Top 10 recruit commits to FIU under Isaiah Thomas

[ChicosBailBonds]

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=4383839

[CAINMUTINY]

Its kind of refreshing to see a kid NOT go to one of the top programs.....especially when one of the programs on his list is indiana....LOL!!!!

[ecompt]

Isiah will charm his share of players, but they will quickly find he can't coach.

[StillAWarrior]

Isiah will charm his share of players, but they will quickly find he can't coach.

Isaiah Thomas was a great basketball player.  I've yet to see anything else that he's good at.  I don't understand why a kid who wants to be groomed for the NBA would pass on scholarship offers from coaches who have proven time and again that they can develop NBA players (this kid must have had other options, right?!) and go to a brand new college head coach who has proved only that he once was a great player (and has been fairly dismal at pretty much everything else).

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

Isaiah Thomas was a great basketball player.  I've yet to see anything else that he's good at.  I don't understand why a kid who wants to be groomed for the NBA would pass on scholarship offers from coaches who have proven time and again that they can develop NBA players (this kid must have had other options, right?!) and go to a brand new college head coach who has proved only that he once was a great player (and has been fairly dismal at pretty much everything else).

The only thing I can imagine is if it's seriously a "no-bull" approach.

Let's face it, a lot of the top players consider themselves basketball mercenaries, and college hoops is like boot camp. It's just a stop along the way to getting paid. They don't really want to play a year of college ball, but they know they have to.

Isiah: "Look, I know you are a 1 year player. I can help you in that 1 year, and in the second semester you can take an extremely light class load, and you really don't have to show up. I know you're not here for the education, so just come down here and concentrate on basketball. I still have contacts in the NBA, I can get you there without worrying about all of the NCAA eligibility crap. Just get your grades in order to get into school, and we'll be set. I'll get you hooked up with some easy classes, and it'll be all about hoops."

[Henry Sugar]

I'll flat out say that I automatically assumed it was something shady.

For one, I could not be more excited for the Isiah Thomas coaching era and the ensuing hilarity.

[nyg]

Unreal, a five star recruit from Indianapolis and he goes to FIU.  Right under the nose of you know who.

Ferguson probably thinks he is a one year and done, but this is really strange.  Good for FIU though, can't get better publicity for the program.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Unreal, a five star recruit from Indianapolis and he goes to FIU.  Right under the nose of you know who.

Big Ten champion Purdue?

[nyg]

Big Ten champion Purdue?

Close.

[Lennys Tap]

The only thing I can imagine is if it's seriously a "no-bull" approach.

Let's face it, a lot of the top players consider themselves basketball mercenaries, and college hoops is like boot camp. It's just a stop along the way to getting paid. They don't really want to play a year of college ball, but they know they have to.

Isiah: "Look, I know you are a 1 year player. I can help you in that 1 year, and in the second semester you can take an extremely light class load, and you really don't have to show up. I know you're not here for the education, so just come down here and concentrate on basketball. I still have contacts in the NBA, I can get you there without worrying about all of the NCAA eligibility crap. Just get your grades in order to get into school, and we'll be set. I'll get you hooked up with some easy classes, and it'll be all about hoops."

If I didn't know otherwiise I'd think this post was about Calapari.

[4everwarriors]

Crean can cancel the midnight limo for this dude and Wade riding in on a charter.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Crean can cancel the midnight limo for this dude and Wade riding in on a charter.

According to the article, so can Ben Howland (UCLA), Coach K (Duke), Coach Donovan (UF), and Coach Caliprari (UK).

[nyg]

According to the article, so can Ben Howland (UCLA), Coach K (Duke), Coach Donovan (UF), and Coach Caliprari (UK).

And in the back seat can be Coach Calhoun (UCONN), Coach Pitino (UL) and Coach Pearl (UT). 

Can anyone ever remember a top ten recruit signing with a school like this?  Bottom of the Sun Belt Conference. Is it even comparable to like a Holy Cross, UM-GB, Robert Morris?

[79Warrior]

Isiah will charm his share of players, but they will quickly find he can't coach.

It is all about the recruiting. Isaiah has plenty to offer with his NBA experince. don't underestimate his knowledge of the inner workings of the NBA and how to get kids prepared.

[77ncaachamps]

And in the back seat can be Coach Calhoun (UCONN), Coach Pitino (UL) and Coach Pearl (UT). 

Can anyone ever remember a top ten recruit signing with a school like this?  Bottom of the Sun Belt Conference. Is it even comparable to like a Holy Cross, UM-GB, Robert Morris?

If you're ONE AND DONE, it kinda negates where you go, right? Emphasis on KINDA.

