2023 Recruiting: Justin Edwards

[AntG168]

How many 5 star recruits has Hurley targeted here? Lol. Come on. He doesn’t usually miss on guys he puts a lot of energy into. It’s gonna be hard to get 5* guys in this era of college bball until we start winning at the highest level. Get used to it. There are other ways to build teams.

*Paying at the highest level. If we want a top 15 guy we’re going to have to put forth the best offer

 

[Jbirdp5]

There are. But apparently this only exists in the south (saracasm). Whether or not they want to play this game I have no idea, but I can think of a couple beyond the 1 I inferred earlier. I am not going to throw any other names around here as if to say it is their responsibility but if you look into the big players involved in making the practice facility happen, there are a couple folks that could theoretically come forward again.

Our best shot at someone not only with the means to do something like this but the want to is the d’amilos (sp) that guy is more active than anyone on twitter promoting UConn athletics.

 

[CTFAN4LIFE]

How many 5 star recruits has Hurley targeted here? Lol. Come on. He doesn’t usually miss on guys he puts a lot of energy into. It’s gonna be hard to get 5* guys in this era of college bball until we start winning at the highest level. Get used to it. There are other ways to build teams.

Even Calhoun got very few 5 stars over his long tenure. Oh, and BTW he won more natty's than anyone else across his tenure.

 

[Greedo]

The biggest thing Hurley can do is finally make a run in the tournament. Getting to an Elite 8 or Final 4 would energize the fan base, and motivate fans with money to start splashing some cash. I truly believe, get a big season and the money for recruits will come.

 

[KembaStepback]

Next. Let's move on.

 

[Ha Who]

Next. Let's move on.

lock it up

 

[HooperScooper]

How many 5 star recruits has Hurley targeted here? Lol. Come on. He doesn’t usually miss on guys he puts a lot of energy into. It’s gonna be hard to get 5* guys in this era of college bball until we start winning at the highest level. Get used to it. There are other ways to build teams.

I was going to say the same. Good evaluations during recruiting, development and coaching are more important than getting a bunch of 5 star recruits.

I posted this article before the Final Four. Kansas and Villanova didn't have a single 5 star recruit. Duke was obviously loaded with them and UNC had 2.

And look at many of the All Americans this past year. Obviously seniors like Agbai and juniors like Timme (wasn't he a 4th year player?) developed. But even sophomores who didn't have as much time to develop like Keegan Murray and Johnny Davis were respectively 3 star and barely 4 star recruits. Sophomore Jaden Ivey of Purdue was a 4 star recruit.

2022 Final Four teams: Recruiting rankings for Duke, UNC, Kansas and Villanova players

Before they took the NCAA Tournament by storm, most of the Final Four players earned blue-chip status as recruits.

www.cbssports.com

 

[uconngb]

I was going to say the same. Good evaluations during recruiting, development and coaching are more important than getting a bunch of 5 star recruits.

I posted this article before the Final Four. Kansas and Villanova didn't have a single 5 star recruit. Duke was obviously loaded with them and UNC had 2.

And look at many of the All Americans this past year. Obviously seniors like Agbai and juniors like Timme (wasn't he a 4th year player?) developed. But even sophomores who didn't have as much time to develop like Keegan Murray and Johnny Davis were respectively 3 star and barely 4 star recruits. Sophomore Jaden Ivey of Purdue was a 4 star recruit.

2022 Final Four teams: Recruiting rankings for Duke, UNC, Kansas and Villanova players

Before they took the NCAA Tournament by storm, most of the Final Four players earned blue-chip status as recruits.

www.cbssports.com

I was going to say the same. Good evaluations during recruiting, development and coaching are more important than getting a bunch of 5 star recruits.

I posted this article before the Final Four. Kansas and Villanova didn't have a single 5 star recruit. Duke was obviously loaded with them and UNC had 2.

And look at many of the All Americans this past year. Obviously seniors like Agbai and juniors like Timme (wasn't he a 4th year player?) developed. But even sophomores who didn't have as much time to develop like Keegan Murray and Johnny Davis were respectively 3 star and barely 4 star recruits. Sophomore Jaden Ivey of Purdue was a 4 star recruit.

2022 Final Four teams: Recruiting rankings for Duke, UNC, Kansas and Villanova players

Before they took the NCAA Tournament by storm, most of the Final Four players earned blue-chip status as recruits.

www.cbssports.com

Yeah it just seems like a waste of energy to go after these guys. They never come and as you've pointed it, it's not like that's the only way to win. We just aren't a magnet for those type of players and as has been proven here and other places in the past, you don't need them to be successful. Just seems like a waste of time and energy to always end up on the outside looking in.

 

[bendm]

Would’ve been more surprised had we landed him. Just not at that top 20 level in recruiting yet.

