Traci Carter (Committed to Marquette)

[djct1999]

Totally agree with this. We can't keep on missing on must need players to help fill out these classes. When we start reaching for TSAM's, and Phil Nolan as main contributors we know are recruiting is at a low point. These type of players might have been on JC's team but they weren't getting major minutes like they are with KO.

Please stop with the hyperbole. Traci Carter was far from a must get. In fact, the difference in impact he would have vs. those other 3 star recruits we offered on this roster is negligible.

 

[Paesano]

Rumor has it we just lost a recruit to the culinary institute.

 

[upstater]

I believe Omar & Phil were JC's recruits. Which, I guess, proves your point.

Omar actually verballed after Calhoun stepped down. He was being recruited by Calhoun, but Calhoun stepped down in August, and Calhoun verballed in September. Nolan was a late addition.

 

[PRHusky]

Omar actually verballed after Calhoun stepped down. He was being recruited by Calhoun, but Calhoun stepped down in August, and Calhoun verballed in September. Nolan was a late addition.

Both Nolan and Omar were on the roster as freshmen when Calhoun retired in September 2012, so what you are saying is impossible.

 

[7774]

They're only factually accurate to the extent the players you mentioned had offers from those schools.

Right, so factually accurate.

But when that goes the other way you guys are the ones who say "Well, UConn made him plan B and Providence was all in on him."

Fairly certain you won't find any post from me stating something like that.

I could say that about at least one of the guys on your list but it kills the fantasy.

I didn't create a list.

By all means, continue to tell yourself that everything's rosy while we chase Marquette.

Never said everything was rosy. If fact, I said in this thread I think we need to get a high level recruiter on staff if possible. Just not a nitwit who thinks the sky is falling.

Throw in a "doomed" every once in a while.

Sorry, never thown in a "doomed" before.

But hey, I'm happy to make you the same offer I made to sammy. Since your posts indicate you know everything is going to be a disaster going forward, we can set some reasonable standard of "goodness" for the team next year. Something you know they obviously cannot achieve (like sweet 16 level). If they achieve it, you will never post again. If they don't, I will never post again.

 

[huskiesnyc]

Omar actually verballed after Calhoun stepped down. He was being recruited by Calhoun, but Calhoun stepped down in August, and Calhoun verballed in September. Nolan was a late addition.

Omar verballed in June 2011 and Phil May 2012, both JC recruits.

 

[lange10]

Please stop with the hyperbole. Traci Carter was far from a must get. In fact, the difference in impact he would have vs. those other 3 star recruits we offered on this roster is negligible.

Carter was well regarded as a 4-star/top 100 recruit prior to getting injured last summer.

 

[CallMeBruce]

Championships matter more to fans than recruits. How many titles has Kentucky won, yet what do their classes like?

This point doesn't really support your thesis.

 

[CTBasketball]

Saying that we got stuck with Lubin, Brimah, Cassell, Facey, and Samuel because of the recruiting sanctions and loss of post-season play in 2013 is the worst excuse ever.

The only year that the post-season ban year should apply is Omar's class (2012). Sure we lost scholarships, but high end recruits didn't pick us because they were worried if they couldn't beat out Phil Nolan and Samuel for play time.

Let's not make excuses that we lost recruiting battles for Noah Vonleh, Akoy Agau, and XRM - and had to settle with Brimah/Facey/Samuel because of sanctions and bans. Also we lost out on pretty much every recruit in 2014 outside of Daniel Hamilton.

The reasons why we're recruiting so poorly is because of our conference and KO's inability to close the deal. He's going to get better - he started recruiting like 5 years ago. All these other guys are masters at it - were competing with top schools for top recruits.

 

[FASTEDDY]

Anyone on this board who DOESN'T think that UCONN has a BIG RECRUITING PROBLEM is either CLUELESS or just ISN' T PAYING ATTENTION.

Great we got Adams (Stud) and Enoch (Project with Good Upside Potential) but they are very local kids who we should be able to get. Yes, I totally understand that it wasn't easy getting these guys and I congratulate the staff for securing their commitments but we really should be able to get these guys as they are in our immediate area and we were coming off of a national title.

We recruited a TON of players and have gotten absolutely none of them except for the above mentioned 2 guys. don't kid yourselves, we went after a lot of really good guys and went after them hard and we COMPLETELY STRUCK OUT. Its actually really embarrassing. We went after at least 15 good to very good guys and for one reason or another have gotten none of them. This is a BIG PROBLEM if WE BELIEVE WE'RE a REAL PLAYER ON THE NATIONAL SCENE. A BIG-TIME PROGRAM just doesn't lose battles to the Marquette, VCU (they've clubbed us hard a couple of times now), PC, SJU, etc. All of the above programs (not big-time national powers) have whipped up on us recruiting wise. We really aren't recruiting on the same level as teams that we like to consider ourselves on par with: Kentucky, Kansas, Duke, Carolina etc.

