Official: Mamoudou Diarra to Cinci

[Huskybass]

Only having 9 scholarship players on April 29th is more than a bit concerning. The ship continues to sail in the wrong direction. The Washington recruits had no desire to trade the west coast dumpster fire for the east coast dumpster fire. People can spin it any way they want, but this ain't pretty.

 

[djct1999]

Only having 9 scholarship players on April 29th is more than a bit concerning. The ship continues to sail in the wrong direction. The Washington recruits had no desire to trade the west coast dumpster fire for the east coast dumpster fire. People can spin it any way they want, but this ain't pretty.

And Diarra was going to right the ship? Please. The 9 scholarships is concerning, but that has nothing to do with spring recruiting. It is unrealistic to think that a coach can immediately rebuild after unexpectedly losing 4 key players after a season. 2017 is what it is. Its clear that the staff is focusing on 2018 and beyond. Because of this, you can choose to spin the Diarra situation as bad optics for the program. In reality, not only would Diarra have had little to no impact on the 2017 season, but also 2018 and beyond. In fact, there are few if any non-commits or 5th years on the market that would drastically change 2017 (mis)fortunes.

 

[Huskybass]

And Diarra was going to right the ship? Please. The 9 scholarships is concerning, but that has nothing to do with spring recruiting. It is unrealistic to think that a coach can immediately rebuild after unexpectedly losing 4 key players after a season. 2017 is what it is. Its clear that the staff is focusing on 2018 and beyond. Because of this, you can choose to spin the Diarra situation as bad optics for the program. In reality, not only would Diarra have had little to no impact on the 2017 season, but also 2018 and beyond. In fact, there are few if any non-commits or 5th years on the market that would drastically change 2017 (mis)fortunes.

And at this point who is the staff going to land that is better than Diarra?

 

[djct1999]

And at this point who is the staff going to land that is better than Diarra?

Again, I am not sure they can. But that still doesn't mean they fill it with Diarra. My guess is hopefully they land the kid from Utah, perhaps get a second 5th year, and give 2 ships away to walk ons. When the 4 kids left, it created a hole that for 2017 is to hard to fill. I much rather they have the flexibility for an insane 2018 class then fill it with marginal kids that will have little impact. We tried the latter over the past few years and the results sure ain't pretty. Diarra clearly filled the old mold.

And this stink that people are so quick to place on the program? Maybe its an internal decision to approach things in a different matter. Maybe its an internal shift in philosophy. Maybe its not as bad as it looks.

 

[Huskybass]

Again, I am not sure they can. But that still doesn't mean they fill it with Diarra. My guess is hopefully they land the kid from Utah, perhaps get a second 5th year, and give 2 ships away to walk ons. When the 4 kids left, it created a hole that for 2017 is to hard to fill. I much rather they have the flexibility for an insane 2018 class then fill it with marginal kids that will have little impact. We tried the latter over the past few years and the results sure ain't pretty. Diarra clearly filled the old mold.

And this stink that people are so quick to place on the program? Maybe its an internal decision to approach things in a different matter. Maybe its an internal shift in philosophy. Maybe its not as bad as it looks.

The internal decision stuff would be funny if the situation wasn't so sad. We completely whiffed on all the Washington de-commits. If you think that was by design, you aren't being objective at all.

 

[CL82]

This was hilarious. KO and Chill on that boat

So are you picturing Chill looking at KO and saying "'fook' dude!"

 

[Rocktheworld]

Here's how the recruitment of Diarra went...

LMAO I knew that "tuna" comment had the potential to birth several good BY memes/reactions

 

[willie99]

fewer haters are the Cuse board, this place is getting really weird and totally irrational, said in the most respectful way possible

"the sky is falling, run for the hills, it's over, it's a dumpster fire" yada yada yada

and people actually get pissed if you suggest we'll be fine

 

[superjohn]

Again, I am not sure they can. But that still doesn't mean they fill it with Diarra. My guess is hopefully they land the kid from Utah, perhaps get a second 5th year, and give 2 ships away to walk ons. When the 4 kids left, it created a hole that for 2017 is to hard to fill. I much rather they have the flexibility for an insane 2018 class then fill it with marginal kids that will have little impact. We tried the latter over the past few years and the results sure ain't pretty. Diarra clearly filled the old mold.

