HUGE In-Home for Ollie Today

[superjohn]

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

No need to apologize, these things always work themselves out. I think it's safe to say we all think Ollie is killing it on the recruiting trail.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

I'm going to be called a downer but "killing it" will be when he starts getting commits from some of these kids. There's still going to be plenty of people from other schools pointing out the dumpster fire of a conference UConn is stuck in. It's nice to be in the conversation, but we were in the conversation for plenty of 5-star kids with Calhoun too.

To be clear: not a knock on Ollie, I would imagine he's going to have more juice than most when he walks in a gym this summer.

 

[sdhusky]

I'm going to be called a downer but "killing it" will be when he starts getting commits from some of these kids.

Ok.

2014 - commit from a McD's transfer, AA from LA, 1st team JUCO AA
2015 - two commits from top 50 guards & visits from the #1 player in the country

what they hell else more do you want????????????????????????????

 

[kansashusky]

Can we wait till we are actually on their officially lists and they have visited the University before we worry about how many scholarships we have?

 

[UCweCONN]

I was about to google, but thanks for putting that kind of info in there.

The internet also says he's a 6'3 shooting guard.

Not that you ever turn down a top-5 guy, but he seems possibly redundant with Jackson and Ali. Maybe he's insurance in case Purvis leaves after next year (highly unlikely, IMO).

A five star will never be an insurance policy. Get 'er done KO!

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

Ok.

2014 - commit from a McD's transfer, AA from LA, 1st team JUCO AA
2015 - two commits from top 50 guards & visits from the #1 player in the country

what they hell else more do you want????????????????????????????

Relax. Like I said, it's not a knock on Ollie. Who is the #1 player in the country who visited?

 

[August_West]

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.

This post is in violation for the use of too many idioms involving animals.

 

[TheChamps990411]

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

We had no ships left and Bradley gave his up to get Andre in here in `12. Im sure someone like Tolksdorf could do the same. I mean lets be real the walk ons have seen more minutes than him. If i were him id go to another school so i could play. Hes a mid major conference type player who has little chance of ever seriously getting pt here.

 

[Gringo]

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.

The stats don't bear out your argument. Per Ken Pomeroy the last four years in a row the youngest team in the NCAA tournament has been playing in the NCAA final. The list is:

UConn 2011
Kentucky 2012
Michigan 2013
Kentucky 2014

If you want to argue that a collection of top 100 recruits playing together for 3 or 4 years (Napier, Boat Daniels) is better than a class of top 10 one and dones (Kentucky) than maybe you are right. Fortunately this year that was the case. However, recent history shows you can make a deep run with young players and possibly win the title.

I don't want to see UConn turn into UK by bringing in one and dones and changing the roster dramatically every year, however we'd be crazy if we decided not to go after number 1 overall recruits just because we are afraid they'd leave after one year.

 

[sdhusky]

Relax. Like I said, it's not a knock on Ollie. Who is the #1 player in the country who visited?

Relax. I wasn't saying you were knocking Ollie. Just that your comment was stupid.

 

[Jerry1714]

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

Don't, that's not your job, people say this every year and every year we make it work.

We will in 2015

 

[Walker11]

We had no ships left and Bradley gave his up to get Andre in here in `12. Im sure someone like Tolksdorf could do the same. I mean lets be real the walk ons have seen more minutes than him. If i were him id go to another school so i could play. Hes a mid major conference type player who has little chance of ever seriously getting pt here.

You have 1400 posts but still haven't learned not to speculate on transfers.

 

[SixRings]

The stats don't bear out your argument. Per Ken Pomeroy the last four years in a row the youngest team in the NCAA tournament has been playing in the NCAA final. The list is:

UConn 2011
Kentucky 2012
Michigan 2013
Kentucky 2014

If you want to argue that a collection of top 100 recruits playing together for 3 or 4 years (Napier, Boat Daniels) is better than a class of top 10 one and dones (Kentucky) than maybe you are right. Fortunately this year that was the case. However, recent history shows you can make a deep run with young players and possibly win the title.

I don't want to see UConn turn into UK by bringing in one and dones and changing the roster dramatically every year, however we'd be crazy if we decided not to go after number 1 overall recruits just because we are afraid they'd leave after one year.

Agreed. Since 99 we have had the most success and that has been done by mostly 3 and 4 year players sans a couple 2's. Can't ignore the top talent but don't need 5 starters each year either. There's a balance and a team philosophy.

 

[husky91]

Agree, makes no sense unless he would recant offers to one of them, which seems unlikely. Or could Newman be recruited as a #1?

I was about to google, but thanks for putting that kind of info in there.

The internet also says he's a 6'3 shooting guard.

Not that you ever turn down a top-5 guy, but he seems possibly redundant with Jackson and Ali. Maybe he's insurance in case Purvis leaves after next year (highly unlikely, IMO).

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

Relax. I wasn't saying you were knocking Ollie. Just that your comment was stupid.

