Valdir Manuel (JUCO)

[UconnU]

He announced he was transferring on the 10th and within a week he and the HC were following each other on twitter. We probably did reach out right away by that rate. How quickly do you expect things to come together?

Agreed about the physicality and fluidity mix. Looks like a good prospect and the year of eligibility lost probably doesn’t hurt at all.

I meant before he committed to St. John’s at the end of last year.

 

[UconnU]

UConn needs a back up center badly. Committing 3 years to a raw player when there is so much need for upgrading is a big risk.

Losing out on Kofi and Tre has put Hurley in a bind.

Worth noting that St. John’s probably could have landed Kofi Cockburn but opted for Valdir because he was a better system fit. Mullin wasn’t a great coach but he did do a good job at evaluating talent.

 

[Huskyforlife]

Worth noting that St. John’s probably could have landed Kofi Cockburn but opted for Valdir because he was a better system fit. Mullin wasn’t a great coach but he did do a good job at evaluating talent.

Mullin did not choose this kid over Kofi, c'mon.

 

[intlzncster]

UConn needs a back up center badly. Committing 3 years to a raw player when there is so much need for upgrading is a big risk.

Losing out on Kofi and Tre has put Hurley in a bind.

Kofi and Wahab. Tre wouldn't fix any of these issues.

 

[BFieldHusky]

Not a huge upgrade over Whaley. Would prefer Emmanuel Ugboh

He just committed to Tulsa.

 

[intlzncster]

He just committed to Tulsa.

Were we ever really in that? Did have huge interest?

Physically, what a specimen.

 

[McLovin]

He just committed to Tulsa.

Good for the AAC I guess

 

[444JR]

Junior year HS highlights, playing alongside uk’s Nick Richards.

 

[Chief00]

He has flipped commitments 3x. From St. Joe's to SHU to St. John's. Have heard that he is somewhat of a mess, has the wrong people in his year, and might have trouble with grades. Just passing along =)

Indeed, the trifecta.

 

[NH Husky]

I think this is (and has been) the late spring target for backup center - dependent on how things work out scholly wise.

 

[JMick]

someone said it's a grades thing

 

[NJHoops]

someone said it's a grades thing

I posted this earlier in the thread, and I still stand by it. If they can work it out, get him...

“March, 2018- commits to Seton Hall (reportedly over Syracuse, Illinois, Temple)
July, 2018- decommits from Seton Hall, commits to St. Joe’s
September, 2018- decommits from St. Joe’s because of academic issues, enrolls at Harcum
December, 2018- commits to St. John’s
April, 2019- decommits from St. John’s because of coaching change

It’s been a ride. URI’s offer came in May of 2017 during his junior year of high school.

It’s a lot of change, but I don’t see any red flags. Academics and a coaching change led to the decisions, and they would absolutely make sure he would be immediately eligible before accepting his commitment. He’s from a great high school program and is a big fan of Hurley (players talk and his former teammate Langevine is a Hurley guy).”

 

[JMick]

I posted this earlier in the thread, and I still stand by it. If they can work it out, get him...

“March, 2018- commits to Seton Hall (reportedly over Syracuse, Illinois, Temple)
July, 2018- decommits from Seton Hall, commits to St. Joe’s
September, 2018- decommits from St. Joe’s because of academic issues, enrolls at Harcum
December, 2018- commits to St. John’s
April, 2019- decommits from St. John’s because of coaching change

It’s been a ride. URI’s offer came in May of 2017 during his junior year of high school.

It’s a lot of change, but I don’t see any red flags. Academics and a coaching change led to the decisions, and they would absolutely make sure he would be immediately eligible before accepting his commitment. He’s from a great high school program and is a big fan of Hurley (players talk and his former teammate Langevine is a Hurley guy).”

yeah if they get the last scholarship open you have to take him

 

[UconnU]

My hope is that we are working with him on grades and things are looking better as far as having him academically eligible which is why we never offered Issanza. This kid is high major ready right now. He was JUCO all American last year. NBA ceiling.

 

[Ricker]

I'm most often an optimist, but with a year to recruit a serviceable center, we fanned on our prime targets, we don't offer a good looking kid that visits, have a shallow list of grad transfers, don't know if Coleman has any interest in us, and seem to have only 1 candidate that has marginal academics. Really?

