Is it just me or is UConn recruiting at a higher level right now? | Page 2 | The Boneyard

Is it just me or is UConn recruiting at a higher level right now?

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UC990411 said:
Honestly, what makes you believe this?
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NBA player
Personable
Intense
Good rapport with players
Develops talent, knows the game

Are there other coaches with his combination of characteristics? No, don't think so.

FYI, I've been on Ollie's bandwagon for a long time now--a very long time. His performance this season did not surprise me.
 
You just described Fred Hoiberg. I like Ollie, and I think he's going to be a force to be reckoned with on the recruiting trail, even if we stay in this moribund conference with juggernauts like the people's champ, East Carolina. I think we're going to see a couple of really high end classes in the near future. But we're awfully quick to want to describe our own guys as sui generis and i don't think it's really accurate. It's like when people say "Well, recruit X wants a family atmosphere, NBA development, and a coach that will push him - no place offers more of that than UConn."
 
BigErnMcCracken said:
You just described Fred Hoiberg. I like Ollie, and I think he's going to be a force to be reckoned with on the recruiting trail, even if we stay in this moribund conference with juggernauts like the people's champ, East Carolina. I think we're going to see a couple of really high end classes in the near future. But we're awfully quick to want to describe our own guys as sui generis and i don't think it's really accurate. It's like when people say "Well, recruit X wants a family atmosphere, NBA development, and a coach that will push him - no place offers more of that than UConn."
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Ollie has more.
 
upstater said:
NBA player
Personable
Intense
Good rapport with players
Develops talent, knows the game

Are there other coaches with his combination of characteristics? No, don't think so.

FYI, I've been on Ollie's bandwagon for a long time now--a very long time. His performance this season did not surprise me.
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According to Calhoun, all that matters to a recruit is can this coach get me to the NBA. If a recruit thinks that about Coach Ollie, they will spend a couple, two-tree winters in the northeast woods of Connecticut. Done and done...
 
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We got after the big guys every year, but have been striking out as of late. Hopefully 2014 will be a game-changer. Knock on wood.
 
I have a feeling Ollie will get a lot of high recruits because most of these kids could probably relate to him. What better way to sell playing for UConn and getting your degree with a chance to play in the NBA then from somebody who did exactly that. Telling stories about playing with Lebron, Durant, and Iverson probably does not hurt either. Ollie played for a lot of teams so obviously he has many contacts in the league from GM's, coaches, and current players. If I was a top recruit, I would feel very comfortable playing for Kevin Ollie at the University of Connecticut. How could you not?
 
Ts5034 said:
I have a feeling Ollie will get a lot of high recruits because most of these kids could probably relate to him. What better way to sell playing for UConn and getting your degree with a chance to play in the NBA then from somebody who did exactly that. Telling stories about playing with Lebron, Durant, and Iverson probably does not hurt either. Ollie played for a lot of teams so obviously he has many contacts in the league from GM's, coaches, and current players. If I was a top recruit, I would feel very comfortable playing for Kevin Ollie at the University of Connecticut. How could you not?
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No one wants an NBA career like Ollie had when they are 18...and if they do, you dont want them. Their concern is, "can this guy make me a lottery pick?"
 
And I would imagine Ollie leads off with "my NBA career sucked, but I'll try to make yours better"?? I'll bet you would have loved Ollies NBA career.

Kids are alot more humble than you think, Kevin Ollie will have no problem selling his NBA experience in combination with his UCONN experience.
 
Husky25 said:
No one wants an NBA career like Ollie had when they are 18...and if they do, you dont want them. Their concern is, "can this guy make me a lottery pick?"
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Huh?? No one wants a 14 year NBA career? Are you joking? You seriously think every incoming recruit should think they're going to be a lottery pick?

You realize recruiting includes more than the top 10 recruits, right?
 
trackie said:
And I would imagine Ollie leads off with "my NBA career sucked, but I'll try to make yours better"?? I'll bet you would have loved Ollies NBA career.

Kids are alot more humble than you think, Kevin Ollie will have no problem selling his NBA experience in combination with his UCONN experience.
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Probably easier to sell a 28 year old on that story than a teenager. Every 18 year old thinks they have they handle of Bob Clousy or the the shot of James Worthy. Get me there. I'll do the rest.
 
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UCHuskies08 said:
Huh?? No one wants a 14 year NBA career? Are you joking? You seriously think every incoming recruit should think they're going to be a lottery pick?

