SF V.J. King (Louisville Commit)

[DogMania]

The list of interested schools concerns me. I feel as if we don't lock up a verbal with some of these high rising kids early on, we're not going to stand a chance against any of the top P5 schools. IMO, right now the primary attraction to UConn is the Kevin Ollie factor. Our conference affiliation is going to continue to kill us. Hopefully he can close the deal on some kids like DHam who highly value Ollie mentoring them into quality men and basketball players.

I realize that we are the most successful college basketball team in the last decade or so winning four national championships, but when it comes down to playing for a Kentucky or Kansas who both play in P5 conferences, it's clearly an uphill recruiting battle, not to mention that we've lost some pretty good ones lately to programs like VCU and UNLV.

 

[Mr. French]

^ You and me both. I am trying to get one of Stern's wack pact to start posting here so he has some competition.

Maybe that's the problem, maybe he's bigfoot he is.

 

[KembaStepback]

VCU still has recruiting appeal. Shaka Smart seems like someone these guys would want to play for. Energetic, passionate. Plus they've have some success in the tournament in recent years.

UNLV I have a bit harder time figuring that one out. All I can come up with its Vegas and yeah ....Vegas rules.

With all that said, I think UConn generally attracts the right guys. It takes character to come to Storrs, CT when you could be going to a Florida, Kentucky, UCLA, Duke or North Carolina. Climates in these places are just much better. I'd have to think it makes a big difference.

 

[Matrim55]

VCU still has recruiting appeal. Shaka Smart seems like someone these guys would want to play for. Energetic, passionate. Plus they've have some success in the tournament in recent years.

VCU's living off of one miracle run to the Final Four. They've been first weekend fodder ever since.

 

[KembaStepback]

VCU's living off of one miracle run to the Final Four. They've been first weekend fodder ever since.

Yeah. Last year was their first one and done in awhile. The 2 years prior they won a game. The year before that was the Final 4.

I get your point. I just dont think VCU out-recruits UConn by any means. They got one guy we wanted, but I think they'd generally kill for what we do on a year to year basis.

 

[tcf15]

Yeah. Last year was their first one and done in awhile. The 2 years prior they won a game. The year before that was the Final 4.

I get your point. I just dont think VCU out-recruits UConn by any means. They got one guy we wanted, but I think they'd generally kill for what we do on a year to year basis.

They've beaten us the last two years for Terry Larrier and Tevin Mack.

 

[Matrim55]

They've beaten us the last two years for Terry Larrier and Tevin Mack.

Were they able to get onto those guys earlier than us because of better talent identification, or because we were hamstrung from getting onto the trail because of our APR sanctions?

 

[Stainmaster]

VCU still has recruiting appeal. Shaka Smart seems like someone these guys would want to play for. Energetic, passionate. .

Bingo.

What we fail to realize is that recruiting is based so much on how coaches connect with players. You could have the best program in the country, but if you're a dull SOB without social skills, it won't matter.

Parents and kids have raved about KO's personality, but here's the thing: that part of him is not unique. There are other charismatic dudes out there working just as hard (maybe harder) than him.

As for UNLV, I'll say this: Dave Rice has been recruiting for over twenty years. KO has been doing so for less than five.

 

[Stainmaster]

Were they able to get onto those guys earlier than us because of better talent identification, or because we were hamstrung from getting onto the trail because of our APR sanctions?

Didn't we not get in on Mack until late?

 

[Matrim55]

Didn't we not get in on Mack until late?

VCU was in on Mack at least 5 months before we were. We were also very late on Larrier, though I'm not certain of the timeline.

 

[tcf15]

Were they able to get onto those guys earlier than us because of better talent identification, or because we were hamstrung from getting onto the trail because of our APR sanctions?

I was just pointing out to him that VCU has been a thorn in our backside for more than just this past recruiting period.

As for your points, think they are both true in regards to both prospects, but seems like Ollie was able to play catch up pretty fast in both cases and brought UConn into the final two (probably a testament to his hard work in recruiting). It's possible that VCU's long standing relationship with both recruits was the winning factor. But that is something that needs to be overcome during recruiting, and something UConn will need to get better at in the future.

 

[caw]

I was just pointing out to him that VCU has been a thorn in our backside for more than just this past recruiting period.

As for your points, think they are both true in regards to both prospects, but seems like Ollie was able to play catch up pretty fast in both cases and brought UConn into the final two (probably a testament to his hard work in recruiting). It's possible that VCU's long standing relationship with both recruits was the winning factor. But that is something that needs to be overcome during recruiting, and something UConn will need to get better at in the future.

