'09 Recruiting Discussion

[J0nnD0ugh]

Re: '09 Recruiting Discussion

Wall could go pro?

He should declare for this season's draft. If there is a loophole that will let him go pro, he shouldn't hesitate. I'm not saying he's ready. But no reason to risk seeing his stock drop any lower. & up till now, he hasn't been serious about a diploma. Take off.

[PhantomPain]

Re: '09 Recruiting Discussion

Wall could go pro?

Not happening:

http://www.courier-journal.com/blogs/demling/blog.html

[Monroe10]

Re: '09 Recruiting Discussion

Yeah, Wall promised his parents that he would go 2 college.

[Brandwin]

Re: '09 Recruiting Discussion

I am hoping Mark McLaughlin ends up coming to Baylor. Hopefully Nolan Dennis comes as well.

[Brankles]

Re: '09 Recruiting Discussion

Billy Donovan jumped in late in the John Wall recruiting process. With all of the players leaving from UF, a Wall/Kenny Boynton backcourt would get tons of minutes, put up points in bunches, get a lot of television coverage, and also give Billy D another year to re-tool the team.

The downside is that it still will not be enough to make us legit contenders for the championship unless our younger players really develop in the off-season.

[ex carrabba fan]

Re: '09 Recruiting Discussion

Apparently here's Wall's criteria according to ESPN reporting at the Jordan game:

1. Coach must have coached a great PG in the past [basically he wants a coach to give him the best chance to excel at the NBA level]
2. Must be championship contenders

[PhantomPain]

Re: '09 Recruiting Discussion

Apparently here's Wall's criteria according to ESPN reporting at the Jordan game:

1. Coach must have coached a great PG in the past [basically he wants a coach to give him the best chance to excel at the NBA level]
2. Must be championship contenders

Well that sounds about like UK if he were to go there. Basically he is the missing piece to UK having that caliber of a team next year.

[Brankles]

Re: '09 Recruiting Discussion

Teddy Dupay
Brett Nelson
Anthony Roberson
Taurean Green



Uh-oh....

[BiggestKJ]

Re: '09 Recruiting Discussion

Apparently here's Wall's criteria according to ESPN reporting at the Jordan game:

1. Coach must have coached a great PG in the past [basically he wants a coach to give him the best chance to excel at the NBA level]
2. Must be championship contenders

1. Not sure if he's talking about college or NBA, but if college, Roy's got Jacque Vaughn, Raymond Felton, Ty Lawson, and Kirk Hinrich, considering two of those are champions and another was one win away.

2. We're not a clear cut favorite for next year, but with the way college basketball's been the last few years, any top 10 team is considers a serious contender and UNC next year without Wall is a definite top ten team. With Wall, we'll be a serious top 3 threat with 3 future lottery players in Wall, Henson, Davis.

Not to bash UK or anything but without Wall, they won't even sniff the top 10. Patterson is most likely gone with Cousins coming in and a weak draft and they return a very unimpressive team outside of Jodie Meeks.

Let's see his list.

NC State...doesn't fit criteria

Miami...doesn't fit criteria

Duke...1. K has coached good not great PGs...but look what happened with Paula and that might turn him off. 2. Losing Henderthug hurt their chances at even a ACC championship.

Baylor...um...NO

Kansas...Bill Self can claim Chalmers and that's about it. They are the clear cut favorites to win next year.

Kentucky...Cal's got Derrick Rose and that could probably be enough to convince him since Wall skill wise and situation wise is similar to Rose. As far as contenders, yeah, they could hover between top 4-10 so that makes them a contender.

Florida....the above poster said it already. Plus they have Boynton coming in already. Far from being a SEC contender.

North Carolina...Roy's got great college PGs that fit the ultra-quick mold ala Wall in Felton/Lawson/Vaughn. With three sure-fire lottery picks in the starting five in Henson, Wall, and Davis could be enough for contention again.

That would leave Duke, Kentucky, and a dark-horse UNC as his contenders. I'm a scratch off Dook here. The whole Paula losing his job to Nolan Smith then losing that to Elliot Williams then losing that job to Wall card doesn't seem to fit well, plus K's style of play doesn't maximize Wall's talents well other than the court spacing.

Which would leave Kentucky and UNC. Many are of the opinion Wall is waiting on the decisions of Lawson and Ellington that would open up a schollie for Wall. And if Wall were to follow Cal 100%, he'd be there already like Cousins.

[Psyblast]

Re: '09 Recruiting Discussion

And if Wall were to follow Cal 100%, he'd be there already like Cousins.

