Aaron Bowen - Second Thoughts?

[nyg]

From the Rivals site.  Thought Buzz's staff got the verbal from this kid.

Aaron Bowen (Jacksonville Lee Bulls) – An athletic wing with exceptional speed, Bowen applies constant pressure on the opposition with his aggressive defensive a fearless attacking of the basket on offense. Presently committed to Marquette, Bowen is in the process of figuring out his standing with the program now that Buzz Williams is in charge of the program and the assistant that recruited him is at a new location.

[cheebs09]

From the Rivals site.  Thought Buzz's staff got the verbal from this kid.

Aaron Bowen (Jacksonville Lee Bulls) – An athletic wing with exceptional speed, Bowen applies constant pressure on the opposition with his aggressive defensive a fearless attacking of the basket on offense. Presently committed to Marquette, Bowen is in the process of figuring out his standing with the program now that Buzz Williams is in charge of the program and the assistant that recruited him is at a new location.

Didn't he commit after buzz had been coach for a little while? I don't think Buzz being in charge of the program now would make him change his mind. Either way hopefully he still comes, he sounds like he could be a nice player.

[Blackhat]

Dale Layer was his lead recruiter.... Loss of Layer is going to hurt more than because of his offensive coaching prowess...was a pretty good recruiter too. 

[Nukem2]

Ummm. Buzz was in charge when Bowen committed.  The writer seems confused..

[ChicosBailBonds]

Ummm. Buzz was in charge when Bowen committed.  The writer seems confused..

Maybe the writer felt Buzz wasn't in charge of the program   


Here's the history per Rosiak



Aaron's recruitment was one that seemingly came out of nowhere. Can you describe what it was like?

The people that were heavy on Aaron were Florida, Auburn, Florida State, Miami, Virginia Tech, Jacksonville and Marquette, obviously. The way it happened was Coach (Dale) Layer, before he was at Marquette, he was at Liberty, and he came down over the summer to watch us work out another one of our players, Chris Rozier, who was a low-D I player, for Liberty. We asked Aaron to come to the workout, just for a chance for another coach to see him. Well, after the workout, Coach Layer said, 'Well, we could really use Chris at Liberty, but Aaron's too good for us. We can't get Aaron -- he's really special.' So then Coach Layer got the job at Marquette, and he remembered Aaron, and that's how the marriage started.

Because of that knee injury this past summer, Aaron dropped off the AAU circuit but between Layer's connection and the look the coaching staff got at Aaron at its Elite Camp, it seems as though MU almost stole a player who was really destined to become a big-time recruit once he got healthy. Would you agree?

That's a good way to put it. We shut Aaron down for the summer on the first Friday in June because he was going to have his meniscus cleaned up. He played with us 1-2 games the first week of June, then it was, 'That's enough. You're in too much pain. You're done.' We arranged for a doctor to clean it up, so he played no AAU ball. So he didn't get seen much, and a lot of coaches are just coming onto him. And in the recruitment process, Marquette was just way ahead of them. So far ahead it was unbelievable. And what I'll tell you about the coaches up there is they did it the right way. I've sent close to 40 kids to college, and Marquette did it the right way. They absolutely recruited him perfectly.

Had Aaron not committed, and assuming he has the kind of season you're expecting out of him, what do you think his recruitment would have been like?

There's no doubt that Florida State and Miami were big on him. Especially after the word got around when he scored 41 in the district semifinal. That's when everything started taking off. He had 41 points and missed two shots the whole game. Right after then, you knew he was going someplace special.

His ninth-grade year, we put him on varsity but we didn't play him a lot. He was there as a learning process, so last year was really his first year playing with us, and putting it all into motion. We could see him getting better and better and better. Last night we had a practice game and me and my assistant coach looked at each other and go, 'How did he do that? How did he split those defenders and get in there?' He does something every game where we just look at each other and go, 'Wow, he's special.'

What position does he play for you, and will he be a 2-3 in college, in your opinion?

