reliance on top recruits

[knicksin7]

Obviously in the world of the portal, recruiting is vastly different than it was before. But I thought it was still fun to look through the 6 championship teams and understand the reliance on blue-chip recruits. I looked at McD-AAs and top 25 RSCI recruits.

99 - Hamilton, El-Amin (McD AAs)
04 - Okafor (RSCI 99), Gordon (RSCI 41), Taliek Brown (McD AA, 10), Charlie V (McD AA, 18)
11- Kemba (McAA,14), Alex O (McAA, 16), Lamb (78), Shabazz (75)
14 - Almost no highly rated HS players - DeAndre (RSCI 32), Shabazz (RSCI 75), Boat (RSCI 60s)
23 - Almost no but portal obviously a different time - Donovan (30s), Hawkins (48), Jackson (50s)
24 - Castle. No other real elite recruits from HS.

Not sure what to make of this lol

 

[AllHusky]

You can do it without McD's AA's, but you can't do it without Portal. Looks like Hurley and crew working on a Secret Sauce for Portal+Blue Chips. Mentioned by more than a few on the Yard.

 

[Drame]

I remember Charlie V as a top 5 recruit..

 

[ColchVEGAS]

I would like to point out that the 99 Duke team had 6 McD AA on the roster and the 04 team had 7 on the roster.

Both more than Calhoun had on his rosters all time at that point.

Point is you do not need McD AA to win. They obviously help, but it is more important to have the right roster make up.

 

[HooperScooper]

I would like to point out that the 99 Duke team had 6 McD AA on the roster and the 04 team had 7 on the roster.

Both more than Calhoun had on his rosters all time at that point.

Point is you do not need McD AA to win. They obviously help, but it is more important to have the right roster make up.

Obviously talent is needed but I think experience has been more important.

 

[Jaydumo20]

Interesting thread. Also would be cool to see what %of McD AAs went on to have any college or pro success. To determine whether being an AA is a predictor of anything.

*I remember all those rising star baseball cards when I was a kid and now im like "really? JOSE LIND???"

 

[EastConn'er]

Before 2023 every champion since the 1985 expansion of the tournament had at least 1 McDonald’s All American. FWIW.

Obviously talent is needed but I think experience has been more important.

Pretty sure Maryland 2002 and UConn 2014 won without any McD's AAs.

 

[RuffRuff]

Really have to tease out preportal and portal, no point in comparing today to 2004. Back then you could get a top recruit and have him for 3 years - that makes a world of difference.

I think Hurley has the sauce right now. Build your base with multi-year HS/Portal recruits, have a couple of those rolling year over year. Fill out the needs with the portal, insert 1 top 5 star to ensure you have some high end NBA talent on the roster. Stuff some internationals on back end of roster to see if they have anything. I think what he did this past cycle was A+.

A starting 5 should have at least 3 upperclassmen.

 

[HooperScooper]

Pretty sure Maryland 2002 and UConn 2014 won without any McD's AAs.

You’re right. Brain fart on my part. 2021 Baylor also.

The 2023 Final Four I think had no McDonald’s All Americans for the first time ever.

 

[RuffRuff]

You’re right. Brain fart on my part. 2021 Baylor also.

The 2023 Final Four I think had no McDonald’s All Americans for the first time ever.

Were there any last year outside of Duke?

 

[superjohn]

Were there any last year outside of Duke?

Pettiford off the top of my head.

 

[ec33]

Really have to tease out preportal and portal, no point in comparing today to 2004. Back then you could get a top recruit and have him for 3 years - that makes a world of difference.

I think Hurley has the sauce right now. Build your base with multi-year HS/Portal recruits, have a couple of those rolling year over year. Fill out the needs with the portal, insert 1 top 5 star to ensure you have some high end NBA talent on the roster. Stuff some internationals on back end of roster to see if they have anything. I think what he did this past cycle was A+.

A starting 5 should have at least 3 upperclassmen.

With the Landrew commitment I have been thinking about the "2027/2028" rotational base of juniors Reibe and Furphy along with County and Landrew. That is likely half of the top 8 guys getting minutes (if things work, I would guess 3 starters and County as a key bench piece).

There is a ton of flexibility in those players and the staff can go a ton of different ways depending on what is player's are available and how the "current" players develop.

 

[RuffRuff]

With the Landrew commitment I have been thinking about the "2027/2028" rotational base of juniors Reibe and Furphy along with County and Landrew. That is likely half of the top 8 guys getting minutes (if things work, I would guess 3 starters and County as a key bench piece).

There is a ton of flexibility in those players and the staff can go a ton of different ways depending on what is player's are available and how the "current" players develop.

I like to think about it too, but not too much as too many things can change between now and then.

 

[UConnJim]

Obviously in the world of the portal, recruiting is vastly different than it was before. But I thought it was still fun to look through the 6 championship teams and understand the reliance on blue-chip recruits. I looked at McD-AAs and top 25 RSCI recruits.

99 - Hamilton, El-Amin (McD AAs)
04 - Okafor (RSCI 99), Gordon (RSCI 41), Taliek Brown (McD AA, 10), Charlie V (McD AA, 18)
11- Kemba (McAA,14), Alex O (McAA, 16), Lamb (78), Shabazz (75)
14 - Almost no highly rated HS players - DeAndre (RSCI 32), Shabazz (RSCI 75), Boat (RSCI 60s)
23 - Almost no but portal obviously a different time - Donovan (30s), Hawkins (48), Jackson (50s)
24 - Castle. No other real elite recruits from HS.

Not sure what to make of this lol

Shabazz would have been ranked higher if he stayed in the class of 2011, but he reclassified to 2010 to come to UConn early.

 

[ucp990411]

With the Landrew commitment I have been thinking about the "2027/2028" rotational base of juniors Reibe and Furphy along with County and Landrew. That is likely half of the top 8 guys getting minutes (if things work, I would guess 3 starters and County as a key bench piece).

There is a ton of flexibility in those players and the staff can go a ton of different ways depending on what is player's are available and how the "current" players develop.

I would have to say you are jumping the gun just a tad.

 

[HooperScooper]

Were there any last year outside of Duke?

Good question. Pettiford as someone just said. I can't think of any others. Nobody on Florida?

I found the article about there being no McDonald's All Americans in the 2023 Final Four. First time since the 1979 NCAA Tournament when they started seeding teams. Some stuff about Tristen Newton and Hurley bringing in the right transfers in the article.

This weekend’s Final Four is unique because the teams in Houston made it by building around players like Newton instead of heralded high school prospects. This is the first Final Four since the NCAA began seeding teams in 1979 that doesn’t feature a single former McDonald’s All-American or former top-30 recruit. Only UConn has former top-50 prospects on its roster. Several key players at San Diego State and Florida Atlantic finished high school without receiving a scholarship offer.

Why this McDonald's All-American-less Final Four may offer a blueprint for the future

This year's Final Four teams are far from conventional and lack in 5-star recruits, but each roster was uniquely built to get them where they're at.

sports.yahoo.com