Recruiting misses and Devin Robinson

[selles]

If Robinson sees himself as a three, I don't see how he comes here with Calhoun/Hamilton on board. If he thinks he can be a Daniels-type four, maybe. But I don't think Daniels thinks of himself as a Daniels-type four. In a bubble, Hamilton and Robinson would make a pretty good wing combo, but if Calhoun is here and Purvis is more of a 2, then there's only so many 2/3 minutes to go around.

We're in pretty good shape for the next two years at least, assuming Facey doesn't end up deciding to join the Jamaican bobsled team after waiting on the NCAA. We will need some more depth for 2014-15 if Boat and DD leave. There could be someone just as good as Kasongo in the leftover pile in the spring, or the fifth-year senior well could be an option one more time. Then we'll have to win a battle for a top-tier guy or two in the 2015 class just to keep talent coming in. No telling how long Purvis-Hamilton-Calhoun-Facey stay.

The "hope they are a diamond in the rough" type recruits just aren't worth fretting over. Abu is perhaps worth a bit of a fret - since Ollie spent a lot of time following him around at AAU events for naught and maybe could have gotten someone else if he had that time back. But such is life - we've lost better guys before (and worse guys). We're just looking for complementary pieces now.

Agree with most all you say here, except I think Ollie spent approximately 0 minutes following Kasongo. Abu, yes. Kasongo was out of left field.

 

[Gurleyman]

Agree with most all you say here, except I think Ollie spent approximately 0 minutes following Kasongo. Abu, yes. Kasongo was out of left field.

Then you agree with all of it! I said that about Abu.

In fairness, Abu is a very short name so it is easy to miss it buried in the middle of a paragraph.

 

[selles]

Then you agree with all of it! I said that about Abu.

In fairness, Abu is a very short name so it is easy to miss it buried in the middle of a paragraph.

You are correct, sir. I was looking for "Abu Schmabu", but you are correct. I agree entirely (for whatever that's worth).

 

[ctchamps]

I'm echoing what others have said in this thread. IMM Abu was the only real miss. Outside of Abu there was very little chance of making up ground on the other players UConn went after.

KO was hampered with so many things we've listed over and over again. Before recruiting began most of us were stating that this season was going to be a bust recruiting wise. The major criticism of WM over the delay in the contract was the impact it would have on recruiting. The only thing that changed was the early successes that made people forget this. Other coaches were half way through the marathon before KO started the race because KO was delayed by the APR in contacting recruits.

Furthermore, UConn is still an uncertainty. Part of the problem is the newness of the conference. Part is that UConn did not play in a postseason. Part of it is KO has only one season under his belt. These should all change this season. The exposure this conference is getting by ESPN will negate the perception of the conference if at least two teams do very well. My feeling is that three teams will do very well not counting Ville. And one will be UConn!

Given all of these negatives, I was far more shocked UConn got the caliber of players they did with Purvis and Hamilton this season. And yes I count Purvis. He would have been welcomed by most of the power schools in the power conferences. He chose UConn when he transferred and not them.

KO has to prove himself. AAU coaches know little about him as a coach. He will gradually develop his relationships with certain AAU groups and if KO is successful, he will cultivate relationships that will end up directing players to UConn. And it will be above board.

This season is pivitol, not critical. UConn needs to have a successful season. It hurts some fans that UConn was close on many prospects only to be jilted at the last moment. Not me. The excitement for UConn is still there among recruits in spite of JC's leaving. That won't go away over night. If KO and UConn are successful on the court, the excitement will get results. This years team is more than decent. After this season even with the loss of SN, and the possible losses of RB and DD, next years team looks to be more than decent as well. That should translate into a couple of good seasons. And recruiting should reflect this.

 

[upstater]

If Robinson sees himself as a three, I don't see how he comes here with Calhoun/Hamilton on board. If he thinks he can be a Daniels-type four, maybe. But I don't think Daniels thinks of himself as a Daniels-type four. In a bubble, Hamilton and Robinson would make a pretty good wing combo, but if Calhoun is here and Purvis is more of a 2, then there's only so many 2/3 minutes to go around.