Shouldn't you be trolling the PC or Syracuse boards? I see the kid Jackson in the top 50 on the 24/7 list, no Ali. I don't see either one on ESPN's Top 60. I was - I thought pretty obviously - referring to people getting worked up about Ollie going to visit Malik Newman and Diamond Stone. My point - which remains valid - is that there's a big difference between getting an audience with a kid and landing him. I'm not sure you've done anything to dispel that, and you still haven't told me who the #1 player in the country is who visited. I assume you're referring to Newman but he pretty clearly has not visited - Ollie visited him.

 

[sdhusky]

Shouldn't you be trolling the PC or Syracuse boards? I see the kid Jackson in the top 50 on the 24/7 list, no Ali. I don't see either one on ESPN's Top 60. I was - I thought pretty obviously - referring to people getting worked up about Ollie going to visit Malik Newman and Diamond Stone. My point - which remains valid - is that there's a big difference between getting an audience with a kid and landing him. I'm not sure you've done anything to dispel that, and you still haven't told me who the #1 player in the country is who visited. I assume you're referring to Newman but he pretty clearly has not visited - Ollie visited him.

You are really struggling with this, aren't you?

That's ok. Just try your best to keep up.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

You are really struggling with this, aren't you?

That's ok. Just try your best to keep up.

Translation: "I have no response."

I figured.

 

[Walker11]

Shouldn't you be trolling the PC or Syracuse boards? I see the kid Jackson in the top 50 on the 24/7 list, no Ali. I don't see either one on ESPN's Top 60. I was - I thought pretty obviously - referring to people getting worked up about Ollie going to visit Malik Newman and Diamond Stone. My point - which remains valid - is that there's a big difference between getting an audience with a kid and landing him. I'm not sure you've done anything to dispel that, and you still haven't told me who the #1 player in the country is who visited. I assume you're referring to Newman but he pretty clearly has not visited - Ollie visited him.

Ollie isn't killing it yet but I think he will soon so you are probably right. Jackson is ranked about 40th on the composite rankings but may be better. He was at one time a top 10 kid and dropped after a leg injury left him out of the limelight. Prince is composite 70 I believe but by all accounts had a terrific junior season and he wasn't on the AAU circuit last year so he may be a big riser. And yea, I have never seen someone treat Cuse fans better than fellow Husky fans but there had to be one.

I'll say Ollie is killing it when we start having consistent top 5-10 classes.

 

[Brownie]

That's great. We aren't even listed by most sites as schools he's interested in.

KO got his foot in the door with Jabari Parker right near the end, so I don't get my hopes up for these types of things, but it is impressive.

Yes, but that was before KO had a long term contract & a national championship under his belt.

 

[caw]

Shouldn't you be trolling the PC or Syracuse boards? I see the kid Jackson in the top 50 on the 24/7 list, no Ali. I don't see either one on ESPN's Top 60. I was - I thought pretty obviously - referring to people getting worked up about Ollie going to visit Malik Newman and Diamond Stone. My point - which remains valid - is that there's a big difference between getting an audience with a kid and landing him. I'm not sure you've done anything to dispel that, and you still haven't told me who the #1 player in the country is who visited. I assume you're referring to Newman but he pretty clearly has not visited - Ollie visited him.

Not sure when each of those sites last updated their rankings, but 24-7 usually updates the most (too) frequently.

Prince Ali is 43 on 24 7 with a composite of 71. So they do rank him higher than most do currently. Considering his last high school year, if rankings haven't updated recently he will likely move up a decent amount over the summer.

Will Jackson is 32 on 24 7 with a composite of 32. He dropped quite a bit after missing last years AAU schedule with injury. Think Ben Gordon type mistake with rankings. He's a very legit player who may end up much higher with an injury free AAU circuit.

The "visit" with the #1 was with Newman who is pretty much everyone's top 3 for 2015. It was an in-home visit, and that should probably be properly noted considering it's not the same as an unofficial or official.

Saying UConn has two top 50 kids is pretty legit, but if you prefer two top 75, that's fine there isn't usually a huge gap from 50-75 anyway. I think, barring injury, both Jackson and Ali will end upon the top 50 easily. It would be pretty suspect if they didn't.

 

[OkaForPrez]

How the heck did this thread turn into three separate lovers quarrels?

 

[Tbone4457]

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

A sad reality of college ball is that room can be made and often is when needed. (In my fan status naivete) I don't think Coach O. would do this, but players' scholarships are on a year to year basis, so they can lose them. Often it will be the sudden transfer (like some guards we had in the past who left quickly because they weren't very good). Or, like the Drummond situation, a way is found to get top talent. But, the benefit is that the guys who wind up not playing a lot get to work against top talent in practice and then show their game the following year. Or, there are situations like what Boat went through with W. Virginia where they promise not to recruit another player in your position, then bring in another higher rated player anyway. Lucky for us, Boat backed out of that deal after being lied to.

 

[RMoore1999]

How the heck did this thread turn into three separate lovers quarrels?

Because some kids simply get off more by comparing pickle size than they do discussing the increased recruiting visibility afforded by a 4th National Championship.

 

[jfuchs91]

Let's get Thon Maker, too.

 

[uconndoit]

This post is in violation for the use of too many idioms involving animals.

My sister-in-law who is from Slovakia says "Do not examine the teeth of the horse that was given to you as a gift."

But for her it's not a metaphor.