mercedes russell

[semper]

What 's the story? Nan? I wasn't following her, as other commits were on my mind...but now I'm wondering...

 

[HuskyNan]

Mercedes, who visited Louisville with her friend Stephanie Mavunga, is supposed to visit UNC in early June. I don't know if this visit had already been in the works or if it's something that came up recently.

 

[semper]

Is she on our radar? Could UNC get her too?

 

[HuskyNan]

I believe that Mercedes considered UConn but turned her attention elsewhere. And it is possible she'll commit to UNC.

 

[MilfordHusky]

A little more: CD went out to see her a few months ago. Mercedes has said that she is willing to come East. However, UConn did not make her final 10.

 

[jennyo70]

Louisville fan here. Mercedes has been on our primary target list for well over a year +. Our coaches have been out there a ton over the last year. "Most" people thought she was a heavy Louisville lean with Tennessee strongly in the mix.
It was reported at her state high school championship game that the fans, knowing Louisville Coaches were there, had "Loo E Ville" chants going through out the game.
She is very good friends with Stephanie Mavunga and they have stated, as well as many recruiting sources, that the two wanted to play in college together.

This whole Fab 5 thing going on at UNC has Mercedes as the intended 5th. Some seem to think it is a forgone conclusion that she will also commit there. I am curious to see how this turns out. Living with a teen age daughter myself, I can not begin to predict what she will do. Teenagers being teenagers and all. She is getting a TON of pressure from fans, even media/recruiting sites(wondering if she will follow Mavunga), and from her friend Mavunga herself.

As far as UCONN, I have seen very little ties between the two. I did read that CD was out to Oregon to see her, but that was the beginning and the end of that story.

She recently released a list of 10 schools, UCONN was not on it. Though, UNC was. The recent visit announced to UNC seems to be a result of this FAb 5 thing. Russell has yet to be on the UNC campus. Whatever choice she makes, I hope it is truly what is in her heart and her best interest. I would hate for her to feel peer pressured in to this decision (I am not saying she is, I am just saying I would hate to see that happen). So far she has seemed to handle this UNC business with maturity by not getting caught up in the momentum of it all, and in stead scheduling a visit.

As far as what this means for us, I have no idea. We need a strong post presence, and she was to be it. The news and rumblings have been so good for so long about her affinity for Louisville, not sure how this Fab 5 affects that.

 

[triaddukefan]

Is she on our radar? Could UNC get her too?

 

[UCONNfan1]

Hey Jenny... i'm rooting for L'ville to land her. while you are at it, you could also take Greenwell seeing as she's from Kentucky. And i also wouldn't be at all sad if you landed Scaife as well (altho i don't think you are recruiting her). Anyone but Tennessee. Would love to see the meltdown if they don't land a single top 10 kid from the 2013 class.

 

[HuskyNan]

Hey Jenny... i'm rooting for L'ville to land her. while you are at it, you could also take Greenwell seeing as she's from Kentucky. And i also wouldn't be at all sad if you landed Scaife as well (altho i don't think you are recruiting her). Anyone but Tennessee. Would love to see the meltdown if they don't land a single top 10 kid from the 2013 class.

Be careful what you wish for - the Huskies have to play Louisville a couple times a year.

 

[jennyo70]

Hey Jenny... i'm rooting for L'ville to land her. while you are at it, you could also take Greenwell seeing as she's from Kentucky. And i also wouldn't be at all sad if you landed Scaife as well (altho i don't think you are recruiting her). Anyone but Tennessee. Would love to see the meltdown if they don't land a single top 10 kid from the 2013 class.

Man, you and me both. Greenwell has been a priority, too. We have done pretty well keeping in state kids ( Reid, Gibs, Hammond, Harper, and 2013 verbals Epps and Goodin-Rogers). Sure hope to keep that trend going with Greenwell. She was at several games this past season, actually, she was at the game against you all and Notre Dame.

Not sure Scaife is on our radar, at least that I know about. I have seen mention of Chong, but not sure there is any love in return there.

The fact that Russell has not jumped on the UNC bandwagon yet, is a good sign, I believe. Time will tell.

 

[triaddukefan]

I really really hope that Russell doesnt end up in Chapel Hill.... even if it means she will end up at Tenn.. Louisville, KY, or ND. As much as I dislike those four schools... it pales in comparison to my contempt for the "sissy" blue.... but then again.. that shouldnt be news to anyone.

 

[UCONNfan1]

I really really hope that Russell doesnt end up in Chapel Hill.... even if it means she will end up at Tenn.. Louisville, KY, or ND. As much as I dislike those four schools... it pales in comparison to my contempt for the "sissy" blue.... but then again.. that shouldnt be news to anyone.

You're not a Duke fan by any chance, are you?!

 

[CamrnCrz1974]

I believe that Mercedes considered UConn but turned her attention elsewhere.

Not a huge surprise, with Stewart playing the same position and only a year ahead of her.

 

[EricLA]

Not a huge surprise, with Stewart playing the same position and only a year ahead of her.

not unless Mercedes is a 4/3. Sure Bree is 6'4"ish or so, but she's worked hard on her outside game and now possesses a 3-point shot and has really good ball handling skills. Maybe i'm wrong but i was under the impression that Russell was a true "5", so in theory she could easily have coexisted with Breanna...

 

[VAMike23]

not unless Mercedes is a 4/3. Sure Bree is 6'4"ish or so, but she's worked hard on her outside game and now possesses a 3-point shot and has really good ball handling skills. Maybe i'm wrong but i was under the impression that Russell was a true "5", so in theory she could easily have coexisted with Breanna...