Keep on kidding yourselves, but what leads you to believe that next year's recruiting will be any better when we are still in the American and will be coming off of an NIT year.
Last year, all your yahoos in this board were saying how we were involved deep with a huge amount of really good players and KO was in early on them etc. etc. etc. Well we basically struck out on nearly every single one of them. Then when we needed a guy at the end / Spring (something Calhoun was GREAT at doing), we could get a marginal Top 100 guy away from Marquette that is several levels below us on the prestige scale (and has a very young coach with no NBA credentials to speak of).

I know our Conference is a problem but unfortunately its something that we simply can do nothing about at this time. My own opinion is that the staff is not real good at recruiting and there is an issue there. I know this sounds crazy with the head coaching experience on the staff but they are either just getting outworked or out recruited by these other staffs. We need a RECRUITER. Why not get someone intimately tied-up with the AAU scene? Someone like a Book Richardson on Arizona. A similar guy with a similar background who can get us into places where we have not done too well: NJ, Philly etc.

I think there is too much blind UCONN loyalty on the staff and we are only taking UCONN guys and not considering others from outside "the family".

There's a problem and they need to identify and fix it ---- QUICKLY!

 

[8893]

Welp.

“@jmverlin: 2015 Life Center guard Traci Carter will be announcing his college decision tomorrow at noon at Life Center. @tra_carter”

And thus did Traci Carter become the most recent in the line of most important recruiting misses that spell the end of UConn basketball as we know it.

 

[mauconnfan]

Please stop with the hyperbole. Traci Carter was far from a must get. In fact, the difference in impact he would have vs. those other 3 star recruits we offered on this roster is negligible.

Since you're not giving up I guess I won't. How is his impact "negligible"? Actually neither of us know for sure but what we do know is we need another kid who can handle the ball. His game looked ready, not sure of course. Again everyone wants Brown and this big guy but what they fail to understand is we can't run offense or break presses without people handling the ball. Throwing it ALL on Adams is unfair to say the least despite his upside. And I hope everyone saw TSam the other day against the press because if you didn't I guess that could be a reason why you think it's okay not to have another ball handler. But if you watched closely you would really have wanted to beat Marquette to this kid plain and simple. This will not be a very good team again without someone better than what we have!

 

[pnow15]

Saying that we got stuck with Lubin, Brimah, Cassell, Facey, and Samuel because of the recruiting sanctions and loss of post-season play in 2013 is the worst excuse ever.

The only year that the post-season ban year should apply is Omar's class (2012). Sure we lost scholarships, but high end recruits didn't pick us because they were worried if they couldn't beat out Phil Nolan and Samuel for play time.

Let's not make excuses that we lost recruiting battles for Noah Vonleh, Akoy Agau, and XRM - and had to settle with Brimah/Facey/Samuel because of sanctions and bans. Also we lost out on pretty much every recruit in 2014 outside of Daniel Hamilton.

The reasons why we're recruiting so poorly is because of our conference and KO's inability to close the deal. He's going to get better - he started recruiting like 5 years ago. All these other guys are masters at it - were competing with top schools for top recruits.

Vonleh is sitting on the Hornets bench and Brimah is starting on Thursday. Lubin was brought in as a muscle player, maybe just to prepare the team against muscle players. Facey will be a decent bench player someday. TSam needs to go out for football.

 

[pnow15]

And thus did Traci Carter become the most recent in the line of most important recruiting misses that spell the end of UConn basketball as we know it.

Not so fast. DHam puts on 10-15 lbs as does Brimah. Jalen is for real. Purvis learns how to think on the court and the game slows for him and Calhoun gets consistent.
They make foul shots. We could be kings of the AAC.

 

[Zionn]

Houston we have (a big) problem.

 

[djct1999]

Carter was well regarded as a 4-star/top 100 recruit prior to getting injured last summer.

So was Lubin... Your point being?

 

[upstater]

Both Nolan and Omar were on the roster as freshmen when Calhoun retired in September 2012, so what you are saying is impossible.

Ack, got them confused with Sameul and Facey

 

[djct1999]

Since you're not giving up I guess I won't. How is his impact "negligible"? Actually neither of us know for sure but what we do know is we need another kid who can handle the ball. His game looked ready, not sure of course. Again everyone wants Brown and this big guy but what they fail to understand is we can't run offense or break presses without people handling the ball. Throwing it ALL on Adams is unfair to say the least despite his upside. And I hope everyone saw TSam the other day against the press because if you didn't I guess that could be a reason why you think it's okay not to have another ball handler. But if you watched closely you would really have wanted to beat Marquette to this kid plain and simple. This will not be a very good team again without someone better than what we have!

