The Quality Of Our New Commits Bouknight & Gaffney

[StingLykOllie]

K
. Kentucky and Duke don’t even have multiple 5 star recruits yet. What do you mean “what have these guys been doing?”

 

[UConnRock]

People will disagree. I’m not totally impressed yet. The two recruits aren’t that high above what Ollie was pulling with akinjo and Matthews. Again my opinion.i do believe Hurley can do a lot more with these two then Ollie and staff could of. Development makes a huge difference. What will impress me would be landing any one of akok, kofi or precious on top of the two they already landed. I hope for at least one. But hope Hurley can pull in any combo of the two.

Ollie had to go out to Washington and rely on Chillious’ contacts to get his top 2 commits of the class. The local/traditional UConn recruiting connections we not working for Ollie. Part of the excitement of this round of recruiting is the rekindling of the strong NE connections.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

I always worry we overhype recruits. Largely because we do.

Huh?
I realize that the "always worry" claim is about you, but I'm not clear who you mean by "we" here. And I therefore don't understand what "overhype" means. Are you referring to BY posters? Or recruiting staff?

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

My sources say the same He's going to try really hard to fill that last spot.

Is this a me and my shadow thing?

 

[jibsey]

We at the yard I think tend to overhype at least in our own minds because we want them to be great so badly. Ray’s point is positive about the direction of the program and time will tell if we have some semblance of past great UCONN players. At this point though my eyeballs tell me we have just gotten 2 pretty talented kids and that’s good enough.

 

[RayIsTheGOAT]

Huh?
I realize that the "always worry" claim is about you, but I'm not clear who you mean by "we" here. And I therefore don't understand what "overhype" means. Are you referring to BY posters? Or recruiting staff?

The op was addressing the question of how good Bouknight and Gaffney really are.
Yes, I'm saying we, the Boneyard, have a track record of overrating recruits, but I then go on to say that is not the case for these 2 guys because I think they are as good as people on here are making them out to be.

 

[intlzncster]

People will disagree. I’m not totally impressed yet. The two recruits aren’t that high above what Ollie was pulling with akinjo and Matthews. Again my opinion.i do believe Hurley can do a lot more with these two then Ollie and staff could of. Development makes a huge difference. What will impress me would be landing any one of akok, kofi or precious on top of the two they already landed. I hope for at least one. But hope Hurley can pull in any combo of the two.

Have you seen either of them play?

 

[Jaybo]

Have you seen either of them play?

Iv watched the YouTube videos. But every kid looks like the second coming of Kemba in those. Not saying they’re not good recruits. I just don’t see them as being far better than what we have been seeing lately. I’m excited they wanna play at UConn. Those are the kids we need. But I wanna see this program under the new staff snag a guy who imo wouldn’t of even thought of UConn the last few years.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I am very happy with these two guards. They strike me as guys who are being underrated by the recruiting services a little bit, but who should develop nicely. Some strength would help both of them. Both should be here 3-4 years. Those kinds of players win games for you as they become juniors and seniors.

As for expectations possibly being too high right now (for the current team), it is worth noting that our expected starting back-court consists of two guys who were higher rated than these two.

 

[Candyman]

People will disagree. I’m not totally impressed yet. The two recruits aren’t that high above what Ollie was pulling with akinjo and Matthews. Again my opinion.i do believe Hurley can do a lot more with these two then Ollie and staff could of. Development makes a huge difference. What will impress me would be landing any one of akok, kofi or precious on top of the two they already landed. I hope for at least one. But hope Hurley can pull in any combo of the two.

What you don't seem to understand is the importance of getting 2 east coast recruits compared to 2 west coast recruits. It's something Ollie didn't get. We are a east coast powerhouse or we were. To continue to go west for recruits just hurt us on the east where the UConn name meant something. Ollie had no foothold in the east and it showed. Hurley getting two east coast recruits is letting other east coast recruits know where his priorites are. Kids see their friends or teammates or kids that played on their AAU team tearing it up at UConn makes them more likely to go to UConn than not.

 

[intlzncster]

Iv watched the YouTube videos. But every kid looks like the second coming of Kemba in those. Not saying they’re not good recruits. I just don’t see them as being far better than what we have been seeing lately. I’m excited they wanna play at UConn. Those are the kids we need. But I wanna see this program under the new staff snag a guy who imo wouldn’t of even thought of UConn the last few years.

I'm talking about seeing the kids play in person. A number of people have on here, and all came away with very favorable reviews. Very real comparisons to Lamb for Bouknight. And Gaffney is drawing rave reviews from other coaches (see Rice quotes) and evaluators.