 

[Billy Bob]

The biggest thing Hurley can do is finally make a run in the tournament. Getting to an Elite 8 or Final 4 would energize the fan base, and motivate fans with money to start splashing some cash. I truly believe, get a big season and the money for recruits will come.

He has to do that this season coming up. Not making it to the tourney or a first round departure will not sit well for his future here

 

[Huskymagic]

We absolutely need to land a 5 star/McDonalds All American elite player. For a program of UCONNs stature not to get at least 1 elite ranked recruit every 2-3 years is not good. Hurley needs to break through.

People pointing at Kansas as a model of winning with lesser ranked talent should know that Kansas has 3 McDonalds All Americans coming next year into their program.

Villanova also has 1 coming in.

Musselman and Oats have several coming in.

Heck even Pat Ewing and Georgetown was able to get one last year despite the program being awful.

PS: Jim Calhoun won championships because he also was able to get 5 star recruits/McDonalds All Americans in addition to being a great coach.

 

[CTFAN4LIFE]

We absolutely need to land a 5 star/McDonalds All American elite player. For a program of UCONNs stature not to get at least 1 elite ranked recruit every 2-3 years is not good. Hurley needs to break through.

People pointing at Kansas as a model of winning with lesser ranked talent should know that Kansas has 3 McDonalds All Americans coming next year into their program.

Villanova also has 1 coming in.

Musselman and Oats have several coming in.

Heck even Pat Ewing and Georgetown was able to get one last year despite the program being awful.

PS: Jim Calhoun won championships because he also was able to get 5 star recruits/McDonalds All Americans in addition to being a great coach.

It would be really nice to get a five star every few years, but not totally necessary. There are usually around 25 five stars each season. Two-thirds of five stars (about 16) are good enough at the college level to get drafted into the NBA with about two thirds of them (about 10) going in the first round. The absolute locks are the top ten high school players. Not to say the others are not contributing to their college programs, but you get the drift...

The more important thing is to get coachable four stars that relate well to the program and the other players on the roster. That will be the bedrock of the program with portal transfers (maybe 2 or 3 per year) filling in the holes.

I'm not all into the "gotta have a 5 star" way of thinking. I'd rather have a roster loaded with four stars that want to stay for three of four years, work at their game, and relate well to the rest of the roster (physically and mentally) and coaching staff. Having the older portal guys be the one and dones should actually be more effective and efficient than us going after and getting every so often an 18 year old high school five star.

 

[pj]

We absolutely need to land a 5 star/McDonalds All American elite player. For a program of UCONNs stature not to get at least 1 elite ranked recruit every 2-3 years is not good. Hurley needs to break through.

People pointing at Kansas as a model of winning with lesser ranked talent should know that Kansas has 3 McDonalds All Americans coming next year into their program.

Villanova also has 1 coming in.

Musselman and Oats have several coming in.

Heck even Pat Ewing and Georgetown was able to get one last year despite the program being awful.

PS: Jim Calhoun won championships because he also was able to get 5 star recruits/McDonalds All Americans in addition to being a great coach.

2014 team had no McD's. 2011 had Kemba Walker. 2004 had Charlie Villanueva. 1999 had Khalid El-Amin and Rip Hamilton.

So it looks like 1 McD is sufficient, on average, if you have a Hall of Fame coach.

But things might be changing, with G league, Ollie's league, other opportunities for the top players outside NCAA. NIL might spread the top players around a bit more.

 

[huskyfan224]

2014 team had no McD's. 2011 had Kemba Walker. 2004 had Charlie Villanueva. 1999 had Khalid El-Amin and Rip Hamilton.

So it looks like 1 McD is sufficient, on average, if you have a Hall of Fame coach.

But things might be changing, with G league, Ollie's league, other opportunities for the top players outside NCAA. NIL might spread the top players around a bit more.

Also, Kemba was a late bloomer. He was a 3 star when he committed and then blew up.

I look more at offers than stars a lot of the time as well. The funniest ranking to me was Shabazz, I believe he was still top 100, but watching him in high school I was amazed by how people thought there were “x” amount of players/guards better than him

 

[mauconnfan]

Ouch. Not making the top 7 is a surprise. Have to think the Team Final faux pas buried us.

Just shows what winning and advancing in the dance means!

 

[Deleted at users request]

Wonder if this had to do with mishandling two different players he was close to in Diggins and Floyd. I remember people telling me that it would be a non factor but this seems to say otherwise which only makes sense.

Like I’ve been saying all off-season, Hurley has to do a better job of handling freshman. He’ll get another chance with Castle. I hope he lets him loose early.

 

[HooperScooper]

Also, Kemba was a late bloomer. He was a 3 star when he committed and then blew up.

Not exactly. It is true that Kemba was not highly ranked before the spring of his junior year and then shot up the rankings. But by the time UConn started seriously recruiting him, after Brandon Jennings decommitted, and he committed during the summer before his senior year he was already a highly ranked 4 star commitment before his play later that summer on the AAU circuit put him into the top 15 or so.