Its not that I don't agree with you on our need for another ball handler. I do. I don't believe this notion that Traci Carter was make or break and I strongly feel that his impact on this team is negligible. Even if he is the best pg available "now" doesn't mean he will solve UConn's ills. Watching selected tape also doesn't suggest that he would even play in front of TSam or Cassell because I believe he wouldn't. Again, I won't jump off the cliff because he chose Marquette. I said even a few weeks back it was a better fit for him. I can't fault the staff for that. In order of importance for next year's success, I wouldn't even rank Traci Carter. People on this board are acting as if this kid is the next Kemba Walker or Shabazz Napier. I contend he is neither and I would prefer the staff remain patient than over reach on a dude because we simply need a backup ball handler. Look at this roster. The last thing we need is another marginal pg!

 

[mauconnfan]

Not so fast. DHam puts on 10-15 lbs as does Brimah. Jalen is for real. Purvis learns how to think on the court and the game slows for him and Calhoun gets consistent.
They make foul shots. We could be kings of the AAC.

My aunt just grew some balls so we call her Uncle now...shouldn't be a problem.

 

[UConn990411]

Houston we have (a big) problem.

Remarkably, there's a contingent on here that refuses to admit this.

 

[mauconnfan]

Its not that I don't agree with you on our need for another ball handler. I do. I don't believe this notion that Traci Carter was make or break and I strongly feel that his impact on this team is negligible. Even if he is the best pg available "now" doesn't mean he will solve UConn's ills. Watching selected tape also doesn't suggest that he would even play in front of TSam or Cassell because I believe he wouldn't. Again, I won't jump off the cliff because he chose Marquette. I said even a few weeks back it was a better fit for him. I can't fault the staff for that. In order of importance for next year's success, I wouldn't even rank Traci Carter. People on this board are acting as if this kid is the next Kemba Walker or Shabazz Napier. I contend he is neither and I would prefer the staff remain patient than over reach on a dude because we simply need a backup ball handler. Look at this roster. The last thing we need is another marginal pg!

Ok then solve it with someone else we are going to get? Who would that be? because without anyone we just aren't a lot better. My only point is there is no doubt looking at his skills, I don't care about highlights or whatever, he would be an improvement. Maybe not Shabazz but closer to him than what we have. And by the way Shabazz wasnt the "next Kemba" either when we got him only because of guard issues which were evident for the coming year. That's not a good comparison unless of course he becomes the "next Shabazz" at Marquette. We don't need marginal I agree, but we will end up with less than marginal without anything at all.

 

[djct1999]

Since you're not giving up I guess I won't. How is his impact "negligible"? Actually neither of us know for sure but what we do know is we need another kid who can handle the ball. His game looked ready, not sure of course. Again everyone wants Brown and this big guy but what they fail to understand is we can't run offense or break presses without people handling the ball. Throwing it ALL on Adams is unfair to say the least despite his upside. And I hope everyone saw TSam the other day against the press because if you didn't I guess that could be a reason why you think it's okay not to have another ball handler. But if you watched closely you would really have wanted to beat Marquette to this kid plain and simple. This will not be a very good team again without someone better than what we have!

Besides, I am way more concerned with the idea that we will see Omar playing extended minutes at the 2 than TSam trying to break a press!

 

[lange10]

So was Lubin... Your point being?

Where in the world did you read Rakim Lubin was a 4star/top 100 recruit? 247 has him as 344th overall, ESPN ranks him as a 70 overall (3 stars). Matter of fact its very difficult to even find other D1 offers Lubin had, so to be frank, you're just plain wrong.

 

[djct1999]

Ok then solve it with someone else we are going to get? Who would that be? because without anyone we just aren't a lot better. My only point is there is no doubt looking at his skills, I don't care about highlights or whatever, he would be an improvement. Maybe not Shabazz but closer to him than what we have. And by the way Shabazz wasnt the "next Kemba" either when we got him only because of guard issues which were evident for the coming year. That's not a good comparison unless of course he becomes the "next Shabazz" at Marquette. We don't need marginal I agree, but we will end up with less than marginal without anything at all.

We can solve it by coaching! I am confident that Ollie and staff can come up with ways to mask this "problem". Again, I don't disagree with what you are saying. I disagree that the solution was Traci Carter.

 

[mauconnfan]

Besides, I am way more concerned with the idea that we will see Omar playing extended minutes at the 2 than TSam trying to break a press!

It's not Omar at the 2 it's TSam. That's the issue here. Or it's Rodney at the 2 and a freshman at the point. Hence why a Traci Carter is so important.