Hamilton being in the fold didn't help with Larrier either and honestly Hamilton is better.

2-1 recently against VCU. They got Larrier and Mack and UConn got Enoch.

 

[Fishy]

VCU kicked our ass for Larrier and Mack.

Shaka brought his whole staff in for a visit late with Mack. We sent Ricky Moore.

Knife, meet gun fight.

Smart's a terrific coach - guy can build a program and he's going to be cashing some P5 school's checks sooner rather than later.

 

[Matrim55]

I was just pointing out to him that VCU has been a thorn in our backside for more than just this past recruiting period.

Yeah, I got that - was legitimately only just asking a question.

As for your points, think they are both true in regards to both prospects, but seems like Ollie was able to play catch up pretty fast in both cases and brought UConn into the final two (probably a testament to his hard work in recruiting). It's possible that VCU's long standing relationship with both recruits was the winning factor. But that is something that needs to be overcome during recruiting, and something UConn will need to get better at in the future.

For sure. Though it's promising that we seem to be on our 2016 & 2017 targets much earlier in the process. We're the first major program to offer guys like Waters, Diallo, Samuels, Rafus, Japhet-Mathias and a few others.

Fingers crossed.

 

[Stainmaster]

VCU kicked our ass for Larrier and Mack.

Shaka brought his whole staff in for a visit late with Mack. We sent Ricky Moore.

Knife, meet gun fight.

Overconfidence is the issue. I don't care how big some egos are here, just because we're UCONN doesn't mean we can get away with sending one assistant to make a kid feel wanted.

 

[Matrim55]

VCU kicked our ass for Larrier and Mack.

Shaka brought his whole staff in for a visit late with Mack. We sent Ricky Moore.

Knife, meet gun fight.

I didn't know that story.

Good learning experience, and hopefully a mistake we don't repeat when it comes to Carter, Brown, Kegler, and whoever else our top targets are over the next 18 months.

 

[DogMania]

VCU kicked our ass for Larrier and Mack.

Shaka brought his whole staff in for a visit late with Mack. We sent Ricky Moore.

Knife, meet gun fight.

Smart's a terrific coach - guy can build a program and he's going to be cashing some P5 school's checks sooner rather than later.

I don't know what they were thinking with the Mack recruiting, but we were after him, Clarke and Jones and KO got his ass kicked on all. I always wondered if they were all in on Jones and didn't go as hard after the other two as they should have. With Mack they were very late to the party, and got on Clarke a bit late as well. I wonder if KO had spent too much time courting elite recruits and not enough on more attainable ones. I'm not saying that's the case, but I did wonder such.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

I have it on good authority that Larrier is coming to UConn.

 

[CardiacAndre7]

I have it on good authority that Larrier is coming to UConn.

I have to agree

 

[upstater]

I don't know what they were thinking with the Mack recruiting, but we were after him, Clarke and Jones and KO got his ass kicked on all. I always wondered if they were all in on Jones and didn't go as hard after the other two as they should have. With Mack they were very late to the party, and got on Clarke a bit late as well. I wonder if KO had spent too much time courting elite recruits and not enough on more attainable ones. I'm not saying that's the case, but I did wonder such.

Prince Ali reneging really killed the wing recruitment.

 

[husky99]

Prince Ali reneging really killed the wing recruitment.

1st smart point on this board in months

 

[CardiacAndre7]

1st smart point on this board in months

Hey!

 

[Dynasty]

Quite frankly, I have to agree

Ftfy.

 

[UConnSwag11]

VCU kicked our ass for Larrier and Mack.

Shaka brought his whole staff in for a visit late with Mack. We sent Ricky Moore.

Knife, meet gun fight.

Smart's a terrific coach - guy can build a program and he's going to be cashing some P5 school's checks sooner rather than later.

i think the crazies on twitter had a major influence, especially on mack

 

[UConnSwag11]

I don't know what they were thinking with the Mack recruiting, but we were after him, Clarke and Jones and KO got his ass kicked on all. I always wondered if they were all in on Jones and didn't go as hard after the other two as they should have. With Mack they were very late to the party, and got on Clarke a bit late as well. I wonder if KO had spent too much time courting elite recruits and not enough on more attainable ones. I'm not saying that's the case, but I did wonder such.

but that's unacceptable on the boneyard