HUGE In-Home for Ollie Today

[Matrim55]

Trust me on this one. UConn will make room for Malik Newman and Diamond Stone if they want to come here. You don't say, "Thanks, but no thanks guys. We can only take one of you."

Especially if there's a chance they'll be here for two years - if the new NBA age limit goes through.

The problem with one-and-dones is that, by definition, they're not really in it for the team. Obviously that makes it incumbent upon the coach to integrate them both on the court and in the locker room, but it often manifests itself as a needless complication. Kentucky's success - and yes, it pains me to admit that they're successful - is more the exception than the rule. **(I'm gonna get back to this below)

If these guys become two-year players, then they'll have to fit in more quickly. They'll have to be focused on more than just using college as a pit stop. It's got to be a place where they can actually grow their game and grow the program. There's a difference of mindset there that's tough to quantify or put into words, but it's something I talked a lot about with Calhoun back in the late '90s (I was the Daily Campus associate sports editor) as the one-and-done culture was really taking off.

Bottom line: It's hard to coach kids with one foot out the door and the idea that they're playing more for a draft position than a title.

So if these guys are one-and-dones, I'd take them but still be kind of "meh" about it. I don't believe that superior projected NBA talent necessarily means titles, or necessarily represents our school the way I'd love for it to be represented.

But if they're here for two years? If they're part of UConn long enough to become part of the culture? Then the talent differential will be magnified. Then the teams that pull the top recruits will really separate themselves. And then I'm 10 toes in - because if we can't pull those top talents, it will really take a toll. Juniors and seniors almost always have an advantage over freshmen, but we all know that gets whittled down a lot vs. a team of talented sophomores.

** Tyler Ulis is the most important recruit of the Calipari era in Kentucky. He is a fantastic, instinctive point guard who understands exactly how to run an offense and get his guys looks. He has the ball on a string. And because he doesn't project well to the NBA - he's only 5-foot-9 - he'll be in Lexington for at least three years.

I am already legitimately scared of Kentucky's 2016-17 team.

 

[HobokenHusky]

It's a nice problem to have, I'm happy we're recruiting them, I'm just worried that we won't have enough space for all the talent that wants to come here

Why does that worry you? I know it's a foreign concept for us, but if we take the most talented kids we can get, the playing time and roster will figure itself out year-over-year. If the kid doesn't think he can start here regardless of who is on the roster, I don't want him here, and I am sure Ollie feels the same way. This has never hurt UNC, Duke or Kentucky, who seemingly get multiple top 50 guys and every position most years.

 

[Jluc]

Cannot believe there are some people who are questioning whether or not we can take on these two and saying we have too many combo guards. This is the NUMBER ONE PLAYER IN THE NATION! Lets go KO I have faith you can get this done.

On a side note Newman reminds me a lot of Ben Gordon..cannot think of a good comparison for Stone though.

 

[Husky15]

Why does that worry you? I know it's a foreign concept for us, but if we take the most talented kids we can get, the playing time and roster will figure itself out year-over-year. If the kid doesn't think he can start here regardless of who is on the roster, I don't want him here, and I am sure Ollie feels the same way. This has never hurt UNC, Duke or Kentucky, who seemingly get multiple top 50 guys and every position most years.

All I'm trying to say is that we can't just force there to be more open spots so I don't think it's possible to take both of them, I would be pumped to get any top 100 player to round out our class. I just don't think it's possible to take both even if they both wanted to come here, we can't force people to leave nor would we want to

 

[Jluc]

All I'm trying to say is that we can't just force there to be more open spots so I don't think it's possible to take both of them, I would be pumped to get any top 100 player to round out our class. I just don't think it's possible to take both even if they both wanted to come here, we can't force people to leave nor would we want to

Nope actually it's definitely possible

 

[3uconn]

All I'm trying to say is that we can't just force there to be more open spots so I don't think it's possible to take both of them, I would be pumped to get any top 100 player to round out our class. I just don't think it's possible to take both even if they both wanted to come here, we can't force people to leave nor would we want to

It's actually 100% possible. It wouldn't be the first time a college has done it and it surely won't be the last.

 

[EdgewoodNHV]

The problem with one-and-dones is that, by definition, they're not really in it for the team.

Disagree strongly with this sentiment. Most of these kids don't come from upper middle class households. If you have a chance to sign a multimillion dollar contract to take care of you family, I don't think it says anything about you except that you're trying to take care of you family. Sure, the money's great, and I'm sure not every kid does it for the right reasons, but I'd refrain from making too quick a judgment about someone's penchant for teamwork based on seizing the moment.

 

[Matrim55]

Disagree strongly with this sentiment. Most of these kids don't come from upper middle class households. If you have a chance to sign a multimillion dollar contract to take care of you family, I don't think it says anything about you except that you're trying to take care of you family. Sure, the money's great, and I'm sure not every kid does it for the right reasons, but I'd refrain from making too quick a judgment about someone's penchant for teamwork based on seizing the moment.

I don't begrudge any kid for jumping at the millions as soon as they're available. But I feel like you're making my point for me.

