2023 Recruiting: Justin Edwards

[mauconnfan]

Are you serious?

Are you serious?

 

[dennismenace]

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.

This reminds me of the consensus take that NBA scouts had of JC at the time: "Players that come out of Uconn are NBA ready". Calhoun and staff located numerous talented kids (that would fit into his coaching philosophy) and then developed them mentally and physically for the next level. I think you had to have toughness to play at Uconn because there was no if ands or buts that it was going to be his way (for your sake). I think his players for the most part wore that as a badge of honor to play for him because his coaching and training were high caliber to the extent that professional scouts considered him an extension of the league. Not surprising considering his will to win. Always good to remember that his mentor was Red Auerbach (was that 11 NBA titles in 13 years?)

 

[Chief00]

We really need to get our NIL act together ASAP. Hoping we do that.

 

[Umami Zen]

Don't disagree with getting NIL act together.. But come on Chief-- JE was never coming here.

 

[TyroneShoo]

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

Nova did have Brian Antoine who was a McD AA and a 5 star kid. Of course, he Never got to be a big factor.

 

[Chief00]

Don't disagree with getting NIL act together.. But come on Chief-- JE was never coming here.

I think if you are the top bidder today, you have a chance. I can’t emphasize how much things have changed.