 

[JMick]

I'm most often an optimist, but with a year to recruit a serviceable center, we fanned on our prime targets, we don't offer a good looking kid that visits, have a shallow list of grad transfers, don't know if Coleman has any interest in us, and seem to have only 1 candidate that has marginal academics. Really?

meh. crap happens. we got Akok. He can slide to the five in an emergency. This class was great + Cole. we're just freaking out because we haven't landed a top 100 center in ages. Let's give Hurley another class to work with.

 

[husky429]

I'm most often an optimist, but with a year to recruit a serviceable center, we fanned on our prime targets, we don't offer a good looking kid that visits, have a shallow list of grad transfers, don't know if Coleman has any interest in us, and seem to have only 1 candidate that has marginal academics. Really?

I don't know what a lot of you are seeing in Issanza. Coleman and Manuel look like significantly better prospects to me. Issanza looks very, very raw. And clearly the staff, because they didn't offer.

Guys get paid major $$$ to be better at this than us.

 

[navery12]

I'm most often an optimist, but with a year to recruit a serviceable center, we fanned on our prime targets, we don't offer a good looking kid that visits, have a shallow list of grad transfers, don't know if Coleman has any interest in us, and seem to have only 1 candidate that has marginal academics. Really?

The fact that he visited, Hurley talked about the need for a backup 5, and we didn't even offer should tell you all you need to know

 

[Austin316]

You had me at Vladir

 

[Ricker]

So the fact that he is going to Oklahoma tells me he wasn't a recruit worthy tp be a backup in the AAC?

 

[Huskyforlife]

So the fact that he is going to Oklahoma tells me he wasn't a recruit worthy tp be a backup in the AAC?

Teams are reaching this late in the process, we might too.

 

[Marbles90]

The fact that he visited, Hurley talked about the need for a backup 5, and we didn't even offer should tell you all you need to know

Can we even offer without having an open scholarship?

 

[NJHoops]

So the fact that he is going to Oklahoma tells me he wasn't a recruit worthy tp be a backup in the AAC?

Oklahoma has 7 recruits in their 2019 class. It will be interesting to look back in a year or so to see who were the real priorities and recruiting wins.

 

[NJHoops]

Can we even offer without having an open scholarship?

Yes.

Teams can accept as many verbals as they want and sort it out later, but it wouldn’t be my choice of how to handle things.

 

[navery12]

Can we even offer without having an open scholarship?

Yeah can send out as many offers as you want. Can technically take as many commits as you want too, though it's rare that a team goes more than 1 over at a given time

 

[Burnsbros23]

Film I see He’s raw. Shot 17percent from 3. Seems a little Whaley like.

Interesting to see what we get with this last scholly

 

[dennismenace]

His last like on twitter... Hurley-Jalen at the garden gif. I wonder why we weren’t involved earlier. He’s everything we’re looking for in a center. Physical yet mobile enough to play in an uptempo system, rebounds, blocks shots. Really good system fit.

Did somebody say "rebounds"? Yeah, sign him!

 

[HuskyHawk]

I think the staff is in a really tough spot here. Manuel looks serviceable, but he's a three year guy. That's better than four but not as good as one.

I checked 247 and don't see any immediately eligible transfer centers. A couple PF, but we aren't going to get Blackshear from VT. It would be nice, but not realistic.

I'm not sure who else is available that's worth locking up a scholarship long term. Bones Hyland I suppose, but we'd be so overloaded at guard with Cole coming in as well.

 

[UConnStats]

I think the staff is in a really tough spot here. Manuel looks serviceable, but he's a three year guy. That's better than four but not as good as one.

I checked 247 and don't see any immediately eligible transfer centers. A couple PF, but we aren't going to get Blackshear from VT. It would be nice, but not realistic.

I'm not sure who else is available that's worth locking up a scholarship long term. Bones Hyland I suppose, but we'd be so overloaded at guard with Cole coming in as well.

What’s wrong with knowing you’d have two years in a row with a senior C on the roster (Carlton in 2 years, Manuel in 3)? IMO that’s actually pretty ideal for UConn since they’ve spent the last 7 years proving they struggle to recruit good bigs.

 

[HuskyHawk]

What’s wrong with knowing you’d have two years in a row with a senior C on the roster (Carlton in 2 years, Manuel in 3)? IMO that’s actually pretty ideal for UConn since they’ve spent the last 7 years proving they struggle to recruit good bigs.

Because he might not be any good. And having both may hinder recruitment of a better big next year. It does by scholarship count at a minimum. I'm not opposed to it. I want to win now, not twos years out. This guy is probably our best bet. But I think the staff is weighing these things.