Diamond Stone

[bilsu]

Looking for a last second hail Mary here, but not holding my breath. How could this guy have so easily dropped MU from his list? Thank you, Bert.

It happens. Ellenson easily dropped Wisconsin.

[Spotcheck Billy]

One of those is not like the others.

Rick Pitino already knows this, but for the rest of us:
•Wisconsin: adidas
•UConn: Nike
•Maryland: Under Armour
•Oklahoma State: Nike

And Stone's AAU Team? The Young Legends, featuring shoes by Under Armour.

[Juan Anderson's Mixtape]

Tough decision for Diamond. Does he goes to a school that has won multiple national championships in the past decade or a school whose only national title came in an eight-team tournament while Hitler was invading Poland?

So that's why Hitler was such a big Badger fan.

Speaking of which, how come there hasn't been a Hitler-Ellenson-Subtitle-Mashup yet?  Someone needs to get on that.

[wadesworld]

Looking for a last second hail Mary here, but not holding my breath. How could this guy have so easily dropped MU from his list? Thank you, Bert.

He ruled us out months ago...

(Not that we ever had a chance)

[Let's Go Warriors]

To me the most interesting thing regarding the UW-Madison program will come to pass when Bo Ryan retires.  Will they make the right hire?  They are certainly not a "program" that is going thrive no matter who the coach is.  IMO its just as likely that they return to the Yoder years as it is they maintain what they have now.  My guess is we find out wihin the next 4 or 5 years.

[warriorchick]

Looking for a last second hail Mary here, but not holding my breath. How could this guy have so easily dropped MU from his list? Thank you, Bert.

Come on, now.  It's not nice for us  to hog ALL the good players.

[dgies9156]

Come on, now.  It's not nice for us  to hog ALL the good players.

YES, IT IS Chick! We used to!

[GGGG]

To me the most interesting thing regarding the UW-Madison program will come to pass when Bo Ryan retires.  Will they make the right hire?  They are certainly not a "program" that is going thrive no matter who the coach is.  IMO its just as likely that they return to the Yoder years as it is they maintain what they have now.  My guess is we find out wihin the next 4 or 5 years.

Wisconsin is in a place where they can make a "bad hire" and still recover.  The entire athletic department is in a much better place than they were 25 years ago when Don Morton and Steve Yoder were coaching. 

My guess is that they go to Greg Gard after Bo leaves.  If he fails, there will be a number of very good coaches interested in the job.  If Marquette can survive Bob Dukiet and Mike Deane, Wisconsin certainly can survive another Brad Soderberg-type.

[Silkk the Shaka]

Seen the commercials--dumb! Sounds like a jingo for laundry detergent.

Autocorrect? Or, after reductionistically calling something dumb, did you immediately type the word jingle as jingo? Please tell me you're under the impression that the word is actually jingo. It would make my day.

[Freeport Warrior]

featuring shoes by Under Armour.

Far more than shoes.

[Let's Go Warriors]

Wisconsin is in a place where they can make a "bad hire" and still recover.  The entire athletic department is in a much better place than they were 25 years ago when Don Morton and Steve Yoder were coaching. 

My guess is that they go to Greg Gard after Bo leaves.  If he fails, there will be a number of very good coaches interested in the job.  If Marquette can survive Bob Dukiet and Mike Deane, Wisconsin certainly can survive another Brad Soderberg-type.

From people I know, they will almost entirely let Bo make the call or at least have a lot of input on the decision.  I suspect that you are correct about Gard.  Im sure they can "recover".  But that is my point.  I believe its just as likely that they will need to recover as they wont.

[GGGG]

From people I know, they will almost entirely let Bo make the call or at least have a lot of input on the decision.  I suspect that you are correct about Gard.  Im sure they can "recover".  But that is my point.  I believe its just as likely that they will need to recover as they wont.

Oh OK.  Gotcha.  Having grown up up Madison, when you mention "Steve Yoder" or "Bill Cofield," it conjures up year after year of DePaul-esque futility.

[MU82]

Then again, maybe you're just an anti-Wisconsin homer who is worried about the prospect of Wisconsin landing Stone, so you mock the idea of him even considering the Badgers.

Guilty as charged.

Now go toddle back to Bucky Land.

[Skatastrophy]

That would be funny if Stone went to Madison.

