Will Jackson Commits To UConn!!!!!!

[Husky Dynasty]

Welcome aboard Will! Have to love this recruiting momentum. Up next, a top flight big.

 

[UConNick]

This is all Ricky Moore with the Georgia connection. Huge, huge get. Big point guards are the most versatile player in today's NBA game(see Westbrook, Russell, Rose, Derrick, and Wall, John). Something tells me this kid will completely blow up this upcoming summer, should he truly be past whatever knee injury he had earlier. This is a huge, huge get. Just about our best case scenario right now. U-C-O-N-N UCONN UCONN UCONN!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

I thought he was talking about coaches at other schools that are recruiting him. They said they won't stop recruiting him until he signs on the dotted line with uconn.

Didn't this used to be mostly a football thing? I remember Calhoun catching hell for Wiggins but it seems like coaches are much more brazen about going after committed kids these days. Maybe it's always been that way.

 

[BUHusky]

Didn't this used to be mostly a football thing? I remember Calhoun catching hell for Wiggins but it seems like coaches are much more brazen about going after committed kids these days. Maybe it's always been that way.

When I first I read the article I interpreted that paragraph as him referring to UConn coaches. Reading it again I can't really tell.

 

[Dynasty]

I thought he was talking about coaches at other schools that are recruiting him. They said they won't stop recruiting him until he signs on the dotted line with uconn.

That didn't occur to me when I first read, I immediately assumed UConn coaches. But, yeah, that could refer to other coaches. Either way I have no doubt Ollie and Moore can keep Turtle commited.

 

[Husky68]

I agree with everything you said, except you cannot win championships without great interior post play.

And the GREAT interior post play that carried Kemba to the NCCA championship was a combo of Alex/Tyler/Roscoe/Chuck ????

 

[EricLA]

Aside from the lone moron, I really enjoyed reading all the comments. I'm super psyched and glad that not only did we clearly land a really good hoops player with a lot of potential, but also a really good kid to boot.

I am so impressed with the recruiting Ollie has done, in spite of having 1.5 hands tied behind his back the last 2 years. The fact that he was out creating relationships with these kids going back several years speaks volumes as to Ollie's passion for recruiting.

Also, a bit lost in the shuffle, but several people did point out, great job by Moore in keeping in touch with this kid as well, making him feel important to UCONN, and nurturing clearly a strong relationship with the coaching staff, Will, and his family.

From our UCONN family to yours, welcome aboard Will!!

 

[Fishy]

And the GREAT interior post play that carried Kemba to the NCCA championship was a combo of Alex/Tyler/Roscoe/Chuck ????

If you can find another Kemba Walker out there, sure, it can be done.

But we've been at this a while and we've had roughly one Kemba Walker to date....so we'd best be finding some front court help if we have title thoughts.

Not for nothing, but AO had a good year during 10/11 - basically, a 10 and 9 guy. His junior year was a disaster, but so was Roscoe's sophomore year...given that Alex bounced back up to 8.5 rebounds the next year and Roscoe is averaging 12 points and 12 rebounds this year, I'd say both of those kids were misused during 11/12.

 

[UConnDad]

Watch some New York Mets baseball!

...dammit.

Actually projected to be above .500 this year. Too bad no Haevey!

 

[3uconn]

This is all Ricky Moore with the Georgia connection. Huge, huge get. Big point guards are the most versatile player in today's NBA game(see Westbrook, Russell, Rose, Derrick, and Wall, John). Something tells me this kid will completely blow up this upcoming summer, should he truly be past whatever knee injury he had earlier. This is a huge, huge get. Just about our best case scenario right now. U-C-O-N-N UCONN UCONN UCONN!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I don't believe it was Ricky Moore at all. Ollie first recruited him when he was still an assistant under Calhoun. I don't believe Moore was even on the staff then.

 

[Stinger92860]

you're right, me not sucking Ollie's d over every single move makes me an idiot.

Brimah is exciting but a liability on both ends and can't stay on the floor. Nolan has had 2 good games this season. Lubin is what, 6'6" and a 3 star?...

I just setup ignore for the first time. It works great!

 

[Kitaman]

Great news, man we went from having tiny backcourts to huge backcourts in the future.

You're right, take pictures now as these days will be long gone.

He's 6'5" now, hell he could be 6'8" by graduation.

 

[mauconnfan]

Great news……love big guards who can play.

This must be where the Cuse fans come in and say the demise of UConn begins now………...

 

[Dogbreath2U]

I was struck by how quick and fast he looks for his size. Strong handle, looks to pass, can get to the rim at will. Not too many jumpshots in the highlights, a few threes but no midrange shots. His shooting form looks good, but hard to tell from a couple of shots.

I could also see him being a very good defender with his size and quickness. The best news is that he sounds like he's already got "ten toes in" and will be a solid citizen (knock on wood). Great job by KO and coaches!