We're in pretty good shape for the next two years at least, assuming Facey doesn't end up deciding to join the Jamaican bobsled team after waiting on the NCAA. We will need some more depth for 2014-15 if Boat and DD leave. There could be someone just as good as Kasongo in the leftover pile in the spring, or the fifth-year senior well could be an option one more time. Then we'll have to win a battle for a top-tier guy or two in the 2015 class just to keep talent coming in. No telling how long Purvis-Hamilton-Calhoun-Facey stay.

The "hope they are a diamond in the rough" type recruits just aren't worth fretting over. Abu is perhaps worth a bit of a fret - since Ollie spent a lot of time following him around at AAU events for naught and maybe could have gotten someone else if he had that time back. But such is life - we've lost better guys before (and worse guys). We're just looking for complementary pieces now.

I think Facey is eventually going to be key - we need him to be a guy who carves out a role and develops into a significant contributor, so that we can show future bigs that we can develop a post guy. We have a staff full of point guards and we are now playing a 3 at power forward, while Olander has regressed.

You can put all four of them on the floor at the same time. Purvis, Hamilton, Robinson, a PG like Cassell, and then a center (Facey, Nolan, Brimah). Bring in Lubin when you go big, but Calhoun, Hamilton and Robinson could easily share the 2-4 positions. There are plenty of minutes to go around. If anything, the competition at Indiana has more in front of him than the players at UConn. Frankly, I'd be more worried about Florida where he is supposed to visit on Oct. 11.

 

[James]

Abu was most definitely a miss. I'm surprised elite pgs aren't lining up to play for young ex nba pg. I know it'll be hard to pry cassell from ville, they're the hottest name in hoops right now. If we somehow land cassell that'll speak to Ollie's ability to recruit at a high level.

 

[upstater]

Abu was most definitely a miss. I'm surprised elite pgs aren't lining up to play for young ex nba pg. I know it'll be hard to pry cassell from ville, they're the hottest name in hoops right now. If we somehow land cassell that'll speak to Ollie's ability to recruit at a high level.

Abu was a big miss since the kid grew up a UConn fan. How we missed him at a big position of need is a mystery. It was weird though when in mid-July Abu came out and said UConn had stopped contacting him and he wondered why.

Thank Mark Emmert for that.

 

[Gurleyman]

You can put all four of them on the floor at the same time. Purvis, Hamilton, Robinson, a PG like Cassell, and then a center (Facey, Nolan, Brimah). Bring in Lubin when you go big, but Calhoun, Hamilton and Robinson could easily share the 2-4 positions. There are plenty of minutes to go around. If anything, the competition at Indiana has more in front of him than the players at UConn. Frankly, I'd be more worried about Florida where he is supposed to visit on Oct. 11.

You actually just took Calhoun off the floor.

If Purvis is going to settle in as a 2, with say, a Cassell/Samuel platoon at the 1, there won't be plenty of minutes for essentially three skinny small forwards. If Purvis plays a lot of point, it opens more up everywhere else, but that's an unknown - even to us.

We can envision a nice rotation with Robinson mostly at the 4, but if he sees himself as a 3, it will be tough to sell him on that vision.

 

[ctchamps]

You actually just took Calhoun off the floor.

If Purvis is going to settle in as a 2, with say, a Cassell/Samuel platoon at the 1, there won't be plenty of minutes for essentially three skinny small forwards. If Purvis plays a lot of point, it opens more up everywhere else, but that's an unknown - even to us.

We can envision a nice rotation with Robinson mostly at the 4, but if he sees himself as a 3, it will be tough to sell him on that vision.

Still in play for Kasango!

 

[Peacefrog]

Abu was a big miss since the kid grew up a UConn fan. How we missed him at a big position of need is a mystery. It was weird though when in mid-July Abu came out and said UConn had stopped contacting him and he wondered why.

Thank Mark Emmert for that.

A miss, yes, but we got a late start due to restrictions. Would things have been different otherwise?

 

[upstater]

You actually just took Calhoun off the floor.

