WKU making a "hard push" for Tremont Waters

[Danzz]

I don't know many schools where he could just go in an get the keys from day one. This is Jalen's team and it would do wonders for Waters to come in get a ton of minutes and not worry about leading a team. He can learn and run it next year with Gilbert and Vital

KO may use Jalen similar to the way JC used Ben Gordon: mostly at the 2 and sometimes at 1.

 

[upstater]

Very few schools have an issue with pointing a lesser player towards the door.

It is late. That is harsh.

 

[dennismenace]

So it's us and Georgetown?

No. Us and the University of Phoenix.

 

[BaZZnBOAT]

Is that like a protest choice by the 247 crew? What a twist if LSU ends up being the pick.

 

[dennismenace]

Who knows, but if there is any truth to the thing going around The Boneyard about his father wanting a guaranteed average number of shots per game, then that would be a deal breaker for me. He could be awesome or not, but we can't have that kind of handshake deal. Tremont's Dad may be overplaying his hand badly for his son. There was talk he might decide before his graduation this weekend, so perhaps it will end soon (thankfully).

He could be great at UConn, but it seems that ship may have sailed.

If what we hear is true (and that is a big if) this is a young man who is graduating from high school with a fist full of demands.
I don't consider that kind of mindset conducive coach able to a team molding. That kind of mindset is already focused on what kind of Nirvana he will be in after college. Pass. You have to have faith in your own ability to outperform others based on hard work and attitude (like say, Ray Allen). You don't play off people against each other with negotiating demands in a program that values sacrificing self for team. That kind of team does not have room for those who think they are "Unique". That kind of "uniqueness" is terminal to a "team."

 

[8893]

This is a tough choice. I don't know whether to root for him to go to LSU now so we can finish savaging KO for losing the kid twice, or for him to come here and transfer, so we can savage KO again then for being unable to coach him.

 

[mauconnfan]

Yep - I think Maurice Williamson was on the LSU team UConn beat in '91. He didn't do much there - there were academic issues or something. He's coaching basketball in New Haven, I think.

His uncle did play at URI.

John "Hot Plate" Williams also went to LSU, so perhaps that's the confusion.

Yep Maurice you got it. He was smaller than dad by a lot but like lightning. Out of control, had some game but not like dad. Jiggy was the URI guy, good player in his own right. And there were 2 kids from Wilbur Cross who I believe played with John Williamson there that went to LSU, or were supposed to. They were Mickey Heard and John Thomas. That team was stacked ridiculous. And Jiggy played with Soup Campbell, maybe Heard and Thomas was with that team? A New Haven BYer maybe can provide some detail? Great Cross teams back then, a couple ranked #1 in the country.

 

[djct1999]

Of course it's a SEC school. When you are looking for the highest bidder, it's always a SEC school. It's also why WKU was always in discussion. This recruitment reeks and, regardless of our talent level, am glad KO did not succumb to the pressure. Good riddance.

 

[mauconnfan]

If what we hear is true (and that is a big if) this is a young man who is graduating from high school with a fist full of demands.
I don't consider that kind of mindset conducive coach able to a team molding. That kind of mindset is already focused on what kind of Nirvana he will be in after college. Pass. You have to have faith in your own ability to outperform others based on hard work and attitude (like say, Ray Allen). You don't play off people against each other with negotiating demands in a program that values sacrificing self for team. That kind of team does not have room for those who think they are "Unique". That kind of "uniqueness" is terminal to a "team."

I agree but out team has other seemingly "terminal" recruiting issues so if he decides to come here no matter how, I'm in!

 

[boog204]

Yep - I think Maurice Williamson was on the LSU team UConn beat in '91. He didn't do much there - there were academic issues or something. He's coaching basketball in New Haven, I think.

His uncle did play at URI.

John "Hot Plate" Williams also went to LSU, so perhaps that's the confusion.

John Williams was a really, really good player. Had the Magic Johnson thing going on. I read Tark's book and there's basically a chapter about how good he was and how sketchy his recruitment was. A lot of $$ changed hands. Williams was going to be a star before he ate everything. I loved watching him with the Pacers at the end of his career when he was weighing well over 300lbs. He could barely move, but every once in a while he'd do something amazing.

 

[upstater]

John Williams was a really, really good player. Had the Magic Johnson thing going on. I read Tark's book and there's basically a chapter about how good he was and how sketchy his recruitment was. A lot of $$ changed hands. Williams was going to be a star before he ate everything. I loved watching him with the Pacers at the end of his career when he was weighing well over 300lbs. He could barely move, but every once in a while he'd do something amazing.

I totally agree. His talent was at an eye-popping level. The only kid who impressed me as much in high school was another LSU player, Chris Jackson.

When you look at the list of top high school players that have gone to this school, you start to ask a lot of questions: Shaq, John Williams, Chris Jackson, Ben Simmons, etc.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Two homegrown top-30 players in the state over the past two years and they end up in Alabama and Louisiana? Great.

