Rayshaun Hammonds offer

[James]

You just have to hope Durham was maybe a bit underrated coming out of hs, because the rest of the bigs and carlton aren't real like high end pro prospects. Durham was really really good before the major knee problems, but that was two summers ago.

 

[upstater]

Yea but the difference is the guys you guys are naming were priorities out of the gate for Calhoun. JC identified those guys are much better than their rank and recruited them until they signed. He didn't miss out on bigger fish and then settle on Emeka, Voskuhl, Armstrong as last second backups.

This isn't true at all.

Many of these kids were late signings. Calhoun would always go for kids like Ike Diogu or Deon Thompson, and miss. I forget the kid who went to California, maybe his name was Jamal Sampson? We had a million Berkeley fans telling us the coach Braun was going to grab that kid and overtake Calhoun. Okafor, Thabeet and others were replacements for the kids UConn didn't get. The big get was Bynum--but he didn't show up.

In Armstrong's year, UConn went after Jason Fraser, Torin Francis, Alex Johnson, etc., before settling for Armstrong.

 

[superjohn]

Yeah.. MAL, HamD, Hammonds, Polley, and Carlton would be a pretty excellent class if it happened.

We're just not really recruiting the level of bigs we did in the Calhoun days because Ollie is known as a big-time guard coach. I think if one of Diarra, Enoch, Durham, Polley, Carlton can develop, people might start to see him otherwise... Only need one for some name recognition with the hs kids.

Who were all the highly rated stud bigs Calhoun got?Donyell and Charlie V were as good as it gets but Voskuhl, Emeka, Armstrong, Boone, and Thabeet weren't top ranked kids.

 

[superjohn]

This isn't true at all.

Many of these kids were late signings. Calhoun would always go for kids like Ike Diogu or Deon Thompson, and miss. I forget the kid who went to California, maybe his name was Jamal Sampson? We had a million Berkeley fans telling us the coach Braun was going to grab that kid and overtake Calhoun. Okafor, Thabeet and others were replacements for the kids UConn didn't get. The big get was Bynum--but he didn't show up.

Yes, Jamal Sampson. Calhoun also targeted Isaiah Fox who ended up at Arizona and did nothing over Emeka.

 

[aceboon]

Yea but the difference is the guys you guys are naming were priorities out of the gate for Calhoun. JC identified those guys are much better than their rank and recruited them until they signed. He didn't miss out on bigger fish and then settle on Emeka, Voskuhl, Armstrong as last second backups.

The narratives you put out there when it comes to KO and his approach to big man recruiting vs the past are just so far beyond wrong that's its become comical at this point.

 

[aceboon]

You just have to hope Durham was maybe a bit underrated coming out of hs, because the rest of the bigs and carlton aren't real like high end pro prospects. Durham was really really good before the major knee problems, but that was two summers ago.

UConn has won titles without high end 4 and 5 pro prospects, and you can say the same about a host of other programs.

 

[Earls & Kings]

Don't forget that KO landed Brown who was top 15 before his arest. Kevin didn't have to cut him loose, but that would have killed this discussion.... so he let the Jonnies take a shot spritsing holy water on him.

 

[James]

UConn has won titles without high end 4 and 5 pro prospects, and you can say the same about a host of other programs.

true, I just would prefer him to nab one but its not the end all be all.

 

[uconnell]

Yea but the difference is the guys you guys are naming were priorities out of the gate for Calhoun. JC identified those guys are much better than their rank and recruited them until they signed. He didn't miss out on bigger fish and then settle on Emeka, Voskuhl, Armstrong as last second backups.

I thought JC got Emeka because he lost out on Gomes

 

[husky429]

I had forgotten about the ranking of those bigs. We pulled in some big ones, and developed some others. I do think we will end up with some better bigs (Even ranked 25-75) vs. the 100-150 guys we're getting now. Those are still 2-3 maybe 4 year players instead of one and done, probably our ideal recruiting scenario, except for the occasional 1 and done.

I think durham could be the difference-maker here. Probably why KO was willing to take a risk on a kid with some injury history

 

[Bboy Lace]

How much influence does Alterique have here being that they're both from Georgia?

 

[BUConn10]

The narratives you put out there when it comes to KO and his approach to big man recruiting vs the past are just so far beyond wrong that's its become comical at this point.

Oh really I have a narrative regarding "KO and his approach to big man recruiting vs the past"? Where do you come up with these narratives of your own?

 

[aceboon]

Oh really I have a narrative regarding "KO and his approach to big man recruiting vs the past"? Where do you come up with these narratives of your own?

Dude, just a couple weeks ago you flat out said KO has neglected recruiting in the frontcourt the past 2 recruiting cycles previous to this one despite adding Enoch, Durham, Diarra, and even Jackson(I've read a couple of recruiting guys say they think he's probably better serve playing as a stretch 4). Now its JC signed lower ranked guys as his top targets vs lower ranked reaches for KO after misses when that is a flat out lie.

 

[BUConn10]

Dude, just a couple weeks ago you flat out said KO has neglected recruiting in the frontcourt the past 2 recruiting cycles previous to this one despite adding Enoch, Durham, Diarra, and even Jackson(I've read a couple of recruiting guys say they think he's probably better serve playing as a stretch 4). Now its JC signed lower ranked guys as his top targets vs lower ranked reaches for KO after misses when that is a flat out lie.

So two posts constitutes pushing a narrative now?

Regardless, those two points were meant to be unrelated but I still stand by the first one. I don't see how you can argue that Ollie hasn't prioritized guards in every single recruiting class he has been present for.

 

[mauconnfan]

So two posts constitutes pushing a narrative now?

