I think it absolutely helps us win in the long term. You can’t win without good players and good players want to see a viable path to the league. Not all of the players that come here because of Bouknight will be 2 and done. That being said, we’ve been pretty successful with 2 and done players. Caron, Lamb, and Gay come to mind.
[insert quotes from every good guard that’s committed in the last 18 months]
Caron and Gay never won an NC. Yes we got good recruits following them. Lamb won an NC as a fresh, but wasn’t the headliner. Napier won an NC as a frosh. when he was kind of a bit player. If he had left after two or three years we don’t win NC number 4. The point is, yes good players attract other good players. Fun to watch players like Rudy and Caron. More fun to watch them stay to play with other good players who come in after them and make national noise.
True. They didn’t win a championship but I was referring to your point about being national championship caliber. Caron lead a team that lost a close game in the Elite Eight to the eventual champions and probably would have won it all had they moved on. Rudy’s team was a bit disappointing but again they got to the Elite Eight and could have very easily won it all. It could be that we have differing opinions on what national championship caliber is but I think both of those teams fit that description.
You have the right mindset, but many posters here think winning a national championship every 3-5 years is normal and that anything less is disappointing. Considering there are over 300 D1 programs, then making the elite 8 twice per decade is exceptional for a college program.