[bma725]

And in the back seat can be Coach Calhoun (UCONN), Coach Pitino (UL) and Coach Pearl (UT). 

Can anyone ever remember a top ten recruit signing with a school like this?  Bottom of the Sun Belt Conference. Is it even comparable to like a Holy Cross, UM-GB, Robert Morris?

Not really, but Ferguson isn't a Top 10 recruit.  Only one service has him there at the moment and that's because they haven't updated their rankings in awhile.  When they do, he's likely to drop just like he's dropped everywhere else.  Rivals has him at #23, Scout at #16, HoopScoop at #55.  He'll probably end up with a consensus ranking in the 30-50 range when all is said and done. 

Top kids going to mid or low majors schools is actually not that uncommon though it certainly isn't as common as it used to be.  In 2009, 6 consensus Top 100 players went to mid-major or below schools, compared to 13 in 2000.  You'd think with no NBA draft the number might increase, but for whatever reason there's been a significant drop off since the early part of the decade.

Here's a look since the beginning of the RSCI in 1998, Top 20 guys are rare, but Ferguson won't be there for long.  This doesn't include schools like Memphis, Xavier or any of the C-USA schools that became Big East schools:

2009- #36 Aaric Murray(LaSalle) #48 Kahwi Leonard(San Diego State) #61 Zeke Marshall (Akron), #82 Anthony Marshall(UNLV) #89 Keith Clanton(Central Florida) #95 Rashanti Harris(Georgia State) 
2008 - #19 Luke Babbitt(Nevada)  #77 Phillip McDonald(New Mexico), #83 Antony Booker(SIU)
2007 - #30 Herb Pope(New Mexico State), #95 Beas Hamga(UNLV)
2006 - #94 Jeremy Mayfield (UAB)
2005 - #65 Jovan Adams(UNLV)...also #49 Davon Jefferson(UNLV) who didn't qualify
2004 - #73 Lee Cummard(BYU)
2003 - #44 Martin Iti(Charlotte), #63 Art Bowers(UMass) #66 Paul Millsap(Louisiana Tech), #72 Kenneth Harris(Valpo) #92 Daon Merritt(Richmond)
2002 - #14 Evan Burns(San Diego State) #25 Brian Hopkins(SMU), #44 Antonio Lawrence(San Jose State), #66 Keith Butler(Temple), #67 Curtis Withers(Charlotte)
2001 - #82 Taurance Johnson(Florida International), #81 Ernest Turner(UNLV), #83 Mitchell Baldwin(Charlotte), #84 Ed Basden(Charlotte)
2000 - #14 Alton Ford(Houston) #20 Cedric Banks(UIC), #31 Garner Meads(BYU), #48 Eddie Starks(Iona) #74 Jeff MacMillen(Fordham) #77 Lembaro Tetimandinger(Fordham) #80 Keith Triplett(Toledo), #84 Antonio Hargrove(VCU), #90 David Holmes(Manhattan), #91 Tory Reed(Charlotte), #93 Yamir Dienne(Rice), #94 Patrick Dennehy(New Mexico) #96 Barry Thompson(Louisiana Tech)
1999 - #30 George Williams(Houston), #42 Tito Maddux(Fresno State), #65 Brian Woodard(Rhode Island), #77 Rodney White(Charlotte), #85 Zachary Johnson(Louis. Tech). #89 Marque Perry(SLU) #94 Rafael Berumen(New Mexico) #95 Chris Monroe(GW)
1998 - #14 Kevin Lyde(Temple), #37 Rasual Butler(LaSalle), #52 Chris Richardson(UNLV) #60 Deangelo McDaniel(Tulsa), #67 Cedric Taylor(Houston), #72 Desmond Herod(UNLV), #77 JR Van Hoose(Marshall), #90 Damon Hancock(SMU)

[mviale]

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=4383839

Isiah is a sweetheart too

[ecompt]

Don't see how playing against FIU's schedule is going to prepare this kid for the NBA. And, as great a player as Isiah was, he brings nothing to the table as a coach or teacher.

[MuMark]

Adonal Foyle choosing Colgate is the one who immediatly comes to mind.

[79Warrior]

Don't see how playing against FIU's schedule is going to prepare this kid for the NBA. And, as great a player as Isiah was, he brings nothing to the table as a coach or teacher.

I guess it is some feat to bring nothing to the table yet manage to be a coach and GM in the NBA.

[Murffieus]

Isaiah Thomas was a great basketball player.  I've yet to see anything else that he's good at.  I don't understand why a kid who wants to be groomed for the NBA would pass on scholarship offers from coaches who have proven time and again that they can develop NBA players (this kid must have had other options, right?!) and go to a brand new college head coach who has proved only that he once was a great player (and has been fairly dismal at pretty much everything else).

