Non-UConn recruiting thread - 2025 | Page 19 | The Boneyard

Non-UConn recruiting thread - 2025

Vowelguy said:
No personal knowledge of situation but Kansas would surprise me. If they had a new dynamic coach then I could see it, but he's been there a decade and hasn't done anything amazing. To go there when you've gotten interest from/visited many top schools .... ?
Expand ...

I mean, Kansas out-recruited Texas, South Carolina, and LSU last year for local product, Jaliya Davis. Bjorn is somewhat local and has played with some of the KU players in club.

It's not always about "winning" or attending a championship-level or storied program for every recruit. NIL has changed everything. And, playing close to home is big for some recruits. It used to be that getting the last visit was an indicator of who was the perceived favorite.

Kansas also recently received a huge donation even though most probably goes to football and men's hoops.
 
Last edited:
visitingcock said:
Early signing period starts today. Okeke may be waiting to see whether she can get NIL.
Last Tear Paopas suit indicates she can -at least in Louisiana.
Expand ...
It shouldn't be an issue. Many Canadian athletes are earning NIL nowadays.
 
southie said:
I mean, Kansas out-recruited Texas, South Carolina, and LSU last year for local product, Jaliya Davis. Bjorn is somewhat local and has played with some of the KU players in club.

It's not always about "winning" or attending a championship-level or storied program for every recruit. NIL has changed everything. And, playing close to home is big for some recruits. It used to be that getting the last visit was an indicator of who was the perceived favorite.

Kansas also recently received a huge donation even though most probably goes to football and men's hoops.
Expand ...
@Vowelguy

A lot of the recruitniks on McGraw's Bench have been going back and forth on Addison Bjorn, who ND offered at/just following the U.S.A. U-16 excursion a few years back and have stayed in touch with on a steady basis. Her search, led by her father, has been remarkably methodical and thorough. And somewhat elusive. Who knows what?

Anyways, a few of us keep coming back to these schools:
  • Iowa, which has been after her early, often and obviously. In fact, McKenna Woliczko's dad has been trying to get Bjorn and Jenica Lewis to join his daughter in Iowa. That obviously didn't help with Lewis.
  • Kansas. Hey, they did with the WNIT in the recent past and have made tournaments. Bjorn is tight with family and friends and Lawrence is only a 30-40 minute drive from her home. Not saying it's quite apples to apples, but if Clark stayed in Iowa, maybe Bjorn would like to try to do the same with the (female) Jayhawks.
  • UConn. It seems that the focus is on procuring Jerzy Robinson, but what happens if this doesn't happen?

I'd love to see her come to South Bend. She can guard 1-4 (like Citron, Sonia) and is a team-centric star (ditto).
However, there are three wings committed to ND and even with "positionless" basketball, a fourth would be hard to shoehorn on the court.

And haven't heard a lot about Texas, but once again, the family is pretty tight-lipped.

Stay tuned.
 
Fair point on NIL. But most players also want to win and develop into better players / pro prospects. Am skeptical about that at KS.

The difference with Clark was that Bluder had 700+ wins so there was some confidence in going there.

Heck I can even see the CO kid going to Boulder because they’ve had some success in recent years.

If it was KS all along bc of proximity then not sure the reason for all the visits. But maybe just being very methodical and giving every school a chance to change her mind.

I just don’t think she’s going to have a great career at KS. And thats ok if she has other priorities
 
Vowelguy said:
Fair point on NIL. But most players also want to win and develop into better players / pro prospects. Am skeptical about that at KS.

The difference with Clark was that Bluder had 700+ wins so there was some confidence in going there.

Heck I can even see the CO kid going to Boulder because they’ve had some success in recent years.

If it was KS all along bc of proximity then not sure the reason for all the visits. But maybe just being very methodical and giving every school a chance to change her mind.

I just don’t think she’s going to have a great career at KS. And thats ok if she has other priorities
Expand ...

I mean, a lot of folks said that about Vukosa. Not that being the best program in history doesn't matter, but when she took her grandparents on the official visit in addition to her parents and sisters, we all knew choosing UConn was inevitable as it was the only option which would allow her family to attend most of her home games.
 
Being an observer of college football and the recruiting process ... You never are quite certain of a recruit until they officially sign. Fleary put the pen to the paper so now Coach can talk about her. Coach really is effusive.... Fleary must be quite ok.

