New 2024 Committment According to Ben Steele: Joshua Clark

[Hards Alumni]

Hold on a minute, didn't Royce's mom say something about the team needing a 7 footer a couple of weeks ago? 

[Herman Cain]

Excellent late 2024 class signing. 7 foot smooth rim protectors don't grow on trees.

This 247 article reflects well on Joshua. 

https://247sports.com/article/nike-eybl-memphis-aj-dybantsa-jasper-johnson-jalen-haralson-shine-on-day-two-joshua-clark-brady-koehler-231122801/

Not to get ahead of things, but if Caedin turns out to be able to pass in college like he did in high school, MU may have some creative pick and roll lineups with both in at the same time.

Looking forward to the Dodds interview  of Joshua when that happens to get the full story . 

In the meantime welcome aboard.

[MarquetteMike1977]

Welcome Joshua Clark

[oldwarrior81]

played high school ball with two of Oljauwon's sons as teammates.

Although neither has his size or anywhere near his talent.

[tower912]

Olajuwon tutoring this young man is a Dream scenario.

[We R Final Four]

This seems to be a trend in the Shaka era. Sign an unheralded big, athletic guy and try to develop him

Itejere
Gold
Amadou
Hamilton
Clark

So far only one hit but there's still time for the last three

I wouldn’t use unheralded nor athletic to describe Ben Gold before MU.

[Tyler COLEk]

Ben Steele confirmed he will redshirt his first season: https://twitter.com/BenSteeleMJS/status/1789074381999599912

[willie warrior]

Cool.  Strength in numbers if you're going to go projects at the 5 spot.  Go and get a number of them.  Need one of Cadin, Al, or Clark to hit.

Agreed. Kind of like throwing dung against the wall and hope one sticks.

[duanewade]

Fantastic pickup with nothing but big upside... especially when it's for an open 13th scholarship and in May, which is long past the usual recruiting window for good prospects. 

He's skinny but not boney... has a muscular frame as some kids need to stop growing up before they can fill out while others grow up and out at the same time.  He will absorb 20+lbs over the next couple of years.  Then as he approaches 20 and 21 he'll add another 20lbs of grown man muscle, like Oso did as well, and play his junior and senior year at say 7 feet 230 lbs. 

Looks every inch of 7 feet, maybe even 7'1.  A smooth athlete and good mover who can get out on the break with the guards and be a great finisher in transition.  With very long and active arms will definitely be able to cause lots of deflections leading to breaks and fast play which is Marquette's bread and butter.  One of the videos shows him even guarding players off the dribble near the free throw line and shuffling quickly right with them to the basket before timing their shot and blocking it. 

In the warm up video, he even shows the ability to take outside shots about ten feet away, although at this point he just plays as a tip in and dunker type scorer.

Truly can't believe this kid with his size and potential didn't have at least 3 to 4 major conference scholarship offers already based on his upside potential alone.  Of course in this era of transfer mania, it doesn't behoove coaches to find late bloomers with large upsides anymore as they used to be stuck with you a couple years and you got the benefit of their upside.  Now you sink years into feeding and developing players like this who aren't physically ready their first year or two, and then the minute they reach their upside the major conference teams entice them to transfer. 

Once again, it was smart for Shaka to get the whole family's buy in as to what Marquette under Shaka is all about with a concentration on internal player development and loyalty.  With a player like this, it is imperative he is just as committed to Marquette over the long run as we are to him.
 

[Herman Cain]

Fantastic pickup with nothing but big upside... especially when it's for an open 13th scholarship and in May, which is long past the usual recruiting window for good prospects. 

He's skinny but not boney... has a muscular frame as some kids need to stop growing up before they can fill out while others grow up and out at the same time.  He will absorb 20+lbs over the next couple of years.  Then as he approaches 20 and 21 he'll add another 20lbs of grown man muscle, like Oso did as well, and play his junior and senior year at say 7 feet 230 lbs. 

Looks every inch of 7 feet, maybe even 7'1.  A smooth athlete and good mover who can get out on the break with the guards and be a great finisher in transition.  With very long and active arms will definitely be able to cause lots of deflections leading to breaks and fast play which is Marquette's bread and butter.  One of the videos shows him even guarding players off the dribble near the free throw line and shuffling quickly right with them to the basket before timing their shot and blocking it. 

In the warm up video, he even shows the ability to take outside shots about ten feet away, although at this point he just plays as a tip in and dunker type scorer.

Truly can't believe this kid with his size and potential didn't have at least 3 to 4 major conference scholarship offers already based on his upside potential alone.  Of course in this era of transfer mania, it doesn't behoove coaches to find late bloomers with large upsides anymore as they used to be stuck with you a couple years and you got the benefit of their upside.  Now you sink years into feeding and developing players like this who aren't physically ready their first year or two, and then the minute they reach their upside the major conference teams entice them to transfer. 

Once again, it was smart for Shaka to get the whole family's buy in as to what Marquette under Shaka is all about with a concentration on internal player development and loyalty.  With a player like this, it is imperative he is just as committed to Marquette over the long run as we are to him.

I agree with this analysis.

Ben Steele confirmed he will redshirt his first season: https://twitter.com/BenSteeleMJS/status/1789074381999599912

Excellent News on redshirting.

[willie warrior]

I wouldn’t use unheralded nor athletic to describe Ben Gold before MU.

How dare you try to destroy that guy's narrative.

[Scoop Snoop]

 Of course in this era of transfer mania, it doesn't behoove coaches other than guys like Shaka to find late bloomers with large upsides anymore as they used to be stuck with you a couple years and you got the benefit of their upside.  Now you sink years into feeding and developing players like this who aren't physically ready their first year or two, and then the minute they reach their upside the major conference teams entice them to transfer.  Unless they buy into Shaka's system and stay at Marquette.

FIFY

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

I wouldn’t use unheralded nor athletic to describe Ben Gold before MU.

Yes unranked Ben Gold who chose Marquette over *checks notes* Washington State and Loyola was the defintion of heralded.

If you don't think he's athletic,  we'll just have to agree to disagree

[Vander Blue Man Group]

Agreed. Kind of like throwing dung against the wall and hope one sticks.

Thank you for this insightful post.

[Lennys Tap]

This seems to be a trend in the Shaka era. Sign an unheralded big, athletic guy and try to develop him

Itejere
Gold
Amadou
Hamilton
Clark

So far only one hit but there's still time for the last three

And the one hit wasn’t as unheralded as the others.

[MU82]

If this new aircraft carrier of Shaka's will shoot midrange jumpers, Scoop will be giddy with delight.

[THRILLHO]

Ben Steele confirmed he will redshirt his first season: https://twitter.com/BenSteeleMJS/status/1789074381999599912

Great, that's a real thing and it's an official status and can't wait until the paperwork is signed and his redshirt status is official!