SF/PF Wenyen Gabriel (Kentucky Commit)

[UConNation]

Take this for what it's worth, but a very good friend of mine is pretty close with KO and also interacted with Gabriel pretty regularly back when he was a freshman/sophomore. The 2 things that I got from my guy are that 1) the HC at Wilbraham is NOT a fan of UConn and 2) Gabriel is one of the hardest working people you'll meet on the court or in the classroom, but unless Coach K pulls some strings, he's not going to qualify at Duke.

Obviously KO has shown us that he can recruit out of Wilbraham and I believe that KO can relate to any person, but specifically to guys that had to give 110% to get to where they are in life.

I'm still optomistic.

 

[Stainmaster]

Take this for what it's worth, but a very good friend of mine is pretty close with KO and also interacted with Gabriel pretty regularly back when he was a freshman/sophomore. The 2 things that I got from my guy are that 1) the HC at Wilbraham is NOT a fan of UConn and 2) Gabriel is one of the hardest working people you'll meet on the court or in the classroom, but unless Coach K pulls some strings, he's not going to qualify at Duke.

Obviously KO has shown us that he can recruit out of Wilbraham and I believe that KO can relate to any person, but specifically to guys that had to give 110% to get to where they are in life.

I'm still optomistic.

As far as I could tell during S. Enoch's recruitment, there was no trouble with Jere Quinn at STM. In the past, he had been a coach with a less-than-favorable outlook regarding UConn, so we may be improving in the area of our staff relating well to NEPSAC programs.

 

[eireman]

As far as I could tell during S. Enoch's recruitment, there was no trouble with Jere Quinn at STM. In the past, he had been a coach with a less-than-favorable outlook regarding UConn, so we may be improving in the area of our staff relating well to NEPSAC programs.

That is not true at all........

 

[Stainmaster]

That is not true at all...

I must've misread something I saw a while ago concerning Ajou Deng. My bad.

 

[boog204]

I must've misread something I saw a while ago concerning Ajou Deng. My bad.

Don't think you were wrong. There definitely seemed to be a "souring" between Quinn and JC over Ajou and Jeff McMillan. There were also many who believed that Jere was trying to talk Drummond out of committing here. For a while, it seemed like T-More was our AAA club where we were stashing various guys. This goes back to the early 90s with Richie Ashmeade and Sam Funches. That abruptly stopped after Ajou and we essentially stopped recruiting there as well.

 

[upstater]

Take this for what it's worth, but a very good friend of mine is pretty close with KO and also interacted with Gabriel pretty regularly back when he was a freshman/sophomore. The 2 things that I got from my guy are that 1) the HC at Wilbraham is NOT a fan of UConn and 2) Gabriel is one of the hardest working people you'll meet on the court or in the classroom, but unless Coach K pulls some strings, he's not going to qualify at Duke.

Obviously KO has shown us that he can recruit out of Wilbraham and I believe that KO can relate to any person, but specifically to guys that had to give 110% to get to where they are in life.

I'm still optomistic.

Judging from past recruits, there is little impediment for players enroll in at Duke. He will have no trouble.

 

[mauconnfan]

Judging from past recruits, there is little impediment for players enroll in at Duke. He will have no trouble.

Ever hear Avery get interviewed in '99? Admissions has been turning their backs there when required for a while.

 

[upstater]

Ever hear Avery get interviewed in '99? Admissions has been turning their backs there when required for a while.

I remember people from back then portraying UConn as the fake student thugs against the scholars. A Pitt Tribune reporter in particular went out of his way to make that point.

Yet that 99 team was full of seniors who got a degree. Even kids who left like Hamilton got their degree.

Meanwhile, the Duke team was full of guys who left early, not scholars at all. Brand, Maggette, Avery, and even Burgess took off.

I can only imagine that the perspective had everything to do with race, as UConn had a lot of black kids, other than Voskuhl.

 

[Waquoit]

Ever hear Avery get interviewed in '99? Admissions has been turning their backs there when required for a while.

I got the scoop from an Iron Duke in the parking lot before the '99 Final Four. He said each team gets 1 free pass from normal academic requirements. "Of course on this team it's Avery." He also added he thought just 1 exception wasn't fair to the football team, "that's why we can never get a decent tailback."

 

[HooperScooper]

Take this for what it's worth, but a very good friend of mine is pretty close with KO and also interacted with Gabriel pretty regularly back when he was a freshman/sophomore. The 2 things that I got from my guy are that 1) the HC at Wilbraham is NOT a fan of UConn and 2) Gabriel is one of the hardest working people you'll meet on the court or in the classroom, but unless Coach K pulls some strings, he's not going to qualify at Duke.

Obviously KO has shown us that he can recruit out of Wilbraham and I believe that KO can relate to any person, but specifically to guys that had to give 110% to get to where they are in life.

I'm still optomistic.

This guy? I wonder what his beef is with UConn? Only thing I can think of is that things didn't turn out so well for Enosch Wolf at UConn.

