2025 Recruiting: Meleek Thomas Electic Boogaloo

[yungdowork]

The KSU Foundation is honestly insane. It's raised 461 million dollars in the last 2 fiscal years and has a long-term investment pool of 952 million dollars as of last summer. They have a ton of super wealthy alumni including a former CEO of Hershey and current president of Shell Oil

 

[husky429]

The KSU Foundation is honestly insane. It's raised 461 million dollars in the last 2 fiscal years and has a long-term investment pool of 952 million dollars as of last summer. They have a ton of super wealthy alumni including a former CEO of Hershey and current president of Shell Oil

And it's really not much bigger of a school thank UConn. People just don't donate the same way up here, for whatever reason. I don't, but I'm also poor.

 

[uconngb]

This thread is about Meleek Thomas and getting recruits. Duke gets unbelievable classes every year and they haven't signed anyone yet, he was pointing that out.

The question was "What has Duke won lately?" The answer was the Cooper Flagg sweepstakes. To which I answered they still haven't won anything yet. Not sure what was difficult about that to comprehend.

 

[yungdowork]

And it's really not much bigger of a school thank UConn. People just don't donate the same way up here, for whatever reason. I don't, but I'm also poor.

I try to donate $100 here or there if I can, but they had 36 donations of at least $1 million and 11 donations of $5 million or more in a single fiscal year. Obviously that foundation funds a lot more than just their athletic department but that is just a crazy amount of support.

 

[UCTitleTown]

No way they can afford all 3 and field the rest of their roster.

And how did Kansas State suddenly become the king of NIL? Middling football and basketball school.

 

[nomar]

View attachment 103294
This happens and the NIL era has truly taken effect.

The only way these 3 wind up in Manhattan at the same time is if the NBA Draft is held in MSG.

 

[Huskyforlife]

I mean, if I was worth hundreds of millions of dollars, I'd spend dumb amounts of money letting our coaches buy whatever players they want. Good for KState.

 

[JerseyAlum]

I mean, if I was worth hundreds of millions of dollars, I'd spend dumb amounts of money letting our coaches buy whatever players they want. Good for KState.

Didn't work so well for Kentucky.

Best method IMHO is to have a mix of money and find the high school players who are hungry and likely exceed their current rankings.

 

[Huskyforlife]

Didn't work so well for Kentucky.

Best method IMHO is to have a mix of money and find the high school players who are hungry and likely exceed their current rankings.

I'd trust the staff to find the right guys.

But for the sake of argument, there's many worse outcomes than Cal era Kentucky, we knew that personally not to long ago.

 

[navery12]

Didn't work so well for Kentucky.

Best method IMHO is to have a mix of money and find the high school players who are hungry and likely exceed their current rankings.

I think 99% of Kansas State fans would sign up for Cal era Kentucky results right now. What was disappointing at Kentucky would be a dream run for almost every other school

 

[nomar]

Best part is that part of why AJs dad likes KSt, beyond the moola, is because Jerome Tang reminds him of his fav band, the Woo Tang Clan. Can’t make this up. That doesn’t sound like serious people to me .

Ironically, I actually think they like KSU because C.R.E.A.M.

 

[JerseyAlum]

this

Wu-Tang Clan!

 

[CONN78SEJ]

The question was "What has Duke won lately?" The answer was the Cooper Flagg sweepstakes. To which I answered they still haven't won anything yet. Not sure what was difficult about that to comprehend.

Flagg’s gonna end up being Dukes version of Felipe Lopez.

 

[aceboon]

Flagg’s gonna end up being Dukes version of Felipe Lopez.

you don't even believe that

 

[aceboon]

Jasper Johnson just committed to UK, was he an Arkansas target?

 

[KemBuckets21]

Jasper Johnson just committed to UK, was he an Arkansas target?

Yes. Would imagine this may help (if at all) with Mullins as opposed to Thomas.

 

[Storrs South]

The KSU Foundation is honestly insane. It's raised 461 million dollars in the last 2 fiscal years and has a long-term investment pool of 952 million dollars as of last summer. They have a ton of super wealthy alumni including a former CEO of Hershey and current president of Shell Oil

That article says $227 million for FY2023, which while better than UConn isn't like it's some crazy amount higher which was $158 million.

Also this relates to the schools' foundations and not NIL arms so I don't see how this is at all relevant to a discussion around basketball recruiting.

 

[HooperScooper]

That article says $227 million for FY2023, which while better than UConn isn't like it's some crazy amount higher which was $158 million.

