UConn hires Raphael Chillious

[superjohn]

At no point did I say he'd stop recruiting Quickley, but please keep going.

You think it would be stupid to waste resources on a top 10 recruit that our new lead recruiter has a great relationship with, I disagree with you. You instead think he will prioritize a point guard from Boston he currently doesn't have a relationship with and is ranked in the 100's when we already have a couple of guys who can play point who are better prospects. We disagree, this just doesn't compute for me.

 

[BUConn10]

At no point did I say he'd stop recruiting Quickley, but please keep going.

As long as Cal doesn't learn his name we should stay on him right? /s

 

[UConNick]

I think I'd trust Chillious in terms of Quickley. He has to read the kid and see if the bond is still there, if he still thinks he can legitimately land this kid. If it is, there's no point in at least having him on the target list. And if he feels the spark is gone or eroded beyond recovery, then we can move on. I do agree with Matrim that Shittu should be at the top of our list for big men. He's my biggest want in this class. Also wouldn't want us to back away from the New Jersey group of five that includes Naz Reid, Louis King, Quinerly, and a couple lower-rated players. King would be my biggest want out of that group.

 

[UConnSwag11]

Yes. That doesn't mean we'll throw away common sense when it comes to figuring out which recruits to target.

We need bigs and wings in 2018 far more than we need another PG. Chillious and the staff can only be so many places at once.

The fact that we've already done so over the last 6-12 months.

I would like to bring in one pg for '18 bc it's more than likely he's leaving. And that would leave two true pgs who you never know year to year what's happening and then Vital who is a combo but very good. We do need bigs and wings

 

[storrsroars]

Anyone have an idea of longstanding connections Chillious might have?

One of the things that's bugged me for awhile is how in hell Pitt has had a direct line to Notre Dame Academy (Fitchburg, MA). Probably half of Howland/Dixon's best players have come from there. With that regime gone, why can't UConn just move right in. The place seems to be a reliable factory for decent forwards/big men.

 

[pj]

To play a 2 point guard lineup, we need 3 point guards who can score on the roster playing sizable minutes. To get 3 playing sizable minutes, you need to recruit one every year, this allows for early departures (as Jalen probably will be after his junior year) or for the 4th PG to develop in a minor role as a freshman.

Quickley can score, has size, what's not to like? We could easily play 3 guards with him.

 

[Matrim55]

To play a 2 point guard lineup, we need 3 point guards who can score on the roster playing sizable minutes. To get 3 playing sizable minutes, you need to recruit one every year, this allows for early departures (as Jalen probably will be after his junior year) or for the 4th PG to develop in a minor role as a freshman.

In general our 2PG lineups have been 1 PG (A.J., Bazz, Tate, KEA) and 1 CG (Kemba, Boat, Ricky, Smitty) better suited to playing off the ball. Those require different skillsets and mentalities.

Quickley can score, has size, what's not to like?

Nothing! I hope we get him, and you're probably right that we could easily play three guards with him in the lineup.

I just hope we're not focusing our efforts there with Chillious, since Shittu is the guy from 2018 that we really need. We were in a good spot with him already, and Chillious has a relationship with him, and he plays a position of need, and he's a top 10 player, and I just think it would be insane to spend our best recruiter's time and efforts elsewhere.

This doesn't mean we stop calling Quickley or anything, especially if he makes it clear he wants us (Chillious) to keep recruiting him. But we need to be smart about prioritization, and to me that means Shittu.

EDIT: let me put it this way: I'm confident in the staff's ability to get very good guards and wings with or without Chillious. I'm less confident about their ability to get quality bigs, so that's where I want him doing work. GO GET SIMI SHITTU!!!!

 

[Marat]

Chillious - Let's close on some of those available recruits now.

 

[Mots010]

Getting the two Washington de-commits would make me feel a lot better about the last few weeks.

 

[Vancat]

jonesin' for some good news here.

 

[Dove]

We're gonna need a bigger boat!!!

 

[Matrim55]

Getting the two Washington de-commits would make me feel a lot better about the last few weeks.

Diarra and Harris, then postgrads Cam Johnson and Kam Rooks, and we'd be rolling.

 

[UConnSwag11]

Diarra and Harris, then postgrads Cam Johnson and Kam Rooks, and we'd be rolling.

Juiston

 

[Matrim55]

Juiston

Not gonna happen from what folks are saying. My guess is Kansas.

 

[JellyBean]

I wish our program well. I got a bad feeling about this hire.

 

[intlzncster]

I wish our program well. I got a bad feeling about this hire.

lol why?

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

Ok so you think if we go 16-17 again there isn't a chance he will out? I'm sorry KO won with Calhoun recruits and hasn't been able to get his recruits to buy into his system. We are UCONN and not East Carolina and thus have to be make the tourney most years and be in the top 3 of this horrible league.

You're more consistently tiresome than most posters I haven't yet ignored. And you don't write well. What's your positive value proposition?

 

[3rdbass]

You're more consistently tiresome than most posters I haven't yet ignored. And you don't write well. What's your positive value proposition?

I have been following UCONN since sometime around the mid 70's and have been to every UCONN final four except 1999. I'm an UCONN Alumni. I bleed blue and white Men's basketball. I have been on this board through the various iterations since 2004. I thought being a fan of UCONN was the only qualification for being on this site. Sorry if I don't meet your lofty expectations.

 

[sledog]