[ChicosBailBonds]

So why did Ellenson pick Marquette? Didn't he know that Duke has won multiple national championships since 2000? Didn't he know that Michigan State has been to 5 final fours, with a national championship, since 2000?

Why would Ben Simmons commit to LSU? Isn't Kansas simply out of their league basketball-wise?

Maybe it's because there is more to recruiting than "look, we won the championship last year". Maybe, just maybe, he likes the team who has been to the NCAA tournament 16 straight times, and is coming off of a final four appearance. Maybe he wants to play in a premier conference, where he will have a far greater chance to be recognized as a top player in the country.

Then again, maybe you're just an anti-Wisconsin homer who is worried about the prospect of Wisconsin landing Stone, so you mock the idea of him even considering the Badgers.

A lot of expectations in Madison this year....imagine if they didn't get back to the Final Four with almost everyone back this year.  Going to be tough.  Good luck with Stone, I imagine it's UW-madison or UCONN, but stranger things have happened. 

By the way, if I recall the top player in the country last year was recognized and he played in the Big East.   

[4everwarriors]

That would be Mayo, hey?

[bilsu]

From people I know, they will almost entirely let Bo make the call or at least have a lot of input on the decision.  I suspect that you are correct about Gard.  Im sure they can "recover".  But that is my point.  I believe its just as likely that they will need to recover as they wont.

It is not easy to recover, just look at the Michigan football team. However, it is easier to turn it around in basketball than it is football. I for one believe that UW football is on the decline and basketball will follow. That does not mean they will not be good , just not as good as recent history. UW basketball is very good this year, but next year, if they do not get Stone and Dekker goes pro there will be a significant drop.

[Sharpie]

No inside info but I think he chooses Uconn or Maryland. I think the power of aau and shoe companies is often overlooked and there is a long history of influence with these factors regarding Maryland.

[Sharpie]

I can't wrap my head around the ok st being in there but I can rationally see the other 3.

[Groin_pull]

I can't wrap my head around the ok st being in there but I can rationally see the other 3.

Hope you're not losing too much sleep over it.

[Sharpie]

Hope you're not losing too much sleep over it.

Lol. None at all. I just meant I don't get the OK st connection. I could care less where Diamond Stone goes since it won't be MU. I wish him nothing but the best and hopefully he and his family make a wise decision.

[rjay.stephen]

A lot of expectations in Madison this year....imagine if they didn't get back to the Final Four with almost everyone back this year.  Going to be tough.  Good luck with Stone, I imagine it's UW-madison or UCONN, but stranger things have happened. 

By the way, if I recall the top player in the country last year was recognized and he played in the Big East.   

There are absolutely huge expectations, but there is no team in the country that can pencil themselves into the final four. It would be unreal for Bo to get there in back to back years after all the crap he's gotten about being a poor tourney coach, though.

[Groin_pull]

Lol. None at all. I just meant I don't get the OK st connection. I could care less where Diamond Stone goes since it won't be MU. I wish him nothing but the best and hopefully he and his family make a wise decision.

Good to hear. I'm with you. It MU ain't involved, who cares? MU has Henry Ellenson, who I couldn't be more thrilled about. A HUGE pickup for Wojo and MU. Might even fly in for a game next season. If he is truly one and done, I better catch him next year.

[wadesworld]

Lol. None at all. I just meant I don't get the OK st connection. I could care less where Diamond Stone goes since it won't be MU. I wish him nothing but the best and hopefully he and his family make a wise decision.

So you do care some, but not enough to lose sleep over, then?   

Anyhow, UW@Madison will end up "second," but in reality Stone was never going to go there.  He'll end up at UCONN with UW@Madison the "runner up," but if all of a sudden the school shuts down tomorrow he'd end up at Maryland, and if that got messed up he'd go to OKState, and if that got messed up Duke, etc.  Just like JP Tokoto had UW@Madison as his "runner up" but they never had a chance with him.

[OnWisconsin]

So you do care some, but not enough to lose sleep over, then?   

Anyhow, UW@Madison will end up "second," but in reality Stone was never going to go there.  He'll end up at UCONN with UW@Madison the "runner up," but if all of a sudden the school shuts down tomorrow he'd end up at Maryland, and if that got messed up he'd go to OKState, and if that got messed up Duke, etc.  Just like JP Tokoto had UW@Madison as his "runner up" but they never had a chance with him.

So bitter. You have absolutely no idea who Diamond chooses. If UW doesn't get Stone, who cares? Bo will win regardless.