And this stink that people are so quick to place on the program? Maybe its an internal decision to approach things in a different matter. Maybe its an internal shift in philosophy. Maybe its not as bad as it looks.

What on earth leads you to believe we will have an insane 2018 class? We need warm bodies for 2017 or we will have another disastrous season which certainly won't turn the tide and make us appealing to any 2018 recruits.

Massive amounts of playing time just sitting there for kids next season and we can't beat out the sisters of the poor for 3 star talent.

 

[pj]

Massive amounts of playing time just sitting their for kids next season and we can't beat out the sisters of the poor for 3 star talent.

Maybe they know they are 3 star talent and UConn can recruit over them.

The reality is that the positions we are failing to recruit for are /C positions and we do have some young talent there (Diarra, Carlton, Polley all freshman next year). If you are the same level as those 3 or lower, why would you want to be in the same class with them? Especially knowing that UConn will be seeking to recruit higher-level talent in the classes of 2018 and 2019?

In the minds of 3* recruits like Diarra, the "massive amount of playing time" may not be there. Or it is there at center, a position he doesn't want to play.

Meanwhile, at guard, MAL was a big loss but if we get Devon Daniels and a top 2018 PG, we won't miss him.

 

[mauconnfan]

And at this point who is the staff going to land that is better than Diarra?

Does it make it right to do the wrong thing? Let's just tell the kid he's going to be the PG so he comes here and we have practice players right? I mean it works for you and your negative reactions to most everything because you'll have another notch in your belt when he leaves after next year because he didn't play much, and when he did he played the 4 or 5.

This "loss", if it was for all the right reasons is simply fine no biggie.

 

[superjohn]

Maybe they know they are 3 star talent and UConn can recruit over them.

The reality is that the positions we are failing to recruit for are /C positions and we do have some young talent there (Diarra, Carlton, Polley all freshman next year). If you are the same level as those 3 or lower, why would you want to be in the same class with them? Especially knowing that UConn will be seeking to recruit higher-level talent in the classes of 2018 and 2019?

In the minds of 3* recruits like Diarra, the "massive amount of playing time" may not be there. Or it is there at center, a position he doesn't want to play.

Meanwhile, at guard, MAL was a big loss but if we get Devon Daniels and a top 2018 PG, we won't miss him.

Holy cow, now recruits are being scared off by Diarra, Carlton and Polley. The excuses are getting more and more laughable by the day.

We have one of the thinnest frontcourts in D1 and recruits are being scared off because lack of playing time. I would be laughing if it wasn't so depressing.

Also if Daniels actually ever comes here, he can't play next season.

 

[AntG168]

Holy cow, now recruits are being scared off by Diarra, Carlton and Polley. The excuses are getting more and more laughable by the day.

We have one of the thinnest frontcourts in D1 and recruits are being scared off because lack of playing time. I would be laughing if it wasn't so depressing.

Also if Daniels actually ever comes here, he can't play next season.

Posters like you are going to have a massive sized foot in their mouths whem we succeed next yr with this "horrible" team. You guys put zero credence in will, determination, and just being pissed off. When you add that to a team with talent(yes we have talent, contrary to popular boneyard belief) we can and will do damage. You can quote me!

 

[Fan4ever]

So we missed on the other Diarra, but what about our own? How will redshirting relieve "chronic" knee tendinitis? Will a 1 year absence really resolve that?

 

[nomar]

THIS IS THE GREATEST DAY OF MY LIFE I THINK

IS THIS GUY EVEN GOOD?

He's the next Paul George. Just ask him.

 

[Huskybass]

Does it make it right to do the wrong thing? Let's just tell the kid he's going to be the PG so he comes here and we have practice players right? I mean it works for you and your negative reactions to most everything because you'll have another notch in your belt when he leaves after next year because he didn't play much, and when he did he played the 4 or 5.

This "loss", if it was for all the right reasons is simply fine no biggie.

The level of denial by a handful of posters on this site is amazing. Right now at the 4 and 5 we have a total of 27 points by Cobb in terms of D1 experience. I have never been negative on UCONN basketball until recently. If you can't see that the program has serious issues under its current leadership, you are setting yourself up for disappointment.

