What's more important? Recruiting 5 star high school recruits or roster construction

[Uconn10922]

Just curious what people think is more important. Obviously recruiting high level high school recruits that fill needs on your roster is potentially beneficial but with the way things are now with the instant eligibility for transfers, it seems that more emphasis should be placed on finding the right match of experience, shooting and defensive impact to make a more complete team as apposed to just a high upside team of talented freshmen. I think in this regard Hurley could teach a master class in roster construction.

 

[willie99]

I'm a chemistry, experience, blue collar guy

Not going to change now

 

[UconnFanDC]

I'd say both. I personally don't want to have to depend on the portal. But i am not against it!

I want us to get more of the recruits we want that fill the needs. I really wanted Flagg more then any in years, but I'll digress

 

[jleves]

Obviously getting kids that are right for your program needs and coaching style are most important. Need a PG ready in two years, you better get one. Need a wing, a shooter, a strong big, a defensive stopper in the next two years, better get one.

That being said, it also depends on the level of your program.

For UConn, I would say a perfect recruiting year would be three 4 stars with one having the ability to be 2 and done, two 5 stars with one being a 1 and done and another 2 and done. Add in one or two guys from the portal when needed to patch some holes and that's what works.

 

[Leebo]

No one thinks that 5-stars should be recruited to the detriment of roster construction, but if Hurley thinks they'd fit well, he's obviously going to go after them.

 

[husky429]

Both. It's a balance.

Recruit the best talent you can that fits your roster construction, up to and including 5* players like Castle.

You could recruit 10 5* big men and your roster would suck on game day because the roster isn't constructed well.

You could recruit a perfect balanced roster of D2 players and you would also suck because you don't have enough talebt.

 

[B1GEast]

Roster construction with 5 star recruits

 

[jibsey]

Rephrase the question what Duke does or what we do?
The problem is this: we haven't been able to recruit on that level or we would, so it's not like we can just get five 5 stars every year.
But we are doing it just fine by getting the best new recruits we can, developing and coaching the crap out a them and filling in the rest

 

[Yardigan]

It's going to eventually be all about the portal at the highest levels. Coach will be doing more coaching, less recruiting and a just as important GM role will evolve

 

[JohnnyJr]

I mean we have Spencer and Castle as examples on this years team. Spencer has been more important the first half of the year but that could change by the end of the season.

 

[REB1094]

If you were forced to pick one or the other, obviously experienced roster construction. But both are preferable. Experience almost always wins in the tournament. Big impact freshmen keeps a pipeline of talent coming in every year

Last year’s championship team started 3/5 upperclassmen with no 5* freshman (although 2 very high impact 4*). This year’s #1 ranked team is starting 2 fifth year seniors and have a 5* impact freshman

 

[willie99]

Cole and Martin

Newton, Diarra, Aleyne and Joey

Now Cam

 

[uconnyankee]

Both. It's a balance.

Recruit the best talent you can that fits your roster construction, up to and including 5* players like Castle.

You could recruit 10 5* big men and your roster would suck on game day because the roster isn't constructed well.

You could recruit a perfect balanced roster of D2 players and you would also suck because you don't have enough talebt.

Exactly….
I think Ollie had some strong recruiting years but for various reasons the sum of the whole just never worked. On paper they good, but I remember towards the end, the team wasn’t even competitive in so many games we’d consider gimmes today.

You have to get some key talent up front from HS. You need to create balance and depth with the portal.

Has anyone been better than Hurley and his staff in bringing in the key pieces from the portal?

 

[FfldCntyFan]

I think the answer is obvious.

Looking at the past ~18 years (since the NBA no longer allowed kids to jump straight from HS) when nearly all five star HS kids played at least one year in college, if you were to calculate titles divided by five star recruit seasons, I would wager heavily that we would be first, Villanova second and then a massive drop before you get to whoever would be third.

I can't speak for all fan bases but I am very confident that a high majority of ours prefers championships over recruiting rankings.

 

[Horatio]

Half and Half, 50 / 50 if possible. Exactly what we have on the court now. Next season will probably be the same. It’s working so far.

 

[freescooter]

It isn’t a zero sum game. You don’t just do one or the other. If you just recruit 5* guys, you will probably have a pretty good team most of the time. See Kentucky. But you need balance and the right mix of players to win championships. If you don’t do that you fall short. See Kentucky.