I was with you until this. Everyone seems to think that Wall had already committed to Cal and Memphis before he left for UK. He didn't. He just said they were his leader. He never closed the deal and committed like Cousins did.

Those two "criteria" fit Cal and Kentucky to a tee. He never said the coach had to have a long list of distinguished point guards. Just one. That and Kentucky immediately replacing Memphis on Wall's list (which showed that he was all about Calipari and not the school) makes Kentucky the clear favorite. If he goes anywhere else at this point, it'll be an upset.

[BiggestKJ]

Re: '09 Recruiting Discussion

I was with you until this. Everyone seems to think that Wall had already committed to Cal and Memphis before he left for UK. He didn't. He just said they were his leader. He never closed the deal and committed like Cousins did.

Those two "criteria" fit Cal and Kentucky to a tee. He never said the coach had to have a long list of distinguished point guards. Just one. That and Kentucky immediately replacing Memphis on Wall's list (which showed that he was all about Calipari and not the school) makes Kentucky the clear favorite. If he goes anywhere else at this point, it'll be an upset.

Good points. How about the his mom, her illness, and him wanting to stay close to home due to that fact? If that's true, then Roy would have the obvious advantage there. Then again, Cal does have an advantage with one and done guards Rose/Tyreke. IMO it's a Kentucky vs. UNC race. Due to his mom's illness, he definitely go to the league after his first year, and both Kentucky and UNC will be great, GREAT auditioning spots for him.

[elicoleman]

Re: '09 Recruiting Discussion

Will Coleman staying with the Tigers.

[PhantomPain]

Re: '09 Recruiting Discussion

Not to bash UK or anything but without Wall, they won't even sniff the top 10. Patterson is most likely gone with Cousins coming in and a weak draft and they return a very unimpressive team outside of Jodie Meeks.

I know this is going to seem like homer'ism here, but I respectfully disagree.

If UK misses on Wall then Bledsoe (5 star PG) would be the main target and I don't think Calipari is going to miss out on both. BUT if he does, then I agree and don't think we are a Top 10 team. Probably Top 20 though.

When you look at UK's potential starting lineup next year, it is easy to see that while most returners are not that impressive, there are a couple of standouts and a VERY good (Top 5) recruiting class.

PG Wall or Bledsoe (if neither, then this will hurt)

SG Meeks (Henry possibly as well)/Miller/Hood

SF Miller (Top 40 player that came on strong late last year and Calipari LOVES him and thinks he will be a complete STUD in his system)/Hood/Henry possibly

PF Cousins/Patterson (if he doesn't stay in draft which he may)/Orton/Pilgrim/Stevenson (one of the "not so bright stars" of UK's returning players)

C Cousins/Patterson/Orton/Stevenson

Yes, Wall is the missing piece to this puzzle, as I stated earlier. If we miss on him, I firmly believe we will get Bledsoe and I think that still makes UK a Top 5-10 team because he is VERY good. Not Wall good, but very good.

So to sum this up, I agree that most returning players are not that good. Meeks, Patterson, Miller and Pilgrim (transfer last year) will be the best returners and I expect at least Meeks or Patterson to stay in the draft. Then you look at what is coming in and you see that there will be a serious upgrade in talent on the floor next year. At the moment we have:

(2) 5 Stars (Cousins and Orton)
(1) 4 Star (Hood who was at one point ranked as 5 star until he got hurt, now Top 40)
(1) Transfer (Pilgrim who Cyprien said if he was coming out of high school right now he would be Top 25)

It is easy to see that a top flight PG is the difference maker for UK and Wall more than fits that bill. If not then Bledsoe.

So if Wall wants to play for Calipari and his system and have as much PT as he wanted, then UK is the place to be. He will also make UK a title contender so the point about UK not getting Wall means they aren't a Top 10 team is moot because Wall won't care what UK is without him, only what they will look like WITH him. And with him they are definitely a Top 5 team. If Henry comes and Wall comes, then UK will likely be preseason #1 or #2.

EDIT: Sorry this is so long, I would edit it down but I am too tired to.

[PhantomPain]

Re: '09 Recruiting Discussion

I also forgot to mention that Liggins was a 5 star PG out of high school that Calipari was recruiting at Memphis. In fact he was a Memphis lean until he committed to UK out of no where.

With that said, I don't think he is a 5 star quality PG unless Calipari gets something out of him, which he may. But that is another possibility of a decent returning player.

[fsquid]

Re: '09 Recruiting Discussion

Will Coleman staying with the Tigers.

only took 21 days to get some good news.