Also this relates to the schools' foundations and not NIL arms so I don't see how this is at all relevant to a discussion around basketball recruiting.

Correct. And on top of that a $1 billion endowment is not a big deal. Schools of less than 2000 students have much higher endowments. Amherst and Williams have over $3.5 billion in their endowments. The school my son just graduated from has 1900 students and almost $1.5 billion in their endowment.

 

[ted920]

Correct. And on top of that a $1 billion endowment is not a big deal. Schools of less than 2000 students have much higher endowments. Amherst and Williams have over $3.5 billion in their endowments. The school my son just graduated from has 1900 students and almost $1.5 billion in their endowment.

Private wealthy schools are totally different than Northeast public schools.
The mid-west and many other parts of the US don't have any or many good private schools. the public schools are the main universities that students go to. As a result, they have a much larger pool of alumni who succeed. The best students go to these mid-west private schools.
the best students in the Northeast go to UCONN but also get spread out among 100 other schools like the small lib schools, tufts, BU, BC etc. Mid-West and South areas dont have nearly as many other schools to share the best students with.

 

[yungdowork]

That article says $227 million for FY2023, which while better than UConn isn't like it's some crazy amount higher which was $158 million.

Also this relates to the schools' foundations and not NIL arms so I don't see how this is at all relevant to a discussion around basketball recruiting.

The post directly above mine was asking about Kansas State's sugar daddy and I provided information about how they have a largely successful foundation and get a ton of donations from their fans. I also further explain that it is not directly related to athletics in other posts in the discussion. I don't have any allegiance to Kansas State I was just participating in a discussion.

Also by your own admission, in FY2023, KSU Foundation raised over 40% more money than UConn despite having less students in a less populated state where they split the fanbase with a larger university. That seems pretty solid for a public agricultural school

 

[Hunt for 7]

Following our recruiting status is what I like least about being a UConn fan.

We are the best program in America but every year this time period makes me feel like nothing has changed.

We have to scratch and claw ourselves into getting one top recruit. While other programs stack them. Maybe some of it is self induced since we more than likely don’t just recruit talent for the sake of talent, if the player does not appear to fit culture we pass more than other schools…..maybe but it all still stinks.

 

[UConnTrumbull]

Following our recruiting status is what I like least about being a UConn fan.

We are the best program in America but every year this time period makes me feel like nothing has changed.

We have to scratch and claw ourselves into getting one top recruit. While other programs stack them. Maybe some of it is self induced since we more than likely don’t just recruit talent for the sake of talent, if the player does not appear to fit culture we pass more than other schools…..maybe but it all still stinks.

I echo this sentiment. Although, clearly the staff know what they’re looking for. They’ve proved that a million times over.

 

[superjohn]

Following our recruiting status is what I like least about being a UConn fan.

We are the best program in America but every year this time period makes me feel like nothing has changed.

We have to scratch and claw ourselves into getting one top recruit. While other programs stack them. Maybe some of it is self induced since we more than likely don’t just recruit talent for the sake of talent, if the player does not appear to fit culture we pass more than other schools…..maybe but it all still stinks.

We probably have the most talent in the country coming off of the most dominant tournament team of the modern era and one of the other most dominant teams of the modern tournament era. I love our recruiting.

 

[knicksin7]

Following our recruiting status is what I like least about being a UConn fan.

We are the best program in America but every year this time period makes me feel like nothing has changed.

We have to scratch and claw ourselves into getting one top recruit. While other programs stack them. Maybe some of it is self induced since we more than likely don’t just recruit talent for the sake of talent, if the player does not appear to fit culture we pass more than other schools…..maybe but it all still stinks.

I hear you completely, yet the results are just incredible. But it feels weird to go up against Kansas State and other random places, when we are absolutely the king of the castle.

 

[Hunt for 7]

We probably have the most talent in the country coming off of the most dominant tournament team of the modern era and one of the other most dominant teams of the modern tournament era. I love our recruiting.

Yeah I get it …good point….I guess to be more specific….the results I love and @RuffRuff outlined there seems to be a consistent process/blueprint. I had written a longer more detailed post but decided to just sum it up with a brief post.

It’s just and maybe it is petty, but it makes me feel like we don’t get the respect we should. I think I caught that disease from Calhoun, he used the chip on the shoulder motivation process at a whole other level.

Also just being a fan since the early 70’s and knowing how long the road to being the best has been for this fan.