Head Coach Michael Mannix

2014-present: Head Coach, WMA

2009-14: Head Assistant Coach, WMA

2006-08: Coordinator of Basketball Operations, Drexel University

2004-06: Assistant Coach, Western New Mexico University

2004: NBA Summer League

2004: NIKE All-American Camp

2003-04: Intern, Coaching Staff and Scouting Department, Indiana Pacers

 

[FfldCntyFan]

I got the scoop from an Iron Duke in the parking lot before the '99 Final Four. He said each team gets 1 free pass from normal academic requirements. "Of course on this team it's Avery." He also added he thought just 1 exception wasn't fair to the football team, "that's why we can never get a decent tailback."

So Maggette was a legit student?

 

[RipCity]

This guy? I wonder what his beef is with UConn? Only thing I can think of is that things didn't turn out so well for Enosch Wolf at UConn.

Head Coach Michael Mannix

2014-present: Head Coach, WMA

Basketball egos and UConn love/hate aside... That's a very punchable face.

 

[businesslawyer]

His play will determine his position when all is said and done. Calipari or Ollie can tell him he's a 3, but if his handle is sloppy and he isn't making his shots, their words are shot to heIl at that point.

Exactly this. The rest is hot air, and not worth worrying about even if people are using words to the contrary.

 

[James]

drummond was suppose to play at wilbraham w/ dunn , instead JC swooped in on him. No doubt that stung for him and left a bad taste of uconn in his mouth

 

[Mr. Wonderful]

drummond was suppose to play at wilbraham w/ dunn , instead JC swooped in on him. No doubt that stung for him and left a bad taste of uconn in his mouth

Please...Calhoun hardly "swooped in on him." Drummond made so many unofficial visits to UConn, Calhoun joked that he thought he was already a sophomore. Drummond's late decision had everything to do with Drummond and little to do with Calhoun, according to Drummond's own account of things.

If Michael Mannix does hold a grudge against UConn, which is only hearsay, then he and only he knows why.

 

[James]

Please...Calhoun hardly "swooped in on him." Drummond made so many unofficial visits to UConn, Calhoun joked that he thought he was already a sophomore. Drummond's late decision had everything to do with Drummond and little to do with Calhoun, according to Drummond's own account of things.

If Michael Mannix does hold a grudge against UConn, which is only hearsay, then he and only he knows why.

I kind of meant swooped in as a positive but ok. You don't think mannix would hold a grudge when drummond TOLD espn he was attending w&m? here

i'm also speculating based on information from a poster in this thread, throw your aggression his way if youre pissed off.

 

[James]

Frankly I think his aau coach has more sway than his hs coach, even if mannix has bad feelings toward uconn not sure it would be a major factor for WG.

 

[aceboon]

who bailed on W&M first, Dunn or Drummond? didn't the decision of one not playing there play a part in the other's?

 

[superjohn]

I kind of meant swooped in as a positive but ok. You don't think mannix would hold a grudge when drummond TOLD espn he was attending w&m? here

i'm also speculating based on information from a poster in this thread, throw your aggression his way if youre pissed off.

If a high school coach holds a grudge against Calhoun and or UConn because Drummond called Calhoun and told him he wanted to attend college then the guy is pathetic. I can't imagine any high school coach being that much of a loser, without knowing anything I would suspect this isn't the case.

 

[James]

who bailed on W&M first, Dunn or Drummond? didn't the decision of one not playing there play a part in the other's?

dunn announced first he was staying at new london.
http://www.middletownpress.com/general-news/20110824/new-londons-kris-dunn-opts-for-providence

 

[James]

If a high school coach holds a grudge against Calhoun and or UConn because Drummond called Calhoun and told him he wanted to attend college then the guy is pathetic. I can't imagine any high school coach being that much of a loser, without knowing anything I would suspect this isn't the case.

I agree, combined with the fact that his best friend opted out. I was just throwing scenarios out there that connected him to the staff.

 

[Mr. Wonderful]

I kind of meant swooped in as a positive but ok. You don't think mannix would hold a grudge when drummond TOLD espn he was attending w&m? here

i'm also speculating based on information from a poster in this thread, throw your aggression his way if youre pissed off.

According to Drummond, it was his mother who pushed him to commit when he did. If Mannix is upset at anyone about it, it should be her. But I doubt there is anything to it - just the Boneyard telling tales.

 

[mauconnfan]

http://www.wma.us/cf_directory/dirprofile.cfm?p=692&id=119

Pretty easy one to figure out for Mr Mannix. UMass grad worked under Bruiser Flint as a student. Do we need to go any further on this one? He looks like a guy who coached against my sons HS in WesMass. Never liked that guy, agree with Rip although I'm thinking more along the Fishy punch in the throat.

 

[pj]

I kind of meant swooped in as a positive but ok. You don't think mannix would hold a grudge when drummond TOLD espn he was attending w&m? here

i'm also speculating based on information from a poster in this thread, throw your aggression his way if youre pissed off.

When Mannix has demonstrated an ability to get one of his players drafted as an NBA lottery pick after one year at Wilbraham & Monson, he can complain about Drummond's decision to attend UConn.

 

[CallMeBruce]

Made his top 5: