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The best outcome, besides committing to us, is going to a non-contender. Like Bailey and Harper to Rutgers last year.
Outside a McNeeley situation (i.e. someone goes pro or leaves not originally prognosticated and a kid decommits or still hasn't committed and is sitting there that can impact day 1) they are done until it is time to hit the portalSo are we done with the 2026 recruiting cycle? At least domestically? Is it just international and transfer portal at this point?
Really could've used Abdou Toure.Yeah, it's a little thin with 2 recruits and so many seniors. Should be a lot of portal action
Gone by eligibility: Karaban, Koroma, Millender, Reed, Smith
OAD Assumed gone: Mullins
Best case +4 thru portal or foreign transfer in
PG: Demary / Paunovic
SG: Ball / County / Furphy
Wing: Ross / Landrew / Ross
PF: Stewart
C: Reibe / Eleizaj
Another C always helps, especially with the gap b/c Reibe and Eleizaj; Need a PF unless Landrew is more PF than SF but if not could use a steady PF; Wing will finally be Ross to start. Lil bro can back him up if Landrew is a PF, but we could use another good wing.
Finally another PG - behind Demary and Paunovic can be 3rd like Millender this year.
Not after all the stuff that came out post commitment.Really could've used Abdou Toure.
PG: Demary / Portal / County (Demary a lock here and we are in great shape. Light chance he tries to go draft, but doubtful) A+Yeah, it's a little thin with 2 recruits and so many seniors. Should be a lot of portal action
Gone by eligibility: Karaban, Koroma, Millender, Reed, Smith
OAD Assumed gone: Mullins
Best case +4 thru portal or foreign transfer in
PG: Demary / Paunovic
SG: Ball / County / Furphy
Wing: Ross / Landrew / Ross
PF: Stewart
C: Reibe / Eleizaj
Another C always helps, especially with the gap b/c Reibe and Eleizaj; Need a PF unless Landrew is more PF than SF but if not could use a steady PF; Wing will finally be Ross to start. Lil bro can back him up if Landrew is a PF, but we could use another good wing.
Finally another PG - behind Demary and Paunovic can be 3rd like Millender this year.
I hope we are going to pick up a bruiser to play Center in the transfer portal. No way we go with Eleizaj as our backup C.Yeah, it's a little thin with 2 recruits and so many seniors. Should be a lot of portal action
Gone by eligibility: Karaban, Koroma, Millender, Reed, Smith
OAD Assumed gone: Mullins
Best case +4 thru portal or foreign transfer in
PG: Demary / Paunovic
SG: Ball / County / Furphy
Wing: Ross / Landrew / Ross
PF: Stewart
C: Reibe / Eleizaj
Another C always helps, especially with the gap b/c Reibe and Eleizaj; Need a PF unless Landrew is more PF than SF but if not could use a steady PF; Wing will finally be Ross to start. Lil bro can back him up if Landrew is a PF, but we could use another good wing.
Finally another PG - behind Demary and Paunovic can be 3rd like Millender this year.
Furphy feels like the kind of kid, especially with the recent injury, that is going to need some time to get up to speed & come to the US college pace. He also looks fairly weak, so spending some time in the weight room this year could be where his focus is.Furphy - a lot depends on practice eyes as U19 he was a stud until overused with short rest.
He is also tween the 2/3 but leans more 2. But will see limited minutes with Ball and Mullins as de facto SGs and Demary as a bit more CG than pure PG.
Next year assumes Mullins gone but depends on County vs Furphy since we might do 3 guards like Demary/Ball/Furphy (or County) with a bruiser C (Reibe adds 25 lbs muscle!) and Landrew might be a great PF depends on Stew stay/go but somewhere Ross the elder will get a start as Hurley loves him and will reward.
Really could've used Abdou Toure.