I'd bet if she wanted to come to Storrs (not expected at all), Geno could find a place for her in the middle Plus she might even be 6'6" now. I seem to recall seeing that figure in one or more recruiting articles, "on the trail" type of thing. Not sure tho.

 

[wallman]

IMO definitely different players, Russell who looked 6' 6" a few weeks ago, will be a player who most teams will need in the paint, Stewarts game is much more versatile.

 

[UConnCat]

The fact that Russell has not jumped on the UNC bandwagon yet, is a good sign, I believe. Time will tell.

It's only a good sign if there were some belief that Russell would actually commit to UNC without ever visiting the school. That always struck me as unlikely. I read somewhere that she plans to visit Chapel Hill next month so UNC is very much in the mix and perhaps now a favorite given the commitment of her friend Mavunga.

 

[speedoo]

It's only a good sign if there were some belief that Russell would actually commit to UNC without ever visiting the school. That always struck me as unlikely. I read somewhere that she plans to visit Chapel Hill next month so UNC is very much in the mix and perhaps now a favorite given the commitment of her friend Mavunga.

Perhaps is the key word. IMO UNC is the favorite for Russell only if either a) she is willing to consider only the same factor or factors that DD and Mavunga seem to have considered in their choice, or b) she wants so much to play with Mavunga and the others that other factors don't count for much.

But, if what matters to her is how she can develop at her chosen college, and she informs herself well on that factor, or is advised well, it's very hard for me to see UNC as her favorite.

 

[easttexastrash]

It's only a good sign if there were some belief that Russell would actually commit to UNC without ever visiting the school. That always struck me as unlikely. I read somewhere that she plans to visit Chapel Hill next month so UNC is very much in the mix and perhaps now a favorite given the commitment of her friend Mavunga.

If she visits UNC and then commits then you have to give her much more credit than if she had joined the rush of players who made their announcements together. That would mean that she did not get caught up in the moment with the others and truly took the time to assess the situation and made her own decision and was not pressured into making a decision she was not comfortable with.

My money is still on UNC. She probably just wants to see the campus and meet the staff and the soon-t0-be ex players.

 

[UConnCat]

Perhaps is the key word. IMO UNC is the favorite for Russell only if either a) she is willing to consider only the same factor or factors that DD and Mavunga seem to have considered in their choice, or b) she wants so much to play with Mavunga and the others that other factors don't count for much.

But, if what matters to her is how she can develop at her chosen college, and she informs herself well on that factor, or is advised well, it's very hard for me to see UNC as her favorite.

I used the word "perhaps" because I have no idea what Russell is thinking these days. It is worth noting that her trip to UNC next month (if this report is accurate) will be an unofficial visit and therefore on her own dime. Were she to wait until September, it could be an official visit and paid for by UNC. (Official visits can not begin until after a recruit's classes begin for her/his senior year in HS.)

 

[wallman]

No real information here but Russell may not have been sold on UNC, she could herself try to persuade her bestie to change her mind!

 

[Dawson]

I used the word "perhaps" because I have no idea what Russell is thinking these days. It is worth noting that her trip to UNC next month (if this report is accurate) will be an unofficial visit and therefore on her own dime. Were she to wait until September, it could be an official visit and paid for by UNC. (Official visits can not begin until after a recruit's classes begin for her/his senior year in HS.)

Very keen observation and one that will probably end up being true.

 

[easttexastrash]

I used the word "perhaps" because I have no idea what Russell is thinking these days. It is worth noting that her trip to UNC next month (if this report is accurate) will be an unofficial visit and therefore on her own dime. Were she to wait until September, it could be an official visit and paid for by UNC. (Official visits can not begin until after a recruit's classes begin for her/his senior year in HS.)

That leads me to believe that she may be ready to pull the trigger on committing to UNC, unless she already had plans to be in NC at that time and decided to throw in a campus visit while she is there. If she is truly making a special trip to visit the campus on her own dime then she must be quite serious about UNC.

 

[sunshinehoops]

S

If she visits UNC and then commits then you have to give her much more credit than if she had joined the rush of players who made their announcements together. That would mean that she did not get caught up in the moment with the others and truly took the time to assess the situation and made her own decision and was not pressured into making a decision she was not comfortable with.

My money is still on UNC. She probably just wants to see the campus and meet the staff and the soon-t0-be ex players.

You do realize the girls who already announced have all taken visits to UNC, right? It's not like they were throwing darts in the dark. Their decisions were not based on some sort of in-the-moment hysteria, as some here might believe. They did their homework and then decided they wanted to go to UNC together.

In an era in which players wait until the final second to give verbals so that they can increase demand for them, isn't it kind of nice that we have a few girls who place basketball and friendship ahead of attention and ego.

 

[easttexastrash]

S


You do realize the girls who already announced have all taken visits to UNC, right? It's not like they were throwing darts in the dark. Their decisions were not based on some sort of in-the-moment hysteria, as some here might believe. They did their homework and then decided they wanted to go to UNC together.

In an era in which players wait until the final second to give verbals so that they can increase demand for them, isn't it kind of nice that we have a few girls who place basketball and friendship ahead of attention and ego.

You do realize I never implied that the other players had made decisions based on poor decision making or spur of the moment hysteria, right? I simply said that it was a positive sign about her that she avoided the temptation to get caught up in the moment and commit when those players did. You somehow seem to be reading my comment as a negative about the other girls instead of commending Russell, as it was intended. the title of the thread is "mercedes russell."