And the fact that Hurley and staff targeted these particular kids early, stuck with it, and landed them, speaks volumes to what they view their potential to be.

According to all those with the most information, these two are much, much better than what we've seen the last few years. At a certain point (after say the Top 15-20), rankings don't matter a damn -- see the old Okafor chestnut of being ranked #99 or Jeremy Lamb and Shabazz Napier in the 80s/90s.

 

[Excalibur]

What you don't seem to understand is the importance of getting 2 east coast recruits compared to 2 west coast recruits. It's something Ollie didn't get. We are a east coast powerhouse or we were. To continue to go west for recruits just hurt us on the east where the UConn name meant something. Ollie had no foothold in the east and it showed. Hurley getting two east coast recruits is letting other east coast recruits know where his priorites are. Kids see their friends or teammates or kids that played on their AAU team tearing it up at UConn makes them more likely to go to UConn than not.

Calhoun recruited nationally (and internationally). The class that put us on the national map after the Dream Season had nobody closer than Reading, PA (Donyell). That said, there is a greater chance that you're getting mercenary-types if you're exclusively chasing kids without local ties.

 

[Scrutineer]

I...I think you’re misunderstanding what he’s saying...

I'll be polite. There are statements made regularly on this site involving sarcasm and attempts at humor and this is one of them.

 

[Scrutineer]

K
. Kentucky and Duke don’t even have multiple 5 star recruits yet. What do you mean “what have these guys been doing?”

I'll be polite. There are statements made regularly on this site involving sarcasm and attempts at humor and this is one of them.

 

[Scrutineer]

Is this a me and my shadow thing?

Could be a "future Chief" in training.

 

[intlzncster]

Calhoun recruited nationally (and internationally). The class that put us on the national map after the Dream Season had nobody closer than Reading, PA (Donyell). That said, there is a greater chance that you're getting mercenary-types if you're exclusively chasing kids without local ties.

Building that local flavor, especially NYC/Boston/NJ/Delco is so huge though. The amount of time you can get in front of the kids is so much greater. Taking an afternoon to pop into a game is a simple exercise. You ain't jumpin on a flight to Cali on a whim. Relationships are so much easier to maintain, both with the recruits themselves, and with the associated programs.

The biggest thing with these kids is, as @HooperScooper mentioned, Hurley identified early, targeted, and landed these kids like a sniper. This wasn't machine gun fire hoping you hit something. The previous regime consistently identified the wrong kids, or missed on most they identified right, and settled for 3rd/4th/5th option types late.

 

[Matrim55]

I'm talking about seeing the kids play in person. A number of people have on here, and all came away with very favorable reviews. Very real comparisons to Lamb for Bouknight. And Gaffney is drawing rave reviews from other coaches (see Rice quotes) and evaluators.

If Bouknight hadn't gotten hurt this winter he'd have been a top 40 player at the very least IMO. Certainly played like that once he got to about 90% health this summer.

And Gaffney's ~100 ranking is entirely down to lack of strength. He's a very good-to-great shooter, a very good-to-great distributor, and a ++ athlete. Problem is he still looks and plays like a scrawny-ass teenager whenever he goes against elite comp, and gets bullied. For now.

Guys, these are great pick-ups. I think we'll see both kids in the NBA some day.

 

[CL82]

There are statements made regularly on this site involving sarcasm and attempts at humor and this is one of them.

Really? I hadn't noticed.

 

[tcf15]

Iv watched the YouTube videos. But every kid looks like the second coming of Kemba in those. Not saying they’re not good recruits. I just don’t see them as being far better than what we have been seeing lately. I’m excited they wanna play at UConn. Those are the kids we need. But I wanna see this program under the new staff snag a guy who imo wouldn’t of even thought of UConn the last few years.

I know I'm not going to be able to change your mind, but just going to quote this for context. UConn's recruiting really fell off after that 2016 season. Guys like Bouknight and Gaffney are the recruits that UConn should be landing that they really weren't. Here's a comparison of the 2017, 2018 (previous staff only) and 2019 classes:

2017
Sidney Wilson

4*, NR in ESPN100 (due to reclassification)
4*, #71 in Rivals150
4*, #87 in Top247
........
4*, #89 in 247 Composite
​

Tyler Polley

4*, NR in ESPN100
4*, #117 in Rivals150
3*, #187 in Top247
........
3*, #168 in 247 Composite
​

Josh Carlton

4*, NR in ESPN100
3*, #150 in Rivals150
3*, #219 in Top247
........
3*, #178 in 247 Composite
​

Isaiah Whaley

3*, NR in ESPN100
3*, NR in Rivals150
No ranking on 247
........
No composite ranking on 247
​