 
.-.
visitingcock said:
Early signing period starts today. Okeke may be waiting to see whether she can get NIL.
Last Tear Paopas suit indicates she can -at least in Louisiana.
Expand ...
I wouldn’t expect a commitment from Okeke anytime soon.

I saw a post on Twitter just yesterday stating that she’s basically only just now really starting the recruiting process. She’s still getting to know the staffs and will take her visits soon.
 
Last edited:
SCGamecock said:
I wouldn’t expect a commitment from Okeke anytime soon.

I saw a post on Twitter just yesterday stating that she’s basically only just now really starting the recruiting process. She’s still getting to know the staffs and will take her visits soon.
Expand ...

 
.-.
Vowelguy said:
A certain board member from upper Carolina may not be pleased to learn that ND is now #1 in class rankings.
Expand ...


Some kids like great weather, great food, and great uniforms... some kids like rust, cold, and snow. Who am I to judge?

I assume you were talking about me... if not.... I apologize for responding.
 
Last edited:
YoDore said:
Expand ...

Can't teach size! Saw her last year in the state championship game because my cousin played for the opposing team. I wish she could play for one of the higher class schools like West Monroe. 5A is the best girls class in the Louisiana and she might see better competition, more size and speed. She was big, physical and skilled, only downside to me was speed for the next level. She was dominating but my cousin's team basically used their speed to get under her and foul her out and took control to win. Looking forward to seeing if she dropped some weight and how much she improves this season. Hope she doesn't leave the state!
 
Vowelguy said:
I often confuse you with the late Pope Francis.
Expand ...


druski-shrug.gif
 
.-.
triaddukefan said:
Gonna come all the way from Russia just to be stomped in Durham and in Chapel Hell by the Blue Devils? I don't understand kids these days.
Expand ...
Banghart, though a better coach in my opinion, seems to be getting into the Cori Close rut where (for years) she recruits like a demon but then just can’t get over the hump between “good” team and “threat to win it all” team. She’s getting a lot of highly ranked players but I’m not sure they’re the “right” players as her team seems to always be in the top 25 but rarely upsets any really good teams. Perhaps her “Lauren Betts” is just around the corner though.
 
Cuango said:
Banghart, though a better coach in my opinion, seems to be getting into the Cori Close rut where (for years) she recruits like a demon but then just can’t get over the hump between “good” team and “threat to win it all” team. She’s getting a lot of highly ranked players but I’m not sure they’re the “right” players as her team seems to always be in the top 25 but rarely upsets any really good teams. Perhaps her “Lauren Betts” is just around the corner though.
Expand ...

In all fairness, Close has been at UCLA for 15 years while Banghart has been at UNC like 5 years, I think. It took Close seven years to get to a first Elite 8, and 14 years to get to the first Final Four. In those other 12 seasons, the best Close could do was five Sweet Sixteens.
 
Last edited:
.-.
Cuango said:
Banghart, though a better coach in my opinion, seems to be getting into the Cori Close rut where (for years) she recruits like a demon but then just can’t get over the hump between “good” team and “threat to win it all” team. She’s getting a lot of highly ranked players but I’m not sure they’re the “right” players as her team seems to always be in the top 25 but rarely upsets any really good teams. Perhaps her “Lauren Betts” is just around the corner though.
Expand ...
Close at least now has a Final Four on her resume. Banghart has achieved quite a few signings of highly recruited HS prospects and some worthy portal transfers with very little to show for it. The next big game that Courtney gives a respectful showing (never mind get a win) will be her first. Normally, here is where I would insert my shameless plug to @triaddukefan that Kara has surpassed Courtney in my coaching rank but then that game at the Greenbrier ballroom occurred against an WVU and it left me SMDH at Kara....
 
DefenseBB said:
The next big game that Courtney gives a respectful showing (never mind get a win) will be her first.
Expand ...
Hmm. Pretty sure one year in the Tourney they gave a loaded South Carolina team their closest game. So there's at least one respectful showing in a big game. Regional Semi-Final maybe?
 
.-.
You must log in or register to reply here.

Forum statistics

Threads
168,094
Messages
4,553,017
Members
10,436
Latest member
Bovrilandja


Top Bottom