Yeah, and in the offense we run here the 2 and the 3 are interchangeable. When we need a three, the point guard just decides who the better three-point shooter is. It could be Aaron, it could be somebody else. He starts at the 2 for us. When we put our big lineup in, where everyone's 6-5 and over, he'll start at the 2. When we put our small lineup in, he starts at the 3.

What are his strengths at this point?

His strength is his explosiveness, taking the ball to the hole. He's a better-than-average three-point shooter. He gets in zones and he's very good. Everybody needs to work on their three-point game, but his is OK. It's acceptable for that level, but because he's so long and he can get up on his shot so high, he can get that shot whenever he wants it. We're working with him now on penetrating a little bit more, taking the ball to the hole, because on our team right now we've got two kids who can shoot threes a little better than Aaron. He's a better-than-average three-point shooter, but he's an extremely good penetrator.

What does Aaron still need to work on? He appears pretty slender at 185 pounds.

 I'm not too worried about his physical appearance because I know that we're working on that right now. I've seen him get stronger from his ninth- to his 10th-grade year, and I know that we'll get him bigger and Marquette will get him bigger, so that's not an issue at all. Defensively, like a lot of kids today, he just needs to learn the game a little bit more. Just learn the game of basketball a little bit more, become a smarter basketball player. No shortcuts on defense. I see that in a lot of kids today -- they just don't study the game and they don't know the game like they should know it. In high school, we're working on teaching him the game. I learned the game by listening to Al McGuire. He taught me how to be a basketball coach, because I would listen to him every day he was doing those games on TV, listen to him explain things and how it was done, and that's what we're doing with Aaron -- we're teaching him the game because they don't get it at a younger age. He's getting it. We see improvement all the time. Aaron's weakness as I'll tell you right now is he's too nice a guy. He's such a great kid. He's too polite, too well-mannered. I'd like to see him get a little meaner, a little more killer instinct in him. But our team is pretty loaded, and sometimes he just feels, 'Well, I'll let Brett score, or I'll let Charles score.' I'd like to see him take over games a little more, like he did in that semifinal district game where he got the 41 points. His mom and dad just raised a really nice kid.

How is he in the classroom?

He's an average student; he needs to work on that a little bit. He's about a C-B student right now. I'd like to see him be a B-A student and up his core a little bit. We're still waiting for his test results to come back. But personal-wise, he's once of the neatest kids. You've going to love talking to him. He's got a smile on his face all the time. Has a quirky sense of humor, but I think he gets some of that from me. But he's a great kid. You know, there's a lot of kids I would not leave at my house if I went somewhere. I would leave Aaron at my house and I wouldn't even worry about it when I came back. He's well-mannered, mom and dad have done a great job with him. He's a yes-sir, no-sir type of guy.

Is it rare to send a player this far north from your area in Jacksonville?

 It is. I had a kid named Kenny Walker who played at Alabama. He played 2000-'03, around there. Alabama would come in and my assistant coach went up to him and said, 'You're not going to steal a Florida kid and take him to Alabama.' I looked at my coach and said, 'You better watch out what you say, because it's all about recruiting them the right way.' They out-worked Florida for Kenny, and Marquette out-worked everybody for Aaron. We send our junior-college kids out to Trinity Valley in Dallas, Texas. We don't send them to the local ones because (Trinity Valley) takes care of the kids better. I'm from New Jersey, so I have no allegiance to the Florida people at all, even though I went to school at Jacksonville University. I love Marquette; I'm a closet Marquette fan. Once Marquette got involved, that was almost a done deal as far as I was concerned.

You said Auburn was looking at Aaron today. Since he can't sign until next November, do you expect schools to continue to try to change Aaron's mind?

That seems to be part of the business these days.  I would be stunned if he didn't go to Marquette, I really would be. His dad's in love with every part of the process and what Marquette did. If I was a betting man, I'd be betting he'll be at Marquette with no problem at all. Now, Auburn has said, 'We're still going to recruit him.' And I guess that's their job, to do that. But he's going to be at Marquette.

[mviale]

Auburn or Florida St?

Pleassseee! MU has a better bball and academic program!

[ChicosBailBonds]

Auburn or Florida St?