And it's not a "penchant for teamwork," on or off the court. It's a legitimate question of why, exactly, you're there. And like I said, I'm not the only one who felt that way - a lot of what I wrote in my previous post is paraphrased Calhoun, and he knows more about this than the entirety of the Boneyard combined.

 

[Husky15]

It's actually 100% possible. It wouldn't be the first time a college has done it and it surely won't be the last.

So you're saying if no one wants to transfer or leave early we would force somebody out of the program??

 

[superjohn]

So you're saying if no one wants to transfer or leave early we would force somebody out of the program??

Dude let it go, If Newman and Stone want to come here we will have scholarships for them.

 

[Walker11]

So you're saying if no one wants to transfer or leave early we would force somebody out of the program??

Maybe I'm naïve and I know this happens all the time, but I can't see Ollie doing this.

 

[selles]

So you're saying if no one wants to transfer or leave early we would force somebody out of the program??

Drummond, anyone?

But you're getting way ahead of events on the ground worrying about this right now.

 

[Husky15]

I'm confused why I'm getting so much flak for this, I just know there's one scholarship left and don't think Ollie would force anyone out

 

[Tampahusky]

I'm confused why I'm getting so much flak for this, I just know there's one scholarship left and don't think Ollie would force anyone out

Scholarships are 1 year offers....it happens everywhere

 

[superjohn]

I'm confused why I'm getting so much flak for this, I just know there's one scholarship left and don't think Ollie would force anyone out

You must be new to recruiting, you almost always recruit more players than scholarships available. We don't know what the 2015/2016 team will look like, one thing that is known is that if Newman and Stone both want to play for UConn they will have a scholarship waiting for them.

 

[Husky15]

You must be new to recruiting, you almost always recruit more players than scholarships available. We don't know what the 2015/2016 team will look like, one thing that is known is that if Newman and Stone both want to play for UConn they will have a scholarship waiting for them.

I understand you recruit more, but I didn't think you took more commits then available scholarships

 

[sdhusky]

I'm confused why I'm getting so much flak for this, I just know there's one scholarship left and don't think Ollie would force anyone out

Who has signed a LOI?

 

[UConnDan97]

I understand you recruit more, but I didn't think you took more commits then available scholarships

Selles already alluded to it, but here's the example so that you understand at least one of the ways that this could work:

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-bas...e-drummond-wanted-michael-bradley-scholarship

"Bradley had offered to give up his scholarship in August shortly after hearing that Drummond was committing to UConn. Bradley, the school said at the time, could qualify for other financial aid because of his background."

 

[Walker11]

I wouldn't even worry about it. Newman has talked about signing next April so the situation will be much more clear by then.

 

[Husky15]

The real question is would Ollie not honor a commit or force someone out to make room for a recruit?

 

[Husky15]

Selles already alluded to it, but here's the example so that you understand at least one of the ways that this could work:

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-bas...e-drummond-wanted-michael-bradley-scholarship

"Bradley had offered to give up his scholarship in August shortly after hearing that Drummond was committing to UConn. Bradley, the school said at the time, could qualify for other financial aid because of his background."

I remember that, that was a rather sketchy situation where Drummond ended up walking on and Bradley transferred in at least part because of this

 

[UConnDan97]

I remember that, that was a rather sketchy situation where Drummond ended up walking on

It's not that sketchy in my opinion. The school essentially would have found a way to cover the vast majority (if not all) of Michael Bradley's scholly, and Drummond would have been a scholarship player. You could argue that Drummond "took the high road" by not accepting it. But if I recall correctly, it was the NCAA who was sketchy by demanding that a "recruited player" be on scholarship. They worked it out eventually with the NCAA compliance office, and then the entire thing went away.

Long story short...it CAN and it WILL be done in order to bring talent on to the team...

 

[superjohn]

The really question is would Ollie not honor a commit or force someone out to make room for a recruit?

Why are you so worried about this? Again, fans of other schools don't worry about nonsense like this. You're either brand new to recruiting or must have freaked out every single year Calhoun was recruiting.

 

[Husky15]

Why are you so worried about this? Again, fans of other schools don't worry about nonsense like this. You're either brand new to recruiting or must have freaked out every single year Calhoun was recruiting.

I'm sorry, I got caught up trying to defend my point that we didn't have room and probably got carried away, I'm not worried because it would be a great problem to have and would mean that Ollie is killing it on the trail, I'll leave it be

 

[UCfor3]

I think Ollie knows more about our future scholarship situation than us dopes on an internet message board. Let him worry about it. It is his job and if he thinks there will be room then there will be room. The buck stops with him. Maybe Leon, who is a good student, is on target to graduate in 3 years. Maybe Purvis has told Ollie he is only staying one year no matter what happens. Who knows? Wasting time worrying what happens over a year from now in college basketball recruiting is an exercise in futility. It's a fluid situation managed by the people in the know which are the coaches not us rubes. In regards to Newman and Stone, my advice would be to not look a gift horse in the mouth. If the age limit rule was changed and we had these guys for two years.....holy cow. Regardless, this was just an in-home visit. No need to put the horse before the cart just yet.