Walker is ranked the No. 4 point guard in the class of 2008 by scout.com and the 36th player overall.

UConn gets NYC guard​

 

[Huskymagic]

2014 team had no McD's. 2011 had Kemba Walker. 2004 had Charlie Villanueva. 1999 had Khalid El-Amin and Rip Hamilton.

So it looks like 1 McD is sufficient, on average, if you have a Hall of Fame coach.

But things might be changing, with G league, Ollie's league, other opportunities for the top players outside NCAA. NIL might spread the top players around a bit more.

1999 had two: Khalid El-Amin and Richard Hamilton

2004 had two: Charlie Villanueva and Taliek Brown. This is in addition to numerous NBA players on that roster.

2011 had two: Kemba Walker and Alex Oriakhi

2014 is the only outlier with no McD's: Even that team had a consensus 5 star recruit in DeAndre Daniels.
This team benefitted playing with multiple NBA players and 5 star recruits throughout their tenure along with being coached by Calhoun.

It is necessary to get 5 star recruits every 2-3 years at worst if you expect to win titles. You can still have the majority of your roster full of 4 and 3 stars and still contend, but you absolutely need at worst one 5 star to win a title, and most of the time at least 2.

PS: The nonsense that Calhoun got lesser ranked players and was able to win without top talent just isn't true. Calhoun got plenty of top tier talent, which is why he was able to win championships in addition to him being a great overall coach. He was able to get 5 star recruits and McD's plenty of times.

 

[dennismenace]

Yea that’s a swing and a MISS. We spent ALOT of time on him. But $EC = NIL. Kids gonna get a check.

If that's his primary motivation it seems conservative (bird in the hand) but maybe shortsighted. NBA paychecks dwarf that kind of money even for 1 year vs a couple or even more years in college. Primary motivation should be preparedness for life after college including NBA but that's hard to resist when it is handed to you on a plate.

 

[CTFAN4LIFE]

Just shows what winning and advancing in the dance means!

I don't think it is that simple (but obviously winning helps):

Maryland - did not make the tourney
Kentucky - lost in the first round
Tennessee - lost in the second round
Auburn - lost in the second round
Villanova - lost in the FF
Kansas - won it all

 

[mauconnfan]

I don't think it is that simple (but obviously winning helps):

Maryland - did not make the tourney
Kentucky - lost in the first round
Tennessee - lost in the second round
Auburn - lost in the second round
Villanova - lost in the FF
Kansas - won it all

Villanova FF and KU wins it all, it is that simple for them though. Nova wasn’t even recruiting him as hard as the Husky staff.

 

[CTFAN4LIFE]

Villanova FF and KU wins it all, it is that simple for them though. Nova wasn’t even recruiting him as hard as the Husky staff.

If you want to make it that simple, then yeah it is. Using that line of logic, then all top 10 players would only go to the top 5-10 programs but that's not it has worked.

 

[Chief00]

1999 had two: Khalid El-Amin and Richard Hamilton

2004 had two: Charlie Villanueva and Taliek Brown. This is in addition to numerous NBA players on that roster.

2011 had two: Kemba Walker and Alex Oriakhi

2014 is the only outlier with no McD's: Even that team had a consensus 5 star recruit in DeAndre Daniels.
This team benefitted playing with multiple NBA players and 5 star recruits throughout their tenure along with being coached by Calhoun.

It is necessary to get 5 star recruits every 2-3 years at worst if you expect to win titles. You can still have the majority of your roster full of 4 and 3 stars and still contend, but you absolutely need at worst one 5 star to win a title, and most of the time at least 2.

PS: The nonsense that Calhoun got lesser ranked players and was able to win without top talent just isn't true. Calhoun got plenty of top tier talent, which is why he was able to win championships in addition to him being a great overall coach. He was able to get 5 star recruits and McD's plenty of times.

Don’t forget Andrew Bynum pre McDonald’s All Star game. My good friend Clyde V pulled that off.

 

[mauconnfan]

If you want to make it that simple, then yeah it is. Using that line of logic, then all top 10 players would only go to the top 5-10 programs but that's not it has worked.

Let’s be honest we go one and done again we will be behind the 8 ball with many of those we go after who also are being recruited by winning programs. And if not that then we better find a way to play in the money game.

Having said that I’m ok with not playing in the Top 20-25 recruits sandbox if we can find the solid top 100 kids who just get better.

 

[Banta55]

Like I said with the new corrupt NIL era,
the SEC is favored and has been catapulted into becoming the number 1 conference for elite recruits and coaches.

Hurley needs to do better. We cant even land one 5 star recruit. Need that in order to win a title. You need NBA level talent to win at the highest level.

Are you serious?