 

[Huskybass]

Posters like you are going to have a massive sized foot in their mouths whem we succeed next yr with this "horrible" team. You guys put zero credence in will, determination, and just being pissed off. When you add that to a team with talent(yes we have talent, contrary to popular boneyard belief) we can and will do damage. You can quote me!

Will, determination, and being pissed off isn't going to be enough to beat talented teams with full rosters. It just isn't.

 

[Fishy]

So we missed on the other Diarra, but what about our own? How will redshirting relieve "chronic" knee tendinitis? Will a 1 year absence really resolve that?

Yeah, I'm pretty sure a year's worth of rest will take care of tendinitis.

You might be defining "chronic" as "permanent" and that is an error.

In this instance, it refers to recurring tendinitis and that can be remedied with rest.

 

[SouthBayHusky]

Who is saying Congratulations? Have you already forgotten what happened this past off season with guys disgruntled over their roles? Just last year most on this board were applauding KO on a "great" recruiting class. So much for that. Adding Diarra would simply have been a repeat of the past. A panic move that would probably have not ended well. The thing with a rebuild, especially a philosophy, is that you have to strip it down to nothing first. I am not sure how it will end, but I am encouraged by its start. A start by simply not making the same mistakes of the past. This would have been that.

You say applaud I say congratulations, were saying the same thing. We do not have the luxury to congratulate/applaud a coach from forcing a kid to play a position he doesn't play. We're thin as sh&at in the front court, we have like 9 scholarship players I think, 3 of which are coming off of season ending injuries. So I'm not prepared to congratulate or applaud Kevin Ollie or anyone for missing on this kid. We can't spin this into everything is cherries and roses.

 

[upstater]

Does it make it right to do the wrong thing? Let's just tell the kid he's going to be the PG so he comes here and we have practice players right? I mean it works for you and your negative reactions to most everything because you'll have another notch in your belt when he leaves after next year because he didn't play much, and when he did he played the 4 or 5.

This "loss", if it was for all the right reasons is simply fine no biggie.

It's pretty clear the kid sees himself as a 3. He's made that open and evident. Ollie sees him being good for rebounding essentially, not hanging around on the perimeter.

 

[upstater]

The level of denial by a handful of posters on this site is amazing. Right now at the 4 and 5 we have a total of 27 points by Cobb in terms of D1 experience. I have never been negative on UConn basketball until recently. If you can't see that the program has serious issues under its current leadership, you are setting yourself up for disappointment.

So, let me get this straight: Diarra was going to help Cobb and UConn at the 4 and 5? If that were true, we wouldn't even be having this conversation. The kid does not want to be anywhere near Cobb's position. UConn did want him to pay help Cobb--and that's why the kid didn't commit to UConn.

Your premise is all wrong.

You could only be right in this situation if you had said we need a player to give Larrier a blow (which, by the way, we do).

 

[kobe]

Even if we do put together a good season next year, it's a bit late to put together a good 2018 class. Not impossible, but we'd be scrambling like we are now, unless we get some people signing this fall. Chillous had no problem getting studs signing with UW with a head coach who was clearly on thin ice. He can't even get a three star project to sign at UConn after he already had them committed at UW. Cincy recruited diarra for about 5 minutes and convinced him UConn was a bad choice. This staff has has a lot of work ahead of them to wash this stink off.

Have to correct you. Cincinnati was the second scholarship offer Diarra got. We recruited him hard last summer before he committed to Washington.

 

[AntG168]

Will, determination, and being pissed off isn't going to be enough to beat talented teams with full rosters. It just isn't.

Tell that to the 2010-2011 UConn men's basketball team

 

[B1GEast]

Delete this thread

 

[Huskybass]

Tell that to the 2010-2011 UConn men's basketball team

The 2010-11 team had a hall of fame coach in Jim Calhoun and a very experienced assistant in George Blaney. That team also had Kemba Walker, arguably the best player in the country that year. They also had future NBA players in Jeremy Lamb and Shabazz. Add Oriakhi, Roscoe, Giffey, Olander, Okwandu, and Coombs-McDaniel and that team was considerably better than our current 9 man roster. It really is not a very good comparison.