That lineup will have serious trouble rebounding. Reibe, thus far, is just slow to the ball. Some of that can be improved with some added explosiveness from the weight room. But as an outside-in 5, they could afford an old school PF. That is probably not J-Stew. His future depends a lot on what he can accomplish the rest of this year. If he can gain consistency, they’ll make the roster work with him.PG: Demary / Portal / County (Demary a lock here and we are in great shape. Light chance he tries to go draft, but doubtful) A+
SG: Ball / County / Furphy (Solid rotation here as well) A
Wing: Ross / Landrew / Furphy (really depends on what the plan is with Landrew)
PF: Stewart / Landrew (not convinced on Stew, so will be important that we have insurance/options here - maybe it's Landrew)
C: Reibe / Eleizaj / Portal (we will be desperate for a strong physical portal big here)
Portal priorities are going to be 1) a strong Center 2) Backup PG.
I'm just not sure how many great PG's are going to want to come in to backup. Ceiling is likely a Malachi type PG.
Big question is how we use Landrew - I see him as a 3/4 tweener at 235 in HS. If we went to the portal for a 4, I could see that being a one way ticket out for Stew. Letting him battle with Landrew might be more palletable for him. Depending on how we look to use him, then one more body at the 3/4.
I have no idea whether these euros on the roster have the goods.
That lineup will have serious trouble rebounding. Reibe, thus far, is just slow to the ball. Some of that can be improved with some added explosiveness from the weight room. But as an outside-in 5, they could afford an old school PF. That is probably not J-Stew. His future depends a lot on what he can accomplish the rest of this year. If he can gain consistency, they’ll make the roster work with him.
Yeah, I honestly don't know where he falls in. I've personally been pretty disappointed in his trajectory - don't feel he's really improved much year over year and can still feel like a freshman at times. He has "flashes". Well, those flashes should be turning into consistent output at this point with all the time he's afforded. He had a chance to go crash with AZ and really didn't. I'd personally find a really strong starting 4, but I don't know how Hurley would operate here in terms of how he values continuity. These kids have stuck it out and my sense is Hurley would reward the loyalty. Just have to trust the staff on this one.That lineup will have serious trouble rebounding. Reibe, thus far, is just slow to the ball. Some of that can be improved with some added explosiveness from the weight room. But as an outside-in 5, they could afford an old school PF. That is probably not J-Stew. His future depends a lot on what he can accomplish the rest of this year. If he can gain consistency, they’ll make the roster work with him.
Kids are now reclassing up to get into this crummy class & draft:
247sports.com
Don't let logic get in the way of a RuffRuff narrativeHe was #1 in the 2027 class and 247Sports says he's now the #8 player in the 2026 class. Obviously no idea if that will hold but isn't that giving up draft spots if it does?
Bruce Branch III, who was ranked No. 1 in the 2027 class, is moving to the 2026 class, he told 247Sports. Branch is following the same path that Baba Oladotun took earlier this fall.
The 6-foot-7 prospect out of Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) Prolific Prep will slot in at No. 8 overall player in the class of 2026 rankings. He instantly becomes one of the most desired prospects available in the 2026 class.
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Bruce Branch III, the No. 1 player in 2027, reclassifies to the 2026 class
Branch instantly becomes one of the most available and most desired prospects in the 2026 class.247sports.com
I think hes actually strong for his size. Finkelstein noted he was physically strong.Furphy feels like the kind of kid, especially with the recent injury, that is going to need some time to get up to speed & come to the US college pace. He also looks fairly weak, so spending some time in the weight room this year could be where his focus is.
ESPN recruiting is not particularly good these days -- 247 still is market leader and the have Landrew at #21 in country. County not as concerned with wherever he ranks (they have him at 29) since they clearly view him as a longer term project (Stew / Ross / Solo type) and Landrew as a day 1 contributor (Liam / Steph / Braylon)![]()
Boys' 2026 recruiting class rankings: Michigan State up, Houston in, Alabama out
Missouri remains No. 1, with Michigan State at No. 2, Duke No. 3 and new adds Houston, Purdue, West Virginia.www.espn.com
This guy has our guys quite low.
I too, like 247. Most thorough - they don't use AI to scrape for %'s chances like On3. On3 feeling more click bait, versus 247 which is more polished.ESPN recruiting is not particularly good these days -- 247 still is market leader and the have Landrew at #21 in country. County not as concerned with wherever he ranks (they have him at 29) since they clearly view him as a longer term project (Stew / Ross / Solo type) and Landrew as a day 1 contributor (Liam / Steph / Braylon)
That is why the staff shifted towards County.Odd final four - UNC, Baylor, Washington, PSU