It would be a pretty impressive get for Will Wade, though - LSU hasn't had a guy who could actually coach for a while.

Gotta go back to Dale Brown really.

 

[pj]

With the rise of the SEC Network they need year-round content that draws viewers. SEC is making a big investment in basketball. The word has gone out to the universities and they are all investing. There's going to be more competition for players than there was in JC's day. KO will have to raise his game.

 

[boog204]

I totally agree. His talent was at an eye-popping level. The only kid who impressed me as much in high school was another LSU player, Chris Jackson.

When you look at the list of top high school players that have gone to this school, you start to ask a lot of questions: Shaq, John Williams, Chris Jackson, Ben Simmons, etc.

Yup, Tark claimed (I know he's an iffy source) that there was six figures being passed around for Williams, he was that good. And LSU popped him without him ever visiting or really having any interaction with the staff prior to the McD AA game in 84 where he was mvp.

Here's a pretty crazy article from the LA Times in 1985 about him and LSU...

From Crenshaw High to LSU, John Williams Plays Amid Controversy : It's Been Quite an Education

 

[Fishy]

Tark would have been the first to know about how much money was being passed around for Williams.

The only schools who recruited him were the ones who would have shown up with cash in hand.

Houston was just ten steps beyond filthy and they were better than LSU, UCLA and LSU.

 

[djct1999]

I miss Tark.

 

[Danzz]

If what we hear is true (and that is a big if) this is a young man who is graduating from high school with a fist full of demands.
I don't consider that kind of mindset conducive coach able to a team molding. That kind of mindset is already focused on what kind of Nirvana he will be in after college. Pass. You have to have faith in your own ability to outperform others based on hard work and attitude (like say, Ray Allen). You don't play off people against each other with negotiating demands in a program that values sacrificing self for team. That kind of team does not have room for those who think they are "Unique". That kind of "uniqueness" is terminal to a "team."

Not so sure they are demands as much as objectives. I get he feeling the wants to start day 1 and run the show and there is nothing wrong with that.
Originally he wanted a great academic school because he is a good student so Georgetown made sense. But LSU and Western Kentucky in the picture trashes that idea.

 

[Danzz]

I totally agree. His talent was at an eye-popping level. The only kid who impressed me as much in high school was another LSU player, Chris Jackson.

When you look at the list of top high school players that have gone to this school, you start to ask a lot of questions: Shaq, John Williams, Chris Jackson, Ben Simmons, etc.

Lebron was the most impressive HS player I've seen. He was a kid in a NBA ready man's body.

 

[superjohn]

Yep - I think Maurice Williamson was on the LSU team UConn beat in '91. He didn't do much there - there were academic issues or something. He's coaching basketball in New Haven, I think.

His uncle did play at URI.

John "Hot Plate" Williams also went to LSU, so perhaps that's the confusion.

Maurice Williamson only played 2 years at LSU. He averaged around 10 ppg and was Shaq's roomate.

 

[freescooter]

Hope he has a nice basketball career because that WKU degree is worth about as much as the Tyler Phommachanh I wiped by ass with earlier.

Lol. So cute how some folks still think a basketball recruit cares about academics. Guys probably choose Kentucky because of the great astrophysics program.

 

[pj]

Lol. So cute how some folks still think a basketball recruit cares about academics. Guys probably choose Kentucky because of the great astrophysics program.

Actually, Kentucky's astrophysics program isn't that attractive. But their molecular biology is pretty good.

 

[Fishy]

Maurice Williamson only played 2 years at LSU. He averaged around 10 ppg and was Shaq's roomate.

He didn't last long - I think he got there a year late because he was a prop 48 and then he had more academic problems when he was there.

 

[UCDaveD]

Lol. So cute how some folks still think a basketball recruit cares about academics. Guys probably choose Kentucky because of the great astrophysics program.

Normally I'd completely agree, but the reason I brought it up is because of how his father was making noise about academics being one of their key considerations. True or not, it's just funny.

 

[Chuck]

Lol. So cute how some folks still think a basketball recruit cares about academics. Guys probably choose Kentucky because of the great astrophysics program.

Tremont's camp pushed a narrative that he was different. That academics did matter. There are plenty of kids that do care. If they have NBA aspirations, they aren't going to Williams, but they would choose Stanford over ASU. Also, even if you don't go pure academics, you at least go for the school that has an alumni base that can help you after your career. While Kentucky gets rightfully mocked as a mediocre school where basketball players have less of an academic bond than students at an on-line for-profit "university," I would think former players get hooked up with jobs by the large alumni / fan presence later in life. I can't imagine WKU can provide any of that.

 

[huskyinfl]

I would love for him to go to LSU - as someone who recently spent a year in Baton Rouge - 2 miles from LSU it is Hell on Earth. Being 18 and going from one of the best educated rich states to the dumbest poor violent states will be such a culture shock.