Tough week for recruiting

[jesmu84]

Couple of odd comments in this thread......

For example...?

[jsglow]

Agreed. I wouldn't be surprised to see us fill the last 2016 spot with a transfer. I don't believe Wojo signs guys who aren't quality ball players, and quality freshmen ball players will be intimidated by the roster we have. Unless you are legit 5 star prospect, you aren't getting playing time next season (unless Henry and others leave). Hell, you must likely won't get playing time for the next two seasons because of how young the roster is.

I think 2016 will be a "down" recruiting year by our standards. I think we get Hauser and a transfer (I also feel good about Bailey but he's basically a 2018 recruit). Maybe more if Henry goes pro. Wojo will need to "make up" for 2016 with a great 2017 class. I think he will do that and more. I think we could see a monster 2017 class. I feel good about the Markus Howard kid and the Jordan Poole kid. Throw in a couple of bigs (Theo John and ???) and lock up Joey Hauser for 2018 and I think you can call it a day.

Kostas could be an option for 2016. He seems more like an athlete than a basketball player at this point and I know Wojo wants basketball players. But taking an athlete with great size and an impressive pedigree from your own backyard doesn't seem like that bad of an option.

I personally really like this strategy.  Like others have said, many kids will shy away because of the apparent lack of playing time.  Assuming Kostas has the right 'I'll do anything you want, coach' attitude and understands that he'll need to improve to see the court, I have no problem with him as the #13 scholly.

[4everwarriors]

Figurin' T-Cubed as a barracuda and Bumstead as a vulture, hey?

[MUchamp22]

I personally really like this strategy.  Like others have said, many kids will shy away because of the apparent lack of playing time.  Assuming Kostas has the right 'I'll do anything you want, coach' attitude and understands that he'll need to improve to see the court, I have no problem with him as the #13 scholly.

I think Kostas would be good here because he could redshirt his first year due to his lack of PT. This would give him a year to develop under Wojo and that's way better than any prep school out there. But also I think we need to stop acting like if we offer him he's ours. Temper our expectations he has good school recruiting him already. Although with that said I do think he would want to come here haha

[jsglow]

I think Kostas would be good here because he could redshirt his first year due to his lack of PT. This would give him a year to develop under Wojo and that's way better than any prep school out there. But also I think we need to stop acting like if we offer him he's ours. Temper our expectations he has good school recruiting him already. Although with that said I do think he would want to come here haha

I have no factual basis in this but somehow I believe that his family would really like him to be able to stay home for college.  I'm not saying he'd forgo Memphis for UWM but I do think MU gets him if we offer and I also believe he'll wait on Wojo if there's interest.

[Dawson Rental]

Memphis is one school that has MU totally beat....when it comes to the number of players transferring out.

[jsglow]

Memphis is one school that has MU totally beat....when it comes to the number of players transferring out.

I'm hoping our transfer out days are dwindling.  It still upsets me about 'Teve.

[bilsu]

I'm hoping our transfer out days are dwindling.  It still upsets me about 'Teve.

It would of been nice, if Steve stayed. However, after watching MU play in Italy I thought he would not of played a lot on this team. That is assuming the team is going to try and run up and down the floor like they did in Italy.

[GGGG]

It would of been nice, if Steve stayed. However, after watching MU play in Italy I thought he would not of played a lot on this team. That is assuming the team is going to try and run up and down the floor like they did in Italy.

Agreed. He was disappointing last year and IMO wasn't going to be much better this year.

And I don't get the Kostas love.

[LAMUfan]

For example...?

Guessing he is referring to the pig and chicken comment, which I second as awesome as well as WTF simultaneously

[Galway Eagle]

Agreed. He was disappointing last year and IMO wasn't going to be much better this year.

And I don't get the Kostas love.

Disappointing but really turned up for the last few games. If he had continued that he would've been a darn good backup to Henry

[jsglow]

It would of been nice, if Steve stayed. However, after watching MU play in Italy I thought he would not of played a lot on this team. That is assuming the team is going to try and run up and down the floor like they did in Italy.

My disappointment is less related to basketball and more related to the fact that a wonderful young man from Englewood was a year away from his MU degree.

[jsglow]

Agreed. He was disappointing last year and IMO wasn't going to be much better this year.

And I don't get the Kostas love.

Because the upside seems limitless.  His older brother is on the way toward stardom.  I know that doesn't always apply but it's not like Kostas is 5'11" or something.  Remember, we're talking 13th scholly.  That's one seat up the bench from Mache.

Now I will say that if Wojo can keep him in his hip pocket through Fall signing so he still has his 13th to dangle.....

[GoldenWarrior11]

Could someone jog my memory?  Was Steve one of the players that was (rumored) to transfer out had Buzz stayed after the 2013-14 season? 

[jsglow]

Could someone jog my memory?  Was Steve one of the players that was (rumored) to transfer out had Buzz stayed after the 2013-14 season?

