Ollie: Now recruits are chasing us / KO: Bazz, NFG, Boat & DD improved stock

[ColoradoUCFan]

This Zags Blog is full of a lot of tidbits from an interview yesterday with Ollie. They discuss NBA potential for Boat and DD and also how the recruiting trail has changed since the National Championship (here's a hint, it's good) Below are a couple of my favorite quotes that I pulled out:

KO says, by the way we beat UK/Fl/MSU, then he says he's not recruiting just on talent alone, but equally on character. Gotta love this as a fan...

“It’s great to see UConn back on top and I know a lot of kids saw us play,” Ollie said. “Being in Texas and beating Kentucky, beating the Michigan States, beating the Floridas, it don’t hurt. Put it that way. It definitely helps. And now we just gotta do our due diligence. It’s recruiting but I look at it as more of an evaluation. I want to get the right kids that fit our motto. And my motto is based on toughness and hard work and character and selflessness. We gotta do evaluations. I look at that more than just recruiting.”

He also speculates about Boat's and DD's draft potential. Like a good coach, he'll support them regardless of their choice (he just wants to make sure they get their degrees, of course because he's KO). But, what I thought was sweet was he mentioned Giffey in the same breath of talking about Boat and DD possibly going pro. Who thinks KO is talking to some of his old teams about the German Assassin?

“Oh yeah, Boatright helped himself,” he said. “DeAndre helped himself. Shabazz helped himself. Niels Giffey helped himself. When you’re the last team playing and the last team standing, people want to be associated with champions and that’s what we kept telling them."

It's great to be a UConn fan & I love Ollie in the most platonic way.

http://zagsblog.com/uconn/ollie-wil...h-recruiting-in-jersey-off-ncaa-championship/

 

[UconnU]

If DD and boat return can you imagine how good defensively we would be..

staring 5 would probably look like boat, purv, dham, dd, ab....it would be tough to shoot 35% vs that group

 

[EricLA]

If DD and boat return can you imagine how good defensively we would be..

staring 5 would probably look like boat, purv, dham, dd, ab....it would be tough to shoot 35% vs that group

More than that, just look at what would be on the bench - Samuel, Facey, Nolan, Cassell, Lubin. That 2nd group is probably a top 50 team (ok maybe I exaggerate but still it's a pretty terrific bench)

 

[gmc1055]

Don't count out Omar. I still think before all is said and done he'll make a solid contribution.

 

[BleedHuskyBlu]

Don't count out Omar. I still think before all is said and done he'll make a solid contribution.

I have a good feeling omar will be starting at the beginning of the season. Probably have the freshman Hamilton come off the bench