If Purvis is going to settle in as a 2, with say, a Cassell/Samuel platoon at the 1, there won't be plenty of minutes for essentially three skinny small forwards. If Purvis plays a lot of point, it opens more up everywhere else, but that's an unknown - even to us.

We can envision a nice rotation with Robinson mostly at the 4, but if he sees himself as a 3, it will be tough to sell him on that vision.

Don't think I did. 3 players for 4 positions is about as clear as you can get in the high majors. That's 30 minutes a night for everyone. I wouldn't expect that exactly, but you have to think that Purvis might steal 10 minutes at the 1, and Lubin/Facey would take 10/20 minutes at the 4. This basically gives 110 minutes to 4 wings, or an average of 27 minutes.

In other words, UConn definitely has space and need for another scorer.

 

[Gurleyman]

Don't think I did. 3 players for 4 positions is about as clear as you can get in the high majors. That's 30 minutes a night for everyone. I wouldn't expect that exactly, but you have to think that Purvis might steal 10 minutes at the 1, and Lubin/Facey would take 10/20 minutes at the 4. This basically gives 110 minutes to 4 wings, or an average of 27 minutes.

In other words, UConn definitely has space and need for another scorer.

I was just responding to where you said - "you can put all four of them on the floor at the same time - Purvis, Hamilton, Robinson, a point guard like Cassell, and a center". Calhoun is not on this hypothetical floor.

I could be wrong but I think Purvis is probably getting star minutes - 35 mpg or so - to make sure we have enough playmaking/ball handling on the floor at all times. If we get someone like Cassell, and Samuel is good enough to be a backup, then Purvis will probably be slotted for almost all of his minutes at the two. Now things get more crowded - Calhoun is an incumbent three with Hamilton pushing for minutes there already. If Purvis becomes the PG, then things open up a lot, but getting involved with Cassell, Lyle, Snider, Perkins, et al, is a pretty good indication that we don't think of him as a PG.

My primary point is that if Robinson sees himself as a pure three, wants to play the three in college to help his chances of being an NBA three, right now we're not in a good position to get him, since we have two guys who's best college position is the three here already. He'd likely be asked to see most of his minutes at the four in a DD role (and DD could be back next year too), forced to guard post guys at 6-8, 180 pounds. He may not see that as a great fit for himself, even if we think it is. If he is content getting out on the floor however he can, being a stretch four, and is a "whatever it takes to win" type of guy, then we'll have a better chance. I honestly don't know if he's that type - kids ranked that high think about getting to the next level first and foremost, and it's hard to blame them.

 

[ctchamps]

I was just responding to where you said - "you can put all four of them on the floor at the same time - Purvis, Hamilton, Robinson, a point guard like Cassell, and a center". Calhoun is not on this hypothetical floor.

I could be wrong but I think Purvis is probably getting star minutes - 35 mpg or so - to make sure we have enough playmaking/ball handling on the floor at all times. If we get someone like Cassell, and Samuel is good enough to be a backup, then Purvis will probably be slotted for almost all of his minutes at the two. Now things get more crowded - Calhoun is an incumbent three with Hamilton pushing for minutes there already. If Purvis becomes the PG, then things open up a lot, but getting involved with Cassell, Lyle, Snider, Perkins, et al, is a pretty good indication that we don't think of him as a PG.

My primary point is that if Robinson sees himself as a pure three, wants to play the three in college to help his chances of being an NBA three, right now we're not in a good position to get him, since we have two guys who's best college position is the three here already. He'd likely be asked to see most of his minutes at the four in a DD role (and DD could be back next year too), forced to guard post guys at 6-8, 180 pounds. He may not see that as a great fit for himself, even if we think it is. If he is content getting out on the floor however he can, being a stretch four, and is a "whatever it takes to win" type of guy, then we'll have a better chance. I honestly don't know if he's that type - kids ranked that high think about getting to the next level first and foremost, and it's hard to blame them.

Way too logical an analysis! You are taking away my opportunity to biatch and moan and whine and cry and jump off the bridge if Robinson goes elsewhere. Just stop it!