Eric Cobb

No rankings (JUCO)
​

Kwintin Williams

No rankings (JUCO)
​

2018
James Akinjo

4*, NR in ESPN100
4*, #71 in Rivals150
4*, #119 in Top247
........
4*, #90 in 247 Composite
​

Emmitt Matthews

3*, NR in ESPN100
4*, #125 in Rivals150
3*, #249 in Top247
........
3*, #178 in 247 Composite
​

Lukas Kisunas

3*, NR in ESPN100
3*, NR in Rivals150
3*, #172 in Top247
........
3*, #209 in 247 Composite
​

2019
James Bouknight

4*, #87 in ESPN100
4*, #85 in Rivals150
4*, #73 in Top247
........
4*, #79 in 247 Composite
​

Jalen Gaffney

4*, #97 in ESPN100
3*, NR in Rivals150
4*, #133 in Top247
........
3*, #149 in 247 Composite
​

This 2019 class is the first since 2016 to have at least two guys ranked in the top 100 by one of the recruiting services. And a tiny trend in the 2017 and 2018 classes was to land one single top 100 guy then surround him with guys outside of the top 100 and 150. That wasn't cutting it. Now that you have Hurley and his staff in here, totally flipped the script and are convincing top 100 recruits to come to UConn coming off of two straight losing seasons and back in the picture with top ranked 4* and 5* guys. There's a clear plan in place and the trajectory of the program headed up.

Also, landing Bouknight and Gaffney coming off of back-to-back losing seasons isn't something that should be dismissed. I've been beating this drum the last couple of days but 2019 recruiting was legit about to be terrible if the previous staff was still here. For some reason, the staff was still offering 5* players thinking they had a shot (like Isaiah Stewart and Josh Green) instead of identifying and targeting guys who could come in and help bring the program back.

Here are some of the recruits that UConn probably had a solid chance at landing in the 2019 class:

​

Seth Lundy - offered

4*, NR in ESPN100
4*, #118 in Rivals150
3*, #164 in Top247
........
4*, #111 in 247 Composite
​

Donta Scott - offered

4*, NR in ESPN100
3*, #141 in Rivals150
4*, #125 in Top247
........
3*, #139 in 247 Composite

​

TJ Bickerstaff - offered

No profile on ESPN
3*, NR in Rivals 150
3*, #205 in Top247
........
3*, #219 in 247 Composite
​

Sherif Kenney - offered

4*, NR in ESPN100
3*, NR in Rivals150
3*, #291 in Top247
........
3*, #255 in 247 Composite
​

Noah Kamba - offered

3*, NR in ESPN100
0*, NR in Rivals150
0*, NR in Top247
........
0*, NR in 247 Composite​

Charles Coleman - offered

3*, NR in ESPN100
3*, NR in Rivals150
0*, NR in Top247
........
3*, #335 in 247 Composite​

Not. a. single. top. 100. recruit.

 

[NJHoops]

Iv watched the YouTube videos. But every kid looks like the second coming of Kemba in those. Not saying they’re not good recruits. I just don’t see them as being far better than what we have been seeing lately. I’m excited they wanna play at UConn. Those are the kids we need. But I wanna see this program under the new staff snag a guy who imo wouldn’t of even thought of UConn the last few years.

Ok, but this staff is also recruiting within the context of what has happened at UConn the last few years.

Also, be patient. This is just the start.

 

[Candyman]

Calhoun recruited nationally (and internationally). The class that put us on the national map after the Dream Season had nobody closer than Reading, PA (Donyell). That said, there is a greater chance that you're getting mercenary-types if you're exclusively chasing kids without local ties.

Knew this was coming about Calhoun and Ollies class. This was a different time and UConn was not a national power. Yes the dream season helped but it was one year. East Coast recruiting was dominated by other Big East schools like Syracuse, St John's, Providence, Seton Hall, and even Pitt (Charles Smith). Calhoun had to travel to get that class and he had to sell the Big East and not actually UConn. Once we started winning it opened up the east for UConn like RIP, Freeman, Talik, Ben Gordon, Villaneavu, Kemba, AO, Bazz and whoever else I missed from the east. Yes of course he still traveled around as I'm sure Hurley will once he establishes the Northeast & the DMV.

 

[intlzncster]

Guys, these are great pick-ups. I think we'll see both kids in the NBA some day.

Schwing!!