 

[aceboon]

This is all Ricky Moore with the Georgia connection. Huge, huge get. Big point guards are the most versatile player in today's NBA game(see Westbrook, Russell, Rose, Derrick, and Wall, John). Something tells me this kid will completely blow up this upcoming summer, should he truly be past whatever knee injury he had earlier. This is a huge, huge get. Just about our best case scenario right now. U-C-O-N-N UCONN UCONN UCONN!!!!!!!!!!!!!

No, this was KO, Jackson said KO had been recruiting him since he was in 9th grade when he was still an assistant. Moore wasn't on the staff then.

 

[caw]

UConn usually does pretty well with guards from Georgia.

 

[Waquoit]

Said nothing negative about the kid, my comment is about our recruiting philosophy.

And you're still wrong. Do you think Ollie's "recruiting philosophy" is to avoid recruiting big men?

 

[Danzz]

back court would be getting crowded. for '15 we would have cassel Jr, purvis, samuel, ali, and now jackson. Although they are all big guards so I guess it wouldn't be a stretch to throw hamilton into that group and pick any 3 to throw on the court at any time.

True but none of those guys are true PG (except Samuel), they are combo guards trying to convert to PG. Sign Govan and we are done.We are looking good!

 

[Greathusky]

Great news, man we went from having tiny backcourts to huge backcourts in the future.

Our guards will be like the Seattle Seahawk's secondary. Huge and imposing!

 

[HuskyBballFan]

Said nothing negative about the kid, my comment is about our recruiting philosophy.

Our recruiting philosophy is to try and recruit really good players at all positions.

The fact that we have a stable of top-50 guards joining the program in the next 2 years doesn't mean that the coaching staff isn't trying to get top-50 big guys too. Ollie recruited Abu and Vonleh just as hard as he recruited Ali and Jackson.

What others have pointed out is that these early guard commitments mean that the staff can focus nearly all of their recruiting efforts on big guys now. You would think it would be hard for other schools to outwork us for our big men recruits at this point. If we still can't land a big that we want in 2015, maybe that's a sign that whatever pitch they're using now isn't resonating with post players. But I'm willing to bet that won't be an issue.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Was going to ask why Jackson dropped from #14 on 3/11/13 (http://insider.espn.go.com/blog/colleges/georgia/post?id=17057) to out of the top 60 in his class. (I know we don't trust ESPN).

One of those articles mentions a knee injury. Anyone have any insight?

Ga Tech fan here...congrats on the commit. Has big time potential and can play the 1 or 2.

On the ESPN ranking...he didn't play at all last summer so I am assuming that is why they don't have him rated high. Scout, 247 and Rivals left him in there top 50. He runs with the GA Stars so we'll see how he does this summer. He has been putting up big time stats so far this year for Athens Christian but has been against weak competition.

Justin Young ‏@JustinDYoung 1m
Will Jackson is a good-sized, scoring combo guard. Gd length, gd shot. Would like to see vs elite competition still. pic.twitter.com/qf6DR9erPs

Definitely see the trend of being out all summer and not having high-level competition during the basketball season.

Being healthy this summer will give him a chance to rise back up the rankings. If you care about those things.

 

[Scot-e]

Have not....but have heard he has been playing well. You guys after any more GA prospects?

We have Rock Lubin coming in next year from Buford.

 

[7774]

And the GREAT interior post play that carried Kemba to the NCCA championship was a combo of Alex/Tyler/Roscoe/Chuck ????

We actually did have great interior play during our run. AO played great during that 11 game stretch. If things were truly fair, he would have won FF MOP.

 

[NYC_HUSKY22]

I know we all take some "facts" from 247 with a grain of salt

But I couldn't help notice that this is a pretty interesting one in regards to UConn for 2015

• National Rank: 2

• AAC Rank: 1

• Avg Rating: 0.9712

Keep it up Ollie!

 

[HuskyHawk]

If you can find another Kemba Walker out there, sure, it can be done.

But we've been at this a while and we've had roughly one Kemba Walker to date....so we'd best be finding some front court help if we have title thoughts.

Not for nothing, but AO had a good year during 10/11 - basically, a 10 and 9 guy. His junior year was a disaster, but so was Roscoe's sophomore year...given that Alex bounced back up to 8.5 rebounds the next year and Roscoe is averaging 12 points and 12 rebounds this year, I'd say both of those kids were misused during 11/12.

And on top of that, a ton of luck. The big teams that could have caused us matchip problems got knocked out. Kansas with the Morris twins and TRob, UNC with Zeller and Ohio State with Sullinger all gone. Arizona was dangerous with Derrick Williams. Kentucky was small except for Kanter. Then we got to play the winner of an 8 and 10 seed, for the weakest championship opponent of all time.

Every championship involves some luck, this one a lot more than in 99 and 04.