Regardless, those two points were meant to be unrelated but I still stand by the first one. I don't see how you can argue that Ollie hasn't prioritized guards in every single recruiting class he has been present for.

I think he's prioritized all the position players and athletes he can, guards would seem to be the lead as it makes sense. But I think if you think of all the 3's he's had his hands on and just missed over the last 2-3 years I think we just assume the guards win, only because he closes on more of them. And he's gone after all the big name 5's it would seem too, and they like him just can't get that first one to land. Worst thing to happen was Brown made an error or 5 in judgment and KO had to rid himself of the kid, was a big get.

KO and the staff are doing fine, get Hammonds now and that's quite a run. If Hami is as sure as people think this class which already has MAL, Polley and Carlton. I mean reality is we may have two 5's in Enoch and Carlton next year. All good in Storrs.

 

[HooperScooper]

Who were all the highly rated stud bigs Calhoun got?Donyell and Charlie V were as good as it gets but Voskuhl, Emeka, Armstrong, Boone, and Thabeet weren't top ranked kids.

Well kind of. I guess it depends how highly rated you consider to be good and then if they needed to be ranked there when they committed.

Boone was ranked 54th by Rivals. But I'm not sure where he was when he committed to UConn. He did a post graduate year and got noticed that spring and summer before the PG year and then committed to UConn in October. So I think he was a 4 star recruit after that summer and before committing to UConn.

Thabeet kind of came out of no where but was ultimately ranked in the top 75 by almost everyone. Dave Telep (Scout.com at the time) had him the highest at 39. Was he there at the time he committed to UConn? I can't remember exactly but maybe not. See him 64th on the RSCI Composite Ranking.

 

[aceboon]

So two posts constitutes pushing a narrative now?

Regardless, those two points were meant to be unrelated but I still stand by the first one. I don't see how you can argue that Ollie hasn't prioritized guards in every single recruiting class he has been present for.

Prioritizing elite PGs/Wings as your top target doesn't mean he is neglecting to recruit other areas of the team, which you erroneously claimed. Also, if I were in charge of a program and I had to choose who I was going to recruit the hardest and spend the most time at games and practices, I'm picking an elite guard/wing player 10 outta 10 times. You can stick with your claim that bigs are more important in the college game and I will disagree with you every single time.

 

[BUConn10]

Prioritizing elite PGs/Wings as your top target doesn't mean he is neglecting to recruit other areas of the team, which you erroneously claimed. Also, if I were in charge of a program and I had to choose who I was going to recruit the hardest and spend the most time at games and practices, I'm picking an elite guard/wing player 10 outta 10 times. You can stick with your claim that bigs are more important in the college game and I will disagree with you every single time.

So picking an elite guard/wing is the narrative you have been pushing this whole time, got it.

 

[Burnsbros23]

Maybe we see Polley as a 3, hammonds as a 4

 

[mauconnfan]

Maybe we see Polley as a 3, hammonds as a 4

This or maybe without a true 5 at times we just play 3 good sized athletes who can guard, rebound and score at the same time. The 3,4,5 can be overrated sometime as we've said so may times. Maybe a Durham, Hammonds, Polley back line 2-3 years down the road at times. The more 3/4's you have with size the more flexible you can be in college hoops.

 

[pj]

This or maybe without a true 5 at times we just play 3 good sized athletes who can guard, rebound and score at the same time. The 3,4,5 can be overrated sometime as we've said so may times. Maybe a Durham, Hammonds, Polley back line 2-3 years down the road at times. The more 3/4's you have with size the more flexible you can be in college hoops.

Agreed that that seems where we are heading ... yet it risks getting pushed around inside by a big strong center. I think it's clear KO has been trying to recruit an elite center but just hasn't closed the sale yet. 5 great players is the next best approach -- at least we can generate a corresponding mismatch on the offensive side.

 

[UConnSwag11]

This or maybe without a true 5 at times we just play 3 good sized athletes who can guard, rebound and score at the same time. The 3,4,5 can be overrated sometime as we've said so may times. Maybe a Durham, Hammonds, Polley back line 2-3 years down the road at times. The more 3/4's you have with size the more flexible you can be in college hoops.

Ollie had Giffey and Daniels play the five at times. Al about matchups

 

[navery12]

Agreed that that seems where we are heading ... yet it risks getting pushed around inside by a big strong center. I think it's clear KO has been trying to recruit an elite center but just hasn't closed the sale yet. 5 great players is the next best approach -- at least we can generate a corresponding mismatch on the offensive side.

I think that's something you can adjust to on a game to game basis. You can roll with Durham, Hammonds, Polley but when facing a guy like you mentioned you can adjust and put in Enoch or Carlton (who seems to play bigger than his size from what I've seen). With depth it makes it easier to adjust and matchup with teams

 

[methodology]

Oz posted possibly Nov 4-5 as when he will visit

 

[gtcam]

Prioritizing elite PGs/Wings as your top target doesn't mean he is neglecting to recruit other areas of the team, which you erroneously claimed. Also, if I were in charge of a program and I had to choose who I was going to recruit the hardest and spend the most time at games and practices, I'm picking an elite guard/wing player 10 outta 10 times. You can stick with your claim that bigs are more important in the college game and I will disagree with you every single time.

I agree with you 100% First you look at the guard positions - that's the engine
Once you are comfortable with that area you move on
If I were starting a team, the PG is the 1st person I look for - unless there are a ton of equal talented and there was only 1 or 2 real quality big men- I might push for the big guy a bit more but still you need the engine (who has the ball in their hands at least 70% of the time)
In no way do I think KO doesn't place a priority on bigs - damn in the past 2 years he's signed a few