Pleassseee! MU has a better bball and academic program!

Yes, but it doesn't snow in Florida or Alabama and those two places are also much closer to his home.

[tharocket]

The Bleacher Report:

Bowen Opens Up Recruiting

After giving a verbal commitment to Marquette, 2010-2011 recruit Aaron Bowen has reopened his recruiting to other teams.

Bowen, the 6′4″ shooting guard was recruited strongly by Dale Layer, but after his departure to Liberty University, he has backed out.

Marquette is still on his list and this hardly means Marquette will lose out on Bowen, but it is worth noting that he is entertaining some other school’s offers.

The Jacksonville native was being recruited by many Florida schools when he first chose Marquette, including Florida State, Jacksonville, Florida, and Kansas State.

______________________________________________________________________

I wonder if potentially losing this recruit is a big issue for Buzz and Marquette?  I really don't know much about him.

Let's get Latavious Williams! 

[YoungMUFan4]

Bowen is still committed at this point.  That part about Bowen was a misinterpretation of the Rivals article

[MuMark]

You got to love the internet.

Some kid reads an article on Rivals, adds his own interpretation and then writes it in a blog as if its news.

[detroitwarrior]

The Bleacher Report:

Bowen Opens Up Recruiting

After giving a verbal commitment to Marquette, 2010-2011 recruit Aaron Bowen has reopened his recruiting to other teams.

Bowen, the 6′4″ shooting guard was recruited strongly by Dale Layer, but after his departure to Liberty University, he has backed out.

Marquette is still on his list and this hardly means Marquette will lose out on Bowen, but it is worth noting that he is entertaining some other school’s offers.

The Jacksonville native was being recruited by many Florida schools when he first chose Marquette, including Florida State, Jacksonville, Florida, and Kansas State.

______________________________________________________________________

I wonder if potentially losing this recruit is a big issue for Buzz and Marquette?  I really don't know much about him.

Let's get Latavious Williams! 

I wouldn't put much stock in what the genius who wrote that Bleacher Report writes. He seems to think Latavious Williams is a guard for goodness sake.

[tharocket]

"The Jacksonville native was being recruited by many Florida schools when he first chose Marquette, including Florida State, Jacksonville, Florida, and Kansas State."

He also thinks Kansas State is a Florida school.

Picky, picky...I know.

[madtownwarrior]

the site has corrected it's information...

[mviale]

Yes, but it doesn't snow in Florida or Alabama and those two places are also much closer to his home.

One more reason in our favor - farther from home!

[ChicosBailBonds]

One more reason in our favor - farther from home!

A lot of kids don't like that....it's an advantage for some and not for others, depends on the kid.

[ChicosBailBonds]

I wouldn't put much stock in what the genius who wrote that Bleacher Report writes. He seems to think Latavious Williams is a guard for goodness sake.

The author has corrected the piece and apologized.  I give him credit for that.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/158830-quick-marquette-notes

[MR.HAYWARD]

My recollection was his father and coach were big time Mu fans, that cannot hurt our standing. 

[muarmy81]

speaking of Aaron Bowen, Mark Miller has an update on his performance at the wishoops.net website.  Sounds like he's really impressing people. 

[downtown85]

speaking of Aaron Bowen, Mark Miller has an update on his performance at the wishoops.net website.  Sounds like he's really impressing people. 

Link please?

[Blackhat]

Link please?

dude, just type in "wishoops.net" and do it yourself.  What are you a democrat?

[Blackhat]

here's the link:

http://www.wissports.net/sports/hoopsb/blog/blog.aspx?f=123

[tharocket]

here's the link:

http://www.wissports.net/sports/hoopsb/blog/blog.aspx?f=123

What are you, Congress?

[Blackhat]

I felt bad for him.  Now I see how it happens.   

[downtown85]

I felt bad for him.  Now I see how it happens.   

I guess I am just a Zombie.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SkzV5AIK8iM

 

[Blackhat]

I guess I am just a Zombie.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SkzV5AIK8iM

 

  That's too funny. 