Funny how the getting of Purvis and DHam, and the uncertainty of RB's and DD's future, really impacted the decision making of several of the recruits UConn was chasing! Add to this the small bench last season and players logging major minutes and I'm sure the recruits were thinking KO settles on a few players and doesn't utilize lots of players like Pitino and Izzo!

 

[upstater]

I was just responding to where you said - "you can put all four of them on the floor at the same time - Purvis, Hamilton, Robinson, a point guard like Cassell, and a center". Calhoun is not on this hypothetical floor.

I could be wrong but I think Purvis is probably getting star minutes - 35 mpg or so - to make sure we have enough playmaking/ball handling on the floor at all times. If we get someone like Cassell, and Samuel is good enough to be a backup, then Purvis will probably be slotted for almost all of his minutes at the two. Now things get more crowded - Calhoun is an incumbent three with Hamilton pushing for minutes there already. If Purvis becomes the PG, then things open up a lot, but getting involved with Cassell, Lyle, Snider, Perkins, et al, is a pretty good indication that we don't think of him as a PG.

My primary point is that if Robinson sees himself as a pure three, wants to play the three in college to help his chances of being an NBA three, right now we're not in a good position to get him, since we have two guys who's best college position is the three here already. He'd likely be asked to see most of his minutes at the four in a DD role (and DD could be back next year too), forced to guard post guys at 6-8, 180 pounds. He may not see that as a great fit for himself, even if we think it is. If he is content getting out on the floor however he can, being a stretch four, and is a "whatever it takes to win" type of guy, then we'll have a better chance. I honestly don't know if he's that type - kids ranked that high think about getting to the next level first and foremost, and it's hard to blame them.

If you look at Indiana, there's less opportunity there.

 

[his dudeness]

Theres an interview on youtube where Robinson says coaches have been telling him he will play the 3/ stretch 4 in college. He has been bulking up

 

[upstater]

Theres an interview on youtube where Robinson says coaches have been telling him he will play the 3/ stretch 4 in college. He has been bulking up

That is good news for UConn if it's multiple coaches, because there is a lot of playing time here when it comes to having a big 3. Rudy Gay, Deandre Daniels, Devin Robinson.

 

[Gurleyman]

If you look at Indiana, there's less opportunity there.

It seems they are in the same boat as us, you're right - and I'd agree with you that Florida seems the bigger threat.

If he came, there's no question we'd make it work - get our best guys out there, positions be damned. It's the convincing him of that part which seems like an uphill battle. But if we lose him to IU, then the playing field was pretty level.

 

[Gurleyman]

That is good news for UConn if it's multiple coaches, because there is a lot of playing time here when it comes to having a big 3. Rudy Gay, Deandre Daniels, Devin Robinson.

True - that helps our chances if he's not bothered by seeing time at the four in college. Realistically, going from stretch four to NBA three is pretty seamless for the most part - if you can play, you can play. You just wonder if recruits look at it that way

 

[upstater]

It seems they are in the same boat as us, you're right - and I'd agree with you that Florida seems the bigger threat.

If he came, there's no question we'd make it work - get our best guys out there, positions be damned. It's the convincing him of that part which seems like an uphill battle. But if we lose him to IU, then the playing field was pretty level.

Indiana has also had a slew of huge recruiting misses and decommitments, from Blackmon to Oknoboh and back. If any is going through a similar thing as UConn, it's Indiana. Florida landed Brandone Francis but they took are starving a little bit after that one.

 

[ctchamps]

Indiana has also had a slew of huge recruiting misses and decommitments, from Blackmon to Oknoboh and back. If any is going through a similar thing as UConn, it's Indiana. Florida landed Brandone Francis but they took are starving a little bit after that one.

How can you be so reasonable. They didn't lose out to the likes of NCS, VCU, Oregon and PC!

 

[upstater]

How can you be so reasonable. They didn't lose out to the likes of NCS, VCU, Oregon and PC!

This is true. But they did lose out to UNLV!!!

 

[ctchamps]

This is true. But they did lose out to UNLV!!!

You came up all ones with this post! 11111!!!!