Candid Coaches: College basketball recruiting isn't getting any cleaner

[KraRam]

Interesting article on recruiting by CBS. Also why I think the P4+1 will gain more power and influence as more money is directed their way. Those paying are going to want to see the best talent at those schools so they don't lose viewers. Follow the money and you will find the truth out there.

Also a good reason Marshall may not get some of the top recruits. Which really shows how good a coach he is.

http://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/candid-coaches-college-basketball-recruiting-isnt-getting-any-cleaner/

[AZ Shocker]

Been going on a long time. These days there are just more "layers of protection" for the universities and in particular the head coaches. No "runner" or AAU Coach or "shoe company" is going to lead a top player to a Missouri Valley school even if you have a big-time coach like Gregg Marshall coaching a Valley school. Hence why Gregg is considered a great Division 1 coach. Coach K, Cal, Pitino, Rug, etc...have it eazy-capezy gift wrapped year after year. And they didn't have to hardly do anything.

[shockmonster]

A couple of points:

1. It sounds like Congress and their cozy relationships with lobbyists.

2. I don't imagine that Gregg thinks about recruiting this type of player. Maybe "little Wiggans" who reports said that we gave some preliminary interest, but Conner and Perry didn't even fit in this elite category of players who are seen as "can't miss" NZbA type of player. The funny thing is that the Beakers have been recruiting some "can't miss" players who were busts.

Examples like Alexander, and Selden. Lol

[Aargh]

A couple of points:

1. It sounds like Congress and their cozy relationships with lobbyists.

2. I don't imagine that Gregg thinks about recruiting this type of player. Maybe "little Wiggans" who reports said that we gave some preliminary interest, but Conner and Perry didn't even fit in this elite category of players who are seen as "can't miss" NZbA type of player. The funny thing is that the Beakers have been recruiting some "can't miss" players who were busts.

Examples like Alexander, and Selden. Lol

Diallo was a lottery pick. Only cost KU one year of a scholarship for a one semester player who averaged something like 5 points a game.

[WSUwatcher]

Well, lots of guys are lottery picks, and some are successful pros -- others not so much. We'll see about Diallo, but I'm guessing it will take him a while to have a real impact, assuming he ever does.

By the way, Sleepy Oubre was also a lottery pick. Self seems to be willing to gamble a scholarship or two (a relatively small risk in terms of roster size) on such guys just in case they pan out (a big return) while still leaving room for players who actually know what to do and are willing to do it. At his current level, he can afford to do that, although if the Big 12-2 really does disappear some day and the Chickenhawks end up rejoining Nebraska in the Big 10+Many he'll have less margin for error in trying to win the league.

[ShockingButTrue]

Well, lots of guys are lottery picks, and some are successful pros -- others not so much. We'll see about Diallo, but I'm guessing it will take him a while to have a real impact, assuming he ever does.

By the way, Sleepy Oubre was also a lottery pick. Self seems to be willing to gamble a scholarship or two (a relatively small risk in terms of roster size) on such guys just in case they pan out (a big return) while still leaving room for players who actually know what to do and are willing to do it. At his current level, he can afford to do that, although if the Big 12-2 really does disappear some day and the Chickenhawks end up rejoining Nebraska in the Big 10+Many he'll have less margin for error in trying to win the league.

MUCH less margin for error. Little bit better D over there than they're used to seeing from the Texas schools :cowbell:

[WSUwatcher]

Also, the talk about agents, AAU coaches, and shoe companies in the article reminds me of another Wichita player who tried to go pro too soon and flamed out, Korleone Young. He was reputed to be an extraordinary talent, but he got involved with the wrong people (or maybe it would be better to say that the wrong people latched onto him), didn't take time to develop, and now has disappeared.

[Wuzee]

Also, the talk about agents, AAU coaches, and shoe companies in the article reminds me of another Wichita player who tried to go pro too soon and flamed out, Korleone Young. He was reputed to be an extraordinary talent, but he got involved with the wrong people (or maybe it would be better to say that the wrong people latched onto him), didn't take time to develop, and now has disappeared.

I wouldn't say "disappeared" -- http://www.kansas.com/sports/article1140014.html

[WSUwatcher]

I wouldn't say "disappeared" -- http://www.kansas.com/sports/article1140014.html

Thanks, Wuzee -- I had missed that piece as well as the Grantland article Lutz cited. Young has certainly disappeared from the pro basketball scene (where he apparently played a year for Rockford back when another Rockfordian we know well was just a kid), but I hope he has success in the new life described in Lutz's column.

[wufan]

Also, the talk about agents, AAU coaches, and shoe companies in the article reminds me of another Wichita player who tried to go pro too soon and flamed out, Korleone Young. He was reputed to be an extraordinary talent, but he got involved with the wrong people (or maybe it would be better to say that the wrong people latched onto him), didn't take time to develop, and now has disappeared.

Young was not an exceptional academic. He very well may have spent several years in college being exposed as a too short PF and never received NBA money had he attended a University.

[shockmonster]

Young was not an exceptional academic. He very well may have spent several years in college being exposed as a too short PF and never received NBA money had he attended a University.

Or he may have learned some discipline by attending class, learning how to study, time management skills, and developed some much needed skill level which could have assisted his success in the NBA or overseas thereby earning and saving some serious money, helping him during his lifetime.

[Keyser Soze]

He very well may have spent several years in college being exposed as a too short PF and never received NBA money had he attended a University.

This. He was a tweener who likely never would have stuck at the NBA level, but could have made an excellent living overseas.

[wufan]

Or he may have learned some discipline by attending class, learning how to study, time management skills, and developed some much needed skill level which could have assisted his success in the NBA or overseas thereby earning and saving some serious money, helping him during his lifetime.

Perhaps.

[shockmonster]

Perhaps.

I wasn't really disagreeing with your point but playing devils advocate.

I'm not sure that your academic description (I know he attended class and graduated but he was not academically endowed) applies to Cle Early but your athletic description may and he may have to go overseas to make more money. He still has some holes in his game, but I think he benefitted and developed from playing for Marshall. His ball handling was never great but his shooting skills were above average and his athletic skills were top notch. But he was mainly an undersized power forward.

Maybe it would have been the same for Young.