He knows talent-----he drafted very well in New York------but couldn't coach a lick.

[ecompt]

Murff, as president of the Knicks he turned the roster into an overpriced  laughingstock. He has no idea what talent is, and less idea what to do with it if he saw it. He's a snake oil salesman who only got the job in New York because he sweet-talked the Dolans (who are complete idiots) into thinking he could build them a contender even after he singlehandedly bankrupted an entire league. After he sexually harassed an employee, costing the Knicks millions in a lawsuit, he was eventually fired. He went home, took some sleeping pills and had be rushed to the hospital. Two days later he denied it happened even though the hospital confirmed it. A class act all the way.

[SaintPaulWarrior]

Adonal Foyle choosing Colgate is the one who immediatly comes to mind.

His adoptive/surrogate parents were both professors at Colgate.

[Marquette84]

Adonal Foyle choosing Colgate is the one who immediatly comes to mind.

And Jack Sikma attending Illinois Wesleyan.

[Murffieus]

Murff, as president of the Knicks he turned the roster into an overpriced  laughingstock. He has no idea what talent is, and less idea what to do with it if he saw it. He's a snake oil salesman who only got the job in New York because he sweet-talked the Dolans (who are complete idiots) into thinking he could build them a contender even after he singlehandedly bankrupted an entire league. After he sexually harassed an employee, costing the Knicks millions in a lawsuit, he was eventually fired. He went home, took some sleeping pills and had be rushed to the hospital. Two days later he denied it happened even though the hospital confirmed it. A class act all the way.

I only mentioned his drafting ability as quite good-----drafted players like Camby, McGrady, and Damon Staudimire in Toronto------also all but one of his draft picks at NY from 2004-07 are still in the NBA-----most have done rather well (Frye, Chandler, Ariza, David Lee)------not bad as he picked in the lower part of the first round or the second round.

Now couple that with the draft experience of the Milwaukee Bucks during the same period.

[ecompt]

He had very high picks in Toronto, and it's tough to screw them up. The good picks he made with New York (again, early to mid-round picks) he traded away to bring in guys like Steve Francis and Eddy Curry. Believe me, Murff, I was in New York while he was president of the Knicks: The guy is a clown.

[Murffieus]

ecompt-----I didn't say anything about Isiah Thomas's trades-----what I said is that he drafted well-----which he did.

[GOMU1104]

Furgeson and Thomas are perfect for each other...both complete knuckleheads.

His "offers" were more one sided...Thomas was probably one of the few programs that would take him.

[Golden Avalanche]

And Jack Sikma attending Illinois Wesleyan.

Did you forget this  ?

[Tugg Speedman]

BMA,

I see UNLV on your list quite a bit.

Is this the lasting influence of ODB on sin city?

[bamamarquettefan]

Hey, if isaiah can keep a Top 10 recruit out of another big conference, I'm all for him.  Unless Marquette's on their list, I hope a few more top players disperse to schools that will never be challenging MU for a seed or a final spot in the NCAA.  Good work Isaiah!

[lurch91]

Isiah can work within a system.  When he was coach of the Pacers, he had Larry Bird and Donnie Walsh running the show.  Isiah also had a very skilled and strong coaching staff.  

When he failed, and failed miserably, was when he tried to run anything by himself.  He left the Raptors in ruins, he left the CBA bankrupt and in ruins, and look at the carnival that was the Knicks.

I can only imagine the trainwreck that FIU will be in the next few years.

[LON]

Murff, as president of the Knicks he turned the roster into an overpriced  laughingstock. He has no idea what talent is, and less idea what to do with it if he saw it. He's a snake oil salesman who only got the job in New York because he sweet-talked the Dolans (who are complete idiots) into thinking he could build them a contender even after he singlehandedly bankrupted an entire league. After he sexually harassed an employee, costing the Knicks millions in a lawsuit, he was eventually fired. He went home, took some sleeping pills and had be rushed to the hospital. Two days later he denied it happened even though the hospital confirmed it. A class act all the way.

You forgot the part about putting it on his daughter...

[ecompt]

sorry, Lance, an oversight. This guy has so much baggage that I lost track.

[Lennys Tap]

ecompt-----I didn't say anything about Isiah Thomas's trades-----what I said is that he drafted well-----which he did.

So if he turns his good (lucky?) draft choices into Eddy Curry and Steve Francis what kind of a judge of talent is he? Isiah was a great player who has been an abysmal failure at everything since. That he was a spectacular flop as an executive, general manager and coach is unfortunate but forgivable, but when he threw his daughter to the wolves to save his face - that tells you what a terrifically despicable person he is.