You realize recruiting includes more than the top 10 recruits, right?
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Huh?? You really think that on his 2nd or 3rd or 4th 10 day contract that Kevin Ollie thought he'd spend so long in the NBA? You're kidding your self if so. Every kid being recruited by a top program thinks they are lottery talent.
 
If every kid recruited by a top program thought that, they would probably think they're going in the lottery no matter where they go. Then they would pick based on the players, coaches, and campus life in general.
 
Husky25 said:
Probably easier to sell a 28 year old on that story than a teenager. Every 18 year old thinks they have they handle of Bob Clousy or the the shot of James Worthy. Get me there. I'll do the rest.
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No 18 year old knows who bob Cousy or James worthy are. :)
 
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Come on guys (i.e. homers) a 14 year NBA career is desirable but not the Ollie kind. He had practically no security throughout his career and was constantly traded. I would bet he brought/sold a few houses in his career. What Ollie can sell is longevity, staying power and knowing what it takes to stay relevant and make a team. He does know the NBA from the courtside, and still knows people.

But basically he is an unknown NBA commodity to many recruits. Yet he is credible in judging NBA talent and readiness.

Thank goodness for Google.
 
DanDar said:
I'm not really following recruiting on a daily basis, just glancing at topics and names, but it feels like we're in play at a higher level than in recent history.
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We always recruit at a high level but we seem to be in play with more highly rated recruits latter in the process. We just need to land a few.
JC and his staff landed some great players but JC's coaching style didn't appeal to everybody. Ollie has less of a tough love personality and that may appeal to more players but he is recruiting to a crap conference. We'll have to see how it all works out.
 
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What Ollie can sell to recruits is the fact that he maximized his NBA potential. A guy of his talent level playing twelve years in the association? Whether or not these kids think they're the next Lebron, Ollie can tell them, "I got the most out of my basketball career. Come to UConn, and I'll help you do the same."
 
Danzz said:
We always recruit at a high level but we seem to be in play with more highly rated recruits latter in the process. We just need to land a few.
JC and his staff landed some great players but JC's coaching style didn't appeal to everybody. Ollie has less of a tough love personality and that may appeal to more players but he is recruiting to a crap conference. We'll have to see how it all works out.
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Again...I comes down to can the coach get the recruit to the NBAwithin the next 4 years. This sentiment was expressed directly by Jim Calhoun himself.
 
Yes Ollie's career was that of a journey men. But in the realm of college basketball/recruiting who can even say that? What other coaches can sell that their friends with Sam presti? it's often forgotten Ollie would have been working in the league if it wasn't for his undying loyalty. 95% of college coaches can't say that.
 
KO was in the NBA alot longer than JC and he did pretty good with recruiting.

It's not the only thing that matters but it does matter. The fact that he was a journey man doesn't really matter.
 
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CAHUSKY said:
I think you missed the smiley face...by a wide margin
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No, I got it. I just wanted to cut the piling on off at the pass...:)
 
Rico444 said:
What Ollie can sell to recruits is the fact that he maximized his NBA potential. A guy of his talent level playing twelve years in the association? Whether or not these kids think they're the next Lebron, Ollie can tell them, "I got the most out of my basketball career. Come to UConn, and I'll help you do the same."
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...and that he was brought to Cleveland in order to mentor Lebron James and Kevin Durant at OKC into being pros.
 
It's the journeyman types that make the best coaches. Stars like Isaiah and Drexler were busts.
 
Waquoit said:
It's the journeyman types that make the best coaches. Stars like Isaiah and Drexler were busts.
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All Isiah could do was play basketball. Except for his philanthropic ventures, he is percieved as a failure at virtually every other venture he attempted.
 
Bryan Lord said:
KO was in the NBA alot longer than JC and he did pretty good with recruiting.

It's not the only thing that matters but it does matter. The fact that he was a journey man doesn't really matter.
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The only reason Ollie was in the NBA so long was that he has 11 toes.

Its true.

Well, it's one more committed, isn't it? It's not ten. You see, most guys, you know, will be playing with ten. You're on ten here, all the way up, all the way up, all the way up, you've got all ten in. Where can you go from there? Where?

Ollie could go to 11.
 
Husky25 said:
Probably easier to sell a 28 year old on that story than a teenager. Every 18 year old thinks they have they handle of Bob Clousy or the the shot of James Worthy. Get me there. I'll do the rest.
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A guy that started from nowhere and figured out what it took to stay in the league and earn millions is worth his weight in gold.
 
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