Absolutely.  He was gone if Buzz stayed, period.

[DienerTime34]

If you want to look on the bright side, whiffing on recruits always leaves you open to a high-level transfer.

Regarding Wojo's tenure, best case scenario is he has 6-8 sensational years at MU, leaves for Duke, and then Wardle or Diener has proven their mettle enough in that time and we have our lifer.

[Skatastrophy]

Guessing he is referring to the pig and chicken comment, which I second as awesome as well as WTF simultaneously

I'm surprised that people were suprised by that. It's an old office-ism, spouted by grey-haired middle management on a semi-frequent basis.

[GGGG]

Because the upside seems limitless.  His older brother is on the way toward stardom.  I know that doesn't always apply but it's not like Kostas is 5'11" or something.  Remember, we're talking 13th scholly.  That's one seat up the bench from Mache.

Now I will say that if Wojo can keep him in his hip pocket through Fall signing so he still has his 13th to dangle.....

But if it were that limitless, why aren't more programs interested? 

It seems to me that people are more excited because of who his brother is versus who he is. An athletic, raw athlete who up til now hasn't started for his high school team.

[Juan Anderson's Mixtape]

Because the upside seems limitless.  His older brother is on the way toward stardom.  I know that doesn't always apply but it's not like Kostas is 5'11" or something.  Remember, we're talking 13th scholly.  That's one seat up the bench from Mache.

What if his name was Kostas Mbao?  Then what would people think?

Anyway, the recruiting sites just updated their rankings this month.  Let's see where they have Kostas.

247 Composite  87 (this is heavily slanted by 247's outlier ranking for Kostas)

247 Top 100    48 (was as high as 21)
Scout   NR-one of twenty-six 4 star players outside top 100 (107 if they're listed in ranking order; down from a high of 69)
Rivals NR in top 150 (was in top 100, I think it was 84)
ESPN NR (don't think he ever was)

It doesn't look like he broke out over the summer based on these trends.  Kostas remains a project.  I think Wojo offers Kostas when Kostas earns the offer.  Until then Wojo is looking to do better.

[LAMUfan]

I'm surprised that people were suprised by that. It's an old office-ism, spouted by grey-haired middle management on a semi-frequent basis.

News to me, I also don't work in an office, am 31 and grew up in LA and partly Boston, so maybe its a office/older guy/ Midwest thing

[jsglow]

What if his name was Kostas Mbao?  Then what would people think?

Anyway, the recruiting sites just updated their rankings this month.  Let's see where they have Kostas.

247 Composite  87 (this is heavily slanted by 247's outlier ranking for Kostas)

247 Top 100    48 (was as high as 21)
Scout   NR-one of twenty-six 4 star players outside top 100 (107 if they're listed in ranking order; down from a high of 69)
Rivals NR in top 150 (was in top 100, I think it was 84)
ESPN NR (don't think he ever was)

It doesn't look like he broke out over the summer based on these trends.  Kostas remains a project.  I think Wojo offers Kostas when Kostas earns the offer.  Until then Wojo is looking to do better.

1) Of course we'd have no interest.  But the sibling connection simply can't be totally ignored.  And while I haven't seen him play, to compare a borderline Top 100 to Mbao is a bit of a stretch, isn't it?

2) No disagreement from me.  I'm not suggesting we offer today.  I like keeping that 13th in my pocket.  If he waits, great.  If not, God bless him.

[Juan Anderson's Mixtape]

1) Of course we'd have no interest.  But the sibling connection simply can't be totally ignored.  And while I haven't seen him play, to compare a borderline Top 100 to Mbao is a bit of a stretch, isn't it?

No, you can't completely ignore the sibling connection but at the same time be careful not to overvalue it.  I think the rankings are largely inflated due to who Kostas' older brother is.  His EYBL stats were quite poor on a 1-13 team and he was the 6th man for Dominican last year.  Skill wise I don't think Kostas is anywhere close to being a borderline top 100 player based on the few times I've seen him.

I do see the potential if Kostas grows into his body, gains coordination, and develops his skills but that is a long way off.  I had to shake my head at the comment someone made about Kostas not being a 4 year player.  I think it will take at least 2-3 years for him to develop into a serviceable player.  Kostas may or may not ever be a star; he might not even develop and ends up having a career impact of Yous Mbao.  We shall see.

[JakeBarnes]

I'm surprised that people were suprised by that. It's an old office-ism, spouted by grey-haired middle management on a semi-frequent basis.

I'm gonna run that one up the flagpole and see who salutes.

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

Kostas to NBC?

[MU82]

If you want to look on the bright side, whiffing on recruits always leaves you open to a high-level transfer.

Regarding Wojo's tenure, best case scenario is he has 6-8 sensational years at MU, leaves for Duke, and then Wardle or Diener has proven their mettle enough in that time and we have our lifer.

Assuming, of course, that Wardle or Diener does well enough to not be run out by Marquette.

"Loyalty" is a two-way street.