 

[intlzncster]

I know I'm not going to be able to change your mind, but just going to quote this for context. UConn's recruiting really fell off after that 2016 season. Guys like Bouknight and Gaffney are the recruits that UConn should be landing that they really weren't. Here's a comparison of the 2017, 2018 (previous staff only) and 2019 classes:

2017
Sidney Wilson

4*, NR in ESPN100 (due to reclassification)
4*, #71 in Rivals150
4*, #87 in Top247
...
4*, #89 in 247 Composite
​

Tyler Polley

4*, NR in ESPN100
4*, #117 in Rivals150
3*, #187 in Top247
...
3*, #168 in 247 Composite
​

Josh Carlton

4*, NR in ESPN100
3*, #150 in Rivals150
3*, #219 in Top247
...
3*, #178 in 247 Composite
​

Isaiah Whaley

3*, NR in ESPN100
3*, NR in Rivals150
No ranking on 247
...
No composite ranking on 247
​

Eric Cobb

No rankings (JUCO)
​

Kwintin Williams

No rankings (JUCO)
​

2018
James Akinjo

4*, NR in ESPN100
4*, #71 in Rivals150
4*, #119 in Top247
...
4*, #90 in 247 Composite
​

Emmitt Matthews

3*, NR in ESPN100
4*, #125 in Rivals150
3*, #249 in Top247
...
3*, #178 in 247 Composite
​

Lukas Kisunas

3*, NR in ESPN100
3*, NR in Rivals150
3*, #172 in Top247
...
3*, #209 in 247 Composite
​

2019
James Bouknight

4*, #87 in ESPN100
4*, #85 in Rivals150
4*, #73 in Top247
...
4*, #79 in 247 Composite
​

Jalen Gaffney

4*, #97 in ESPN100
3*, NR in Rivals150
4*, #133 in Top247
...
3*, #149 in 247 Composite
​

This 2019 class is the first since 2016 to have at least two guys ranked in the top 100 by one of the recruiting services. And a tiny trend in the 2017 and 2018 classes was to land one single top 100 guy then surround him with guys outside of the top 100 and 150. That wasn't cutting it. Now that you have Hurley and his staff in here, totally flipped the script and are convincing top 100 recruits to come to UConn coming off of two straight losing seasons and back in the picture with top ranked 4* and 5* guys. There's a clear plan in place and the trajectory of the program headed up.

Also, landing Bouknight and Gaffney coming off of back-to-back losing seasons isn't something that should be dismissed. I've been beating this drum the last couple of days but 2019 recruiting was legit about to be terrible if the previous staff was still here. For some reason, the staff was still offering 5* players thinking they had a shot (like Isaiah Stewart and Josh Green) instead of identifying and targeting guys who could come in and help bring the program back.

Here are some of the recruits that UConn probably had a solid chance at landing in the 2019 class:

​

Seth Lundy - offered

4*, NR in ESPN100
4*, #118 in Rivals150
3*, #164 in Top247
...
4*, #111 in 247 Composite
​

Donta Scott - offered

4*, NR in ESPN100
3*, #141 in Rivals150
4*, #125 in Top247
...
3*, #139 in 247 Composite

​

TJ Bickerstaff - offered

No profile on ESPN
3*, NR in Rivals 150
3*, #205 in Top247
...
3*, #219 in 247 Composite
​

Sherif Kenney - offered

4*, NR in ESPN100
3*, NR in Rivals150
3*, #291 in Top247
...
3*, #255 in 247 Composite
​

Noah Kamba - offered

3*, NR in ESPN100
0*, NR in Rivals150
0*, NR in Top247
...
0*, NR in 247 Composite​

Charles Coleman - offered

3*, NR in ESPN100
3*, NR in Rivals150
0*, NR in Top247
...
3*, #335 in 247 Composite​

Not. a. single. top. 100. recruit.

tcf out here doing work.

 

[CL82]

Hurley's recruiting plan has been genius in my opinion. He reinvigorated the existing brand and sold recruits as being the guys who get UConn back to its (rightful) status as a basketball power. That's powerful. He emphasized the university's history, both on the court and in getting people to the NBA. Then he supplements it with his personal history of success developing people.

His emphasis on the East coast makes sense logistically (easier to cover) and in terms of maximizing the UConn brand. His coaching choices are very smart. All are quality experienced coaches with each guy being a known factor with a history of in a targeted sub-region.

Hurley has a vision and very logical and methodical way of implementing it. He pulled us out of a recruiting death spiral. We still need to see if he can develop kids at UConn and how he is as a game day coach (although his history at both looks solid), but so far so good. It has been impressive to watch.

#stilldoomed

 

[UConnRock]

Hurley got 2 guards that are known and well-respected throughout the NE AAU circuit. This was/is critical to recruiting the bigs. The likes of Akok and Kofi know who will be getting them the ball and running the show. Getting the 2 guards lays a foundation.