I don't think Jones has that yet.

Nothing some hours in our Championship center can't fix. His stroke looks good.

My thing is while I fully believe Clarke would be a great player for our team and lead us to wins in the same way Jones would I like to think of the long term impact recruits can have for the future. So while some talented guys have passed through our program and didn't win us a ring they do set us up for the future because they help our brand in recruiting the next guy who would. Guys like Ray, Rudy, Caron, and Andre are all guys who might not have won while they were there but help us all the time recruit the next guy that will play a big role. That's why I would label Jones as a so called "must get".

 

[David 76]

Not stomping my feet just giving my opinion. Some people are talking about all our recruits like they are interchangable. "Whoever we get will be great." But some are top ten and others are barely top 100. I would be very happy with Enoch and Clarke and I don't think we should wait for Jones (though I prefer him) but I hope we get Stone and I don't know what people seein

 

[Walker11]

Not stomping my feet just giving my opinion. Some people are talking about all our recruits like they are interchangable. "Whoever we get will be great." But some are top ten and others are barely top 100. I would be very happy with Enoch and Clarke and I don't think we should wait for Jones (though I prefer him) but I hope we get Stone and I don't know what people seein

I think most people agree that Clark and Jones are close to interchangeable but Stone vs. whoever else is a huge gap. I think this is an accidental strawman.

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

While Stone is a huge talent I don't consider him a must get because we are still going to have Amida/Nolan/Facey/Lubin for another 2 years at the least. Stone is such a big talent that if he came here who would he start over? Would it be like when we had Charlie off the bench for Okafor then once Okafor left he stayed for one more year and left? Center isn't a fluid position talent wise and more of a development position so I would almost prefer to get Baptiste, have him sit behind Nolan and Amida for a year and learn then take over and play for us another 2 to 3 years while we find the next guy to develop behind him. If we get Stone you would have no complaints over here though.

 

[Gurleyman]

While Stone is a huge talent I don't consider him a must get because we are still going to have Amida/Nolan/Facey/Lubin for another 2 years at the least. Stone is such a big talent that if he came here who would he start over? Would it be like when we had Charlie off the bench for Okafor then once Okafor left he stayed for one more year and left? Center isn't a fluid position talent wise and more of a development position so I would almost prefer to get Baptiste, have him sit behind Nolan and Amida for a year and learn then take over and play for us another 2 to 3 years while we find the next guy to develop behind him. If we get Stone you would have no complaints over here though.

Charlie was never behind Okafor. He got beat out for the starting spot at the 4 by a fellow freshman (Boone) and played behind him. Then the next year, Boone went to the 5 and Charlie started at the 4.