What a strange recruiting class... | The Boneyard

What a strange recruiting class...

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caw

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Boatright comes to Connecticut after committing to two different schools, after UConn loses the PG they think they have a good shot at getting to the second school Ryan verballed to, Ryan feels mislead and decommits then joins UConn days later.

Daniels commits to Texas, decommits, waits and waits, having leaders from Duke to Kansas to UK, etc. then after little word of him and UConn having mutual interest, he joins the team without (I believe) an official visit.

Drummond states he is going to Post-grad, shortly after his good friend Kris Dunn transfers to WM, he joins WM. A few weeks later Kris Dunn announces he is returning to New London, then that he is announcing a commitment for 2012. Many assume/hope Dunn and Drummond are a package, or Dunn comes to UConn and Drummond to the NBA in 2012. Dunn announces for PC, many figure Drummond is now going straight to the NBA. Drummond surprises everyone by tweeting he is going to UConn this semester. No "decision", no official visits anywhere, heck no real recruitment hype/leak at all from anyone. Drummond might have had the tightest lipped recruiting circle ever.

What a crazy recruiting year. I don't know if this is the oddest, but I can't remember any other where all three were top 50 recruits and all three were sort of surprises when they announced/in the end.

Throw in Omar Calhoun, who wasn't really an odd commit, but was a nice surprise in how early he decided on UConn.

Ohh and don't forget Harkless who committed to UConn before last season, has his adviser rip UConn's chances of being a good/dominant program in the near future and make claims that UConn was becoming "more like Villanova" (guard dominated) and Harkless didn't "sign on to play the four" (because UConn had both Giffey and Smith at the 3). Harkless decommits only to commit to a BE rival in St. John's, then watches UConn not only go on to win the BET Championship and National Championship, but also gets to now see them pick up possibly the top big in 2011 and a higher ranked SF, while St. John's signs about 9 SF's in Harkless' class (2 higher ranked in Pointer and Sampson).
 

GemParty

Co~host of the Sliders & Curveballs Podcast
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Wild Wild ride.
 
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harkless can play.. but damn what a great night
 
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harkless is gonna be a good one i think, but doubt we land DD if harkless was a commit...things happen, and i'm really excited to see this team develop...JC energized is an understatement...how psyched must he be to coach this group...young, talented, focused...i think he'll put a chip on their shoulder with the 'no one thinks you can win without Kemba'...
 

ctchamps

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Harkless will be good and the Johnnies are relevant again.
But this has been a wild, wild wonderful ride for UConn, its teams and its fans.

The only thing I can say about recruiting or the outcome of any given season is to expect the unexpected.
 
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The way this worked out was perfect. Drummond is the #1 recruit in the country and from ct so uconn couldnt let him get away. We already had a pretty good team going into next year but one weakness was depth in the front court. Now with drummond he fills that void down low
 
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This is an amazing recruiting class. How it worked out after all the twists and turns is unreal.
 
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I am still a bit shellshocked at this news. This board went from the lowest of lows on August 10th(??) to the highest of highs in just two weeks. Thankfully we have the new servers fresh out of the box or we could have seen Chernobyl style meltdown on this new board.

So the lineup is :

PG - BaZZ Bench: BoatShow
SG - Lamb Bench: Boatshow/DD/Giffey
SF - 'Scoe Bench: DD/Giffey
PF - Oriakhi Bench: 'Scoe/DD
C - Drummond Bench: Oriakhi/Bradley/Wolf

Right?

A few comments

1. This means that we can go absurdly big or small and quick without losing any speed/skill
2. Oriakhi was really a 4 playing the 5 admirably. Now, he is exactly where he should be. 4 on starting lineup, 5 in small lineup.
3. Now 'Scoe/DD can play their natural 3 position, shooting spot up J's, rather than bangin' undersized down low.
4. Now Lamb can focus all his effort at the 2 as a secondary ball handler and shotmaker.

THis is such a huge pickup because it places everyone else in their natural position, and allows backups(bradley/wolf) to develop at their own pace rather than be thrust into minute they might not be ready for.

Oh yea, plus, its freaking Andre Drummond of Youtube fame.

When does the season get here?
 

Waquoit

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What's so strange about the greatest UConn recruiting class of all time?
 
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Calhoun has new toys to play with and he is gonna have a good time. (Pitino and other coaches looking from the corner with envy)
 

Dove

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Okay, I hit this thread with a pair of those shock-to-the-chest jolter thingys. It could easily describe what recently happened. Perhaps we'll be looking back at Purvis (transfer outta nowhere), DHamilton (wha'?), Lubin (who?!?!?) and Cassell, Jr. and laughing at Abu, LArrier and our collective main man Ray Kasongo "Zon and on...".
 
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