[radome]

I like how the article gives Buzz credit for seeing his potential before everyone else did. I think that is the only way that we can recruit with the North Carolinas out there.

I am still confused though, is Bowen still committed and just a misinterpretation in the article or is there something there that those in the know are hearing?When can a 2010 recruit sign a LOI?

[Blackhat]

As far as I know he's still committed.   But we need to maintain/strengthen our bonds with the kid now that Dale Layer his lead recruiter is gone.   We'll see if Buzz can get the job done. 

[4thAndState]

I like how the article gives Buzz credit for seeing his potential before everyone else did. I think that is the only way that we can recruit with the North Carolinas out there.

I am still confused though, is Bowen still committed and just a misinterpretation in the article or is there something there that those in the know are hearing?When can a 2010 recruit sign a LOI?

Current HS juniors (2010 recruit) that have verballed can sign their LOI during the "early signing period" -- November 2009. That's when we expect Bowen to sign.

[strobl2]

Now that Layer is gone I have a feeling that he might be reconsidering his options, especially since he has a long time before he has to sign. If his stock keeps rising it may be hard to keep him since MU is very far away from his home. Buzz and his staff need to keep on this kid so he doesn't slip away in the next few months.

[duval09]

Bowen has not decommited.  He is still on board with MU.  He did have a nice r'ship with coach Layer but he understands that he has committed to the school not the coach.

[radome]

Wow. Very nice and strong statement from someone close based on the name. Thanks for the info.

[war1980rior]

Duval '09 - Have you seen him play?  Wolfson's a little out of the way for me and I've managed to miss seeing him this year.

[ATWizJr]

Wow. Very nice and strong statement from someone close based on the name. Thanks for the info.

Someone close based on the name?  Enlighten me.

[YoungMUFan4]

Wolfson HS is in Duval County

[ATWizJr]

Wolfson HS is in Duval County

Kind of a stretch, doncha' think?

[reinko]

I don't think it's a stretch at all.

BTW everyone, I love MU and I'm still committed.  I just had a discussion with Buzz yesterday, we talked about Liam's health issues and who's not returning next year.

I will error on the side of gullibility, rather than being an ass.

Welcome to MU!  Really looking forward to you suiting up in the Blue and Gold.

[tower912]

I had the same debate, reinko.   If you are Aaron, welcome to MU and we look forward to your career.   If it isn't, well played.     

[MR.HAYWARD]

I will say this i think Aaron is going to have a great summer and a great Senior year.  I then think AAron will be at Mu to become the next great 2 guard at MU, as the table is set for him to step in and get big time minutes immediately. 

I think, like Butch Lee, Dwyane Wade, Tony Smith, Jerel McNeal, Doc Rivers and other great MU guards he will have a great career at MU. I predict All Big East as a freshman in the best basketball conference ever created where he will hone his skills against NBA talent on his team and opposing BE teams every practice and game.   

He will be a All- BE selection before he graduates and moves on to a wonderful career in professional basketball.  All the while practicing in the best basketball practice facility in the nation and playing in one of the finest facilities in front of with out a doubt the best crowds in the country and be tutored by one of the best young head coaches in the country.  I also beleive Aaron will play in a Final four and compete for a National Title, with all this talent before he leaves. 

[detroitwarrior]

I had the same debate, reinko.   If you are Aaron, welcome to MU and we look forward to your career.   If it isn't, well played.     

"Aaron" seems to be very informed as to some of the politics involved in sharing of information from other sources.......and....appears to have weighed in on what he believes in that regard.......

[ATWizJr]

reinko, tower, I guess I'll fall into the category of gullible and hopeful.

[mu_hilltopper]

Uh, yeah, that's not Aaron Bowen, unless he's relocated to St. Louis, and has a @SLU.edu email address.

Everyone else can stop being gullible now.

[radome]

If a recruit did show up on MUscoop, would it be a recruiting violation based on the whole facebook ruling? Do you have to lock it if it is the recruit? I would hate to contribute to a violation.

[Hards Alumni]

I am still unsure how the NCAA can consider a facebook group a recruiting violation since there is nothing being provided to the recruit, and the institution is not involved and does not support or own facebook groups.

but of course, I do not know the ins and outs of their laws... only that they seem a tad outlandish.

[reinko]

Uh, yeah, that's not Aaron Bowen, unless he's relocated to St. Louis, and has a @SLU.edu email address.

Everyone else can stop being gullible now.

Boy do I feel like a goober now.  Some kid from my safety school burned me.  Enjoy the slow painful death of being a bottom feeder in the A-10.

[Nukem2]

I thought it was self-evident that I was ripping on that Duval09 character, and anyone who would believe by creating a screen name that person suddenly has standing to make comment on Aaron Bowen's recruitment.  That's why I threw in the BS about liam and other inside info.  I didn't mean to sound like I was pretending to be a recruit.

It's a bit scary, however, that the moderator would make public my location and enough of my email address to connect me with a university.  I know for damn sure I clicked the button demanding privacy of email.

So, how about it moderator, is it alright now to list someone's email address, as long as you don't give all the letters away?  My name is Gr_gory Orozco?

Sorry buddy, yo are violating the trust of other posters by setting up the account the way you did and saying what you did.  The moderators should put you out of your misery.

[mu_hilltopper]

What he said. 

[ATWizJr]

Totally agree. Ban the D-bag for getting impersonating an MU commit.

[StillAWarrior]

It's a bit scary, however, that the moderator would make public my location and enough of my email address to connect me with a university.  I know for damn sure I clicked the button demanding privacy of email.

So, how about it moderator, is it alright now to list someone's email address, as long as you don't give all the letters away?  My name is Gr_gory Orozco?

Wow, I certainly hope that the mods don't reveal that my email address includes @gmail.com.  Armed with that information, a monkey hacking at a computer keyboard could eventually send me an email offering a male enchancement product.

Edited to add:  my smart-ass comment aside, I don't disagree with your general point.  There's a reason that they don't let users access the IP addresses and email addresses.  Also, I understood exactly your point and had no doubt that you weren't Bowen.

[mu_hilltopper]

These aren't the droids you are looking for.

[tower912]

As I said earlier, well played.   And if Aaron Bowen DOES sometime happen across this board, I stick by my earlier statement as well. 

[Blackhat]

It was painfully obvious the "IMAARONBOWEN" guy was someone trying and I emphasize trying, to make a joke.   

As for who "Duval09" is I don't know, by his comments I hope it's someone close to him.  As for if it's far fetched for recruits to go on a fan board, it happens occasionally on other boards.   Pretty sure they do have that thing called the internet down in florida and I hear the young kids like to surf it a lot. 

[DoubleMU0609]

Back to the question on what would happen if a recruit did post on the board, I'm pretty sure it would still be a violation.  All of us would be considered boosters and any contact between us and a recruit would (I think, based on limited knowledge of the NCAA rules) be a violation. 

That being said, I don't think it would be a major violation and would just have to be included in MU's periodic self-reporting to the NCAA and likely wouldn't result in any sanctions.  Still probably not a good idea to be in contact with a recruit through the internet, though...

[war1980rior]

Sorry for going back to Duval09, but as a Duval County resident, close to the beach, I don't get to the West side a lot, and as a result, have never seen Bowen over at Wolfson.  I was wondering if Duval09 had an opportunity to see him play.

And yes, the kids down here surf.  For the most part, they are also quite internet adept.

[duval09]

i have seen Aaron Bowen play since his freshman year.  I follow Wolfson hoops closely.  Bowen is the real deal.  He has some work to do as far as strength and conditioning goes.  That being said he has a high basketball IQ and is very explosive. He has a nice jump shot with 3 point range and attacks the rim. He needs to work on ballhandling but that will come and he is raw defensively but his athleticism covers that.  I'm sure Buzz and the coach's will work on the defense when he gets to MU.  Offensively he is ready now.  I watched him score 41 while not playing much of the first half against one of the highest rated schools in Jacksonville a year ago.

[war1980rior]

Thx Duval.  I'll make it out to see him at some point this year.  My kids go to Stanton, and they will probably get them this year (which should be a blowout for Wolfson!).  I'll be the tall guy in an MU T-shirt. 

[Hards Alumni]

Back to the question on what would happen if a recruit did post on the board, I'm pretty sure it would still be a violation.  All of us would be considered boosters and any contact between us and a recruit would (I think, based on limited knowledge of the NCAA rules) be a violation. 

That being said, I don't think it would be a major violation and would just have to be included in MU's periodic self-reporting to the NCAA and likely wouldn't result in any sanctions.  Still probably not a good idea to be in contact with a recruit through the internet, though...

I think I would need the definition that the NCAA uses for "Booster"

it is against their rules for the kid to have a fan club who are in no way affiliated with MU? 

[MR.HAYWARD]

Hey Duval nice hearing from you.

Sounds like some good stuff from Mr. Bowen.  Aaron has such an incredible opportunity at MU.  He will be coming into a situation that is tailor made for him.  That is the need for a big two guard.  So the opportuunity is simply great,not to mention playing against NBA talent every day at practice and in games.  Not to mention He is going to be playing on TV every game and will be playing for a team that will compete for BE and NAtional championships by the time he gets here.  Not sure if you know but Mu just signed the #1 rated recruiting class in the country just edging out UNC and the class after has AAron and a 6'10 kid that is going to be incredible. 

LAstly, not sure how much you follow Mu hoops but what Buzz did with Wesley Matthews and Jerel Mcneal two 2g like Aaron over the course of the last year should have every guard in the country wanting to come to MU.  They were like completely different players.  Mcneal exploded into being a 2nd team AP all-american and had a year we have not seen since DWAde.  Wesley MAthews went from a ten point a game ghost into a 18 point a game NBA draft choice.  The coaches at the NBA camp marveled about his IQ and all around game.  Wesley on a number of occasions has publically thanked Buzz form what he did to his game to make him what he turned into, after 3 years of being a forgotten role player.  I hope Aaron is half as excited to be at Mu as we are to have him.  19,000+ MU fans chanting Aar -on, Aar-on, as he leads us to big win after big win over the Pittsburghs, Uconns, etc. WOW what a future.

[DoubleMU0609]

I think I would need the definition that the NCAA uses for "Booster"

it is against their rules for the kid to have a fan club who are in no way affiliated with MU? 

A few quotes from MU's NCAA Guide for Alumni:

ARE YOU A BOOSTER?

"You are considered a "representative of athletics interests" (i.e. a booster) if you:
...
Have promoted Marquette's athletics program in any manner."


I'm under the impression that simply by being associated with this board we would be considered "boosters" which means no contact at all with any recruit.

Here's the link:
http://www.gomarquette.com/compliance/ncaa-rules-guide.html

[tharocket]

It was painfully obvious the "IMAARONBOWEN" guy was someone trying and I emphasize trying, to make a joke.

Trying and not succeeding.

Still, the moderator on this board is using some pretty shady tactics to cover his ass. I saw all the posts before he deleted them and (apparently) banned IMAaronBowen.  It was clearly an attempt at a joke, so why is the moderator listing people's schools and locations. 

[mu_hilltopper]

Oh, look.  Another guy using the same IP address coming in to defend some other poster who was banned.  Gosh .. this is such a tough call.

[Hards Alumni]

A few quotes from MU's NCAA Guide for Alumni:

ARE YOU A BOOSTER?

"You are considered a "representative of athletics interests" (i.e. a booster) if you:
...
Have promoted Marquette's athletics program in any manner."


I'm under the impression that simply by being associated with this board we would be considered "boosters" which means no contact at all with any recruit.

Here's the link:
http://www.gomarquette.com/compliance/ncaa-rules-guide.html

define "promoted".

[77ncaachamps]

Oh, look.  Another guy using the same IP address coming in to defend some other poster who was banned.  Gosh .. this is such a tough call.

Then lock it.

Have the interested parties PM each other.

Hands clean.

[mu_hilltopper]

Good idea.  3 pages is